Ten for Tuesday - Most Iconic Sports Photographs

Hey everyone, Drew back here! After a week off from my new series, Ten for Tuesday, I have returned to bring you something a little different than what we've covered thus far. Over the past month and a half, I have created lists of Hall of Famers who may not deserve to be in, the Best Switch Hitters in Baseball, the players with the best signatures in baseball, among others. But this week, we are slightly shifting gears towards what is featured on the front of the baseball cards most of my readers love: the pictures.

It is safe to say through our love for this hobby we also all share a love for photography, because it is one of the main focal points that makes collecting fun. We complain when we see a set that features the same poses in photos; card after card. We like unique, and with that I decided to highlight the ten most Iconic Photographs in Sports History for you all to feast your eyes on.

10 Most Iconic Sports Photographs of All Time

Honorable Mentions - 

Image Source

Image Source

Image Source

Image Source

Image Source

No Kirk Gibson? No Carlton Fisk? Once again, let me remind you that this is my list, and I was on the verge of putting these unforgettable scenes on this list until others surpassed them. Mazeroski set the baseball world ablaze after defeating my all powerful Yankees dynasty in 1960, while Jackie Robinson snuck his foot into home just a few years before past the man in left field who watched Maz's long fly soar over the fence; Yogi Berra (he was out, by the way). Not many were alive to watch the feeble Lou Gehrig deliver one of the most famous speeches in American sports history, but the images we do have of the event showcase just how impactful and sincere "The Iron Horse" was. And to prove that I attempt to be unbiased, the lone moment I had the pleasure of watching first hand did not crack my top ten. Sorry, David Tyree.

10 - Bobby Orr, The Goal, Taken by Ray Lussier, 1970

Image Source

If you've followed my writing long enough, you know that I am in no means a hockey connoisseur. I was proud of myself that I managed to watch a majority of the Rangers' Game 7 victory over the Capitals last Wednesday that ended in an overtime victory. But when sorting through all of these iconic sports moments, this picture of hockey legend Bobby Orr stood out. This picture was a personal reminder of how sports truly are kids games performed by adults. Orr is flying through the air like Peter Pan, the boy who famously refused to ever grow up. The photo was taken after he scored a game winning goal that gave his Bruins a Stanley Cup title over the St. Louis Blues. Their opposing defenseman Noel Picard tripped Orr after he scored the goal, which caused him to take flight, however; the photo almost appears as if he didn't need to be tripped to fly. I know I didn't put Carlton Fisk's famous home run on this list, much to many Boston fans' dismay, but I hope I made up for that with this.

9 - Michael Jordan, Winning First Championship, 1991

Image Source

There is no sports photo I find more emotionally gripping than this one. Michael Jordan may just be the most dominant athlete in the history of American sports; perhaps worldwide as well. And this Championship series victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in 1991 was his first of 6 titles, and began the first of two three-peats. He was magical throughout the series, and came away with his first of 6 Finals MVP awards. The word that comes to mind every time I see this is dedication, as nobody out worked, out hustled, or out played #23 in his prime. As tears rush down his face, we can see that the journey was most certainly worth striving for. Hint: This may not be the last we see of the greatest to ever grace the court on this list.

8 - Tommie Smith & John Carlos, Black Power Salute, 1968

Image Source

The late 1960's were a controversial period of time in American history, as the Civil Rights Movement was becoming ever more impactful nationwide. The fight for African American equal rights extended throughout all facets of culture, including the sports world. During the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, two male African Americans named Tommie Smith and John Carlos placed first and third in the 200 meter race, respectively. But their actual performance was undermined by how they chose to celebrate their achievements. They made a political statement during the Star Spangled Banner while on the winner's podium, raising their fists with black gloves to bring awareness and salute the rise of black power in the country. It was extremely controversial at the time, and will forever go down as one of the biggest political moments in sports history.

7 - US Men's Hockey Team, Miracle on Ice, Taken by Heinz Kluetmeier, 1980

Image Source

USA! USA! USA! There is nothing more patriotic than watching an underdog US Men's Hockey team defeat the Soviets in one of the greatest Olympic upsets of all time! If you've never seen the movie based off of this story, I highly recommend it. Sports Illustrated even called the "Miracle on Ice" the greatest sports moment of the 20th century, and if you really think about it, that's quite an accomplishment. The joy expressed in this photo tells the whole story.

6 - Don Larsen & Yogi Berra, World Series Perfect Game, 1956

Image Source

Ah, yes, my lone Yankees selection for the list. Baseball has existed for hundreds of years now, and the World Series has since 1903. And there has only been one perfect game thrown in that series, by the hand of relatively unknown hurler Don Larsen. Larsen's name would forever be scratched into Yankees immortality all thanks in part to his heroic performance, and the image of Yogi Berra jumping into his arms following the 27th out is absolutely priceless.

5 - Dwight Clark, Super Bowl Catch, Taken by Walter Iooss Jr., 1981

Image Source

Dwight Clark was a pretty good player for a short period of time, but he picked the right time to shine. The only football moment on this list occurred in the 1981 NFC Championship Game when Clark's 49ers took on the Dallas Cowboys; America's Team. Late in the game, the Niners were down 6 points with minimal time left on the clock, and Hall of Famer Joe Montana led the team down the field. An 83 yard drive led the team to the Cowboys' 6 yard line, where Montana would connect with Clark for a touchdown that would forever be known as simply "The Catch" and would send the 49ers to the Super Bowl; which they would win. Epic catches have been made since then (such as David Tyree and Santonio Holmes' in their Super Bowl triumphs), but this was one of the very first clutch moments in the NFL's illustrious history. And with that, Clark's leap lands 5th on our countdown.

4 - Wilt Chamberlain, 100 Points, 1962

Image Source

People often try to rank the records that will be most difficult to break. Hell, I could even write about that in the future. Chances are one of the higher ranked records would be all thanks to this legend, Wilt Chamberlain, who on March 2nd, 1962, scored exactly 100 points in a routing against my New York Knicks. Although the moment was not recognized quite like it should have been (his reward was a piece of paper that said "100" on it), but since only one player has come slightly close to his record in over 50 years (Kobe Bryant, 81 points), a mystique has been given to Chamberlain's achievement. Chamberlain averaged 50.3 points per game in the 1961-1962 season, and topped 70 points twice that season, and twice the next. Talk about domination.

3 - Willie Mays, The Catch, Taken by the Associated Press, 1954

Image Source

Many will argue that baseball's version of "The Catch" was not even Willie Mays' finest work. Regardless of how anyone may object, Mays' over the shoulder diving grab in deep right field of the Polo Grounds has been the most recognized defensive play in baseball history. This play came in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series between the then New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians. His catch and quick throw kept Larry Doby from scoring what would have been the go ahead run. Overrated or not, Mays' storied career was personified by this image; showing the effort and perseverance he put into every play for 22 years.

2 - Michael Jordan, The Shot II, Taken by Fernando Medina, 1998

Image Source

Guess who's back? Back again; MJ's back. Tell a friend. If any of these legendary players deserved multiple spots on this list, Michael Jordan is as deserving as it gets. Jordan made two particularly remarkable shots that have taken simple names "The Shot 1 & 2" in his career playoff performances. The first came in the 5th game of the Bulls' first round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1989, where his buzzer beater seemed to freeze time. The photograph of Jordan leaping in the air from his 44 point performance is another that was seriously considered for the list, but it was his second "Shot" that took home first prize among all of 23's classic memories. Jordan made this shot against the Utah Jazz to win his 6th and final NBA Finals, and it would go on to be his final shot with the Chicago Bulls. I have always loved this picture because it appears that everyone in Utah's crowd was terrified of the inevitable; that Jordan would crush every chance of them winning a title. Sure enough, he did, and they haven't appeared in the Finals since then.

1 - Muhammad Ali, Defeating Sonny Liston, Taken by Neil Leifer, 1965

Image Source

In most cases, I am not sure who will take the top spot on any of my lists until I take some time to calculate, arrange, and rearrange all of the possibilities. This list featured an absolute no brainer. Yesterday was the 50th Anniversary of the day this inspiring photo was taken by Neil Leifer in Miami Beach, Florida. Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) was underestimated the previous year against the ferocious reigning Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston, and the publicity gained by the fight rivaled our modern day Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown earlier this year. After a six round battle, Ali's moves were too quick for the aging Liston; who failed to answer the bell and was defeated by technical knockout. It was an enormous upset at the time, but Liston wasn't ready to pass the torch just yet. The next year, they were back at it in their second matchup; this time in Lewiston, Maine. This fight was much quicker for the two foes, as Ali made use of a "phantom punch"; knocking Liston onto the floor midway through the first round. This photo above was taken as Ali shouted "Get up and fight, sucka!" at Liston, who rolled in agony and defeat on the ground.

This picture represents exactly who Ali would become: a champion. He may not have been America's hero all throughout his career, but he was always must-see TV. While the two bouts ruined Liston's troubled career, they kickstarted the career of who truly was "The Greatest".

I have often said (to myself, because usually not too many people care) that if I were to own any signed picture (within reason); this would be the one. It is the epiphany of what I love about sports; dominance. I have always been infatuated with larger than life athletes who transcended their individual sports, and Ali became boxing after his career was over. No matter how "undefeated" Floyd Mayweather may be, he would never stand a chance against the man who floated like a butterfly, and stung like a be. This may forever sit atop my wish list, but as long as I continue to get the satisfaction it provides me now, I'll be okay with that.

Happy 50th Anniversary to a moment in sports we will never forget. And hats off to the rest of the moments that have created amazing fans worldwide; on this list, just short, or even just the slightest imprint of talent that may have popped off the screen one day. 

See Ya!

Touring the Naismith Memorial Basketball HOF!

Hey guys, Drew back here! A couple weeks ago, my family went on a trip to Massachusetts to check out a few colleges. It's getting to be that time where college is a big mark on my radar, and I'm now looking at 5 schools I'm planning on applying to! At the moment, my interest lies in the Sport Management field, and my goal is to work for ESPN or MLB or something similar. Anyway, 2 of the schools we visited happened to be really closeby to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame! I convinced my parents to check it out, and we ended up doing just that.

The top floor was definitely neat. The building is a round shape, obviously resembling a basketball, and the inductees all have photos hanging on the wall that wraps all the way around. I'm not going to lie, it seemed a little subpar compared to the Baseball Hall of Fame I saw just prior to this, but it definitely looked really cool.

The main floor was filled with these little spots in which you could compare your foot size to some of the NBA's greats. This is my size 12 shoe inside Shaq's 23! I've got quite a lot of catching up to do.

With the Hall being closer to Boston than any other major sports town, Larry Bird has a central figure at the Hall. I made sure to benefit my Knicks by swatting the ball out of Bird's hands.

The museum did beat the Baseball Hall of Fame's in its numerous interactive experiences. Here you can see my wingspan compared to current great Kevin Durant's! There were displays where you could test your jump, places where you could relive famous basketball moments by broadcasting them yourself, and the entire first floor was a court that showed the evolution of basketball over time. It was definitely more child friendly than the Baseball HOF.

Of course, they did incorporate some of the typical exhibits you would normally see at a place of this kind. Here is the display of the Miami Heat's 2012-13 title run, which includes the legendary Larry O'Brien trophy! 

You can't have a Basketball Hall of Fame without the G.O.A.T., Michael Jordan! Many of Jordan's legendary moments were captured throughout the museum, including many of his retro Jordan shoes that have current high schoolers oogling all over. I don't see the "let's spend $400 on a pair of kicks" thing myself, but I would wear them if they were cheaper!

Also, the extravagance and flair of "The Worm", Dennis Rodman was one of the cooler displays in the museum. Rodman had just recently been elected into the Hall, which gives hope to guys like JR Smith of today! 

Lastly, I'll leave you with a nice signed Shaq shoe! I remember getting a cheaper pair of Shaq's for rec league basketball when I was little. I was the coolest kid on the court. Just kidding, my foot was just too wide for the Jordan's at the time. Shaq should be earning a permanent spot in the Hall relatively soon!

Well, there it is, the Basketball Hall of Fame all summed up to one post! While it wasn't much compared to the Baseball Hall, it was definitely cool and worth a look for any NBA or College Basketball fans!

See Ya!

Dad's Craigslist Adventures!

Hey guys, Drew back here. A good week or two ago, Dad brought home a HUGE box filled with some older cards. The range was supposedly from 1980-1990 or so, of baseball, basketball, and football, and they were from a woman on Craigslist that was working on selling off her dad's collection. I have a lot to highlight from this, so let's get started!

First off, we have a few of many 1991 Pro Line football cards. This is a very fun set, with interesting photography and even cards of players wifes. They also show the clothing style from those days... which cracks me up! I mean, just at the Fridge!

Next are just a few of a TON of 1991 Skybox basketball. I've never been much of a basketball collector, so I've never heard of these cards, but they're pretty darn weird! I don't think I had a single card of Michael Jordan though, so I'm happy I got a few in this lot.

Here are a few mixed basketball cards. I love the painting looking cards of Dominique Wilkins, Patrick Ewing, and Michael Jordan.

Starting off the baseball cards in the lot, we have a lot of 1992 McDonalds, with a few players I've met. Also there are a few other oddball cards in that.

One of my favorite parts of the lot were these 1989 Topps coin cards. I like the occasional oddball product, and these certainly fit that. My favorite one is definitely of the Hawk, Andre Dawson.

While I already have quite a few 1993 Topps cards due to a box I got of it at one point, I think it's a really nice product. Some of my favorites are the Gary Carter, Kirby Puckett, and Don Mattingly cards. Kirby's card makes me laugh every time!

Mixed within the 1993 Topps is one of the "Black Gold" inserts that seemed a little rare, considering I didn't even get one in my hobby box. This one is of Tony Gwynn, can't do much better than that! Pretty cool!

Another one of the nicer baseball sets included in the box were 1989 Score. I love some of the photography on these cards, and while the design doesn't look overly nice, the pictures help it look better. I love the Paul Molitor card in this set over any of the scanned cards though.

Probably the oldest card in the box appeared randomly mixed in, from 1977 Topps, a Graig Nettles/Mike Schmidt home run leaders card! I think I already have this one but it's definitely a sweet card of 2 of the top players in the 1970's!

And last but not least, the highlights. First was a 1989 Score Randy Johnson rookie card. Unfortunately, as good as Johnson was, his cards as well as other late 80's rookies (minus Griffey Jr.'s Upper Deck) don't have the kind of value that they should have for being Hall of Famers. In fact, this card only books for a grand total of 2 dollars and 50 cents. But, my favorite card(s) of the box were the 3 1993 Topps Derek Jeter rookies! Although I have so many of this card already, I can't get enough of my favorite player's rookies!

Well, a big thank you to the Craigslist seller and of course to my dad for picking up this box for a pretty solid price! You're the best!

See Ya!

Grandpa Roy Column Answer

Hey guys, Drew back here, after I let the last question run for a little while, I will announce the answers, and you guys got all 7! I don't know if you used reference material while making answers, so not sure it uses all 100% of brain power. Here's the question if you forgot:

Michael Jordan, often considered the best basketball player ever to play the game, was recently inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame a few weekends ago. This superstar is one of only 7 players to have won the trifecta (Collegiate Championship, NBA Championship, and Olympic Gold Medal) in their careers, who are the others?

And here are the answers you guys made:

1: Michael Jordan, 1982 NCAA Champion, 1991; 1992; 1993; 1996; 1997; 1998 NBA Championships, 1984+1992 Olympic Gold Medals.

2: Magic Johnson, 1979 NCAA Champion, 1980; 1982; 1985; 1987; 1988 NBA Championships, Dream Team 1992 Olympic Gold Medal

3: Bill Russell, 1955 & 1956 NCAA Champion, 1957; 1959; 1960; 1961; 1962; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966; 1968; 1969 NBA Championships (Yes, 11), 1956 Gold Men's Basketball Medal

4: Jerry Lucas, 1959; 1960; 1961 NCAA Champion, 1973; 1974 NBA Championships, 1960 Olympic Gold Medal

5: K.C. Jones, NCAA Champion, 1959; 1960; 1961; 1962; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966 NBA Championships, 1956 Olympic Gold Men's Basketball Medal

6: Quinn Buckner, 1976 NCAA Champion, 1984 NBA Championship, 1976 Olympic Gold Medal

7: Clyde Lovellette, 1952 NCAA Champion, 1954, 1963, 1964 NBA Champion, 1952 Olympic Gold Medal

So, there are your 7, here are the guys that get credit for this question:

Duane (Democratic Roadkill): 2 Points (+ 1 More for making another question out of this)
SpastikMoose (GSNHOF): 1 Point
Don (Trammell to Whitaker): 5 Points

So there you have it, 5 for Don! You guys did pretty good with this, and here's my input on the question:

Well, making it far in high school is a tough challenge. There aren't 28 high schools, or colleges to play. You have to be number 1. And these 7 guys made such an effort to go far it's remarkable. To not only win the NCAA Championship but also win in the NBA is amazing, and add an Olympic medal and you are an accomplished man. 6 out of these 7 players are in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Connecticut, as there names will forever be recognized by the word, "champion". In Michael Jordan's case, the newest Hall of Famer is often considered the greatest basketball player to walk this earth, and Bill Russell and Magic are up there too. But, as some sports stars such as A-Rod never accomplished being #1, these guys definitely have a reason for it.

*By the way, Duane, want to name the 3 guys who also won a high school medal for .5 points total? Leave a comment! Thanks buddy

Grandpa Roy Column- Basketball Style!!!

What's up guys and girls, Drew back here, very excited right now due to the Jets game results vs New England, but time to run the next trivia question towards your contest point leaderboard. It is currently placed on the sidebar, but here is your Top 5 currently:

1- Hackenbush: 5.5 Points
2- mmosely: 4 Points
3- Collective Troll: 3.5 Points
4- Night Owl: 3 Points
5- Old School Breaks: 3 Points

Time isn't out yet! Here are ways to earn points so far:
- Trading cards I need from Swisher and Cano sets earns you 1/2 a point per card!!!
- Answering these questions gives you 1 point for every answer!
- 2 Points if you discover a player we left out in a Trivia question (Night Owl did it once)

So, today's question is basketball related, but I let it slide because this guy also played baseball, and, this is the "Trivia Corner" and isn't necessarily the Baseball Corner anymore. So, here is your question:

Michael Jordan, often considered the best basketball player ever to play the game, was recently inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame a few weekends ago. This superstar is one of only 7 players to have won the trifecta (Collegiate Championship, NBA Championship, and Olympic Gold Medal) in their careers, who are the others?

Hint Baseball Fans: 5 out of these 6 guys are in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and only 1 of them is played for the famous dream team (1992), other than MJ. Good luck

1: Michael Jordan, 1982 NCAA Champion, 1991; 1992; 1993; 1996; 1997; 1998 NBA Championships, 1984+1992 Olympic Gold Medals.

2: Magic Johnson, 1979 NCAA Champion, 1980; 1982; 1985; 1987; 1988 NBA Championships, Dream Team 1992 Olympic Gold Medal

3: Bill Russell, 1955 & 1956 NCAA Champion, 1957; 1959; 1960; 1961; 1962; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966; 1968; 1969 NBA Championships (Yes, 11), 1956 Gold Men's Basketball Medal

4: Jerry Lucas, 1959; 1960; 1961 NCAA Champion, 1973; 1974 NBA Championships, 1960 Olympic Gold Medal

5: K.C. Jones, NCAA Champion, 1959; 1960; 1961; 1962; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966 NBA Championships, 1956 Olympic Gold Men's Basketball Medal

6: Quinn Buckner, 1976 NCAA Champion, 1984 NBA Championship, 1976 Olympic Gold Medal

7: Clyde Lovellette, 1952 NCAA Champion, 1954, 1963, 1964 NBA Champion, 1952 Olympic Gold Medal

*UPDATE,1 MORE!!! Don has gotten 4 Points total on this question, and Duane came up with a great idea to include this as a bonus, which 3 of these players won a high school championship, college championship, NBA Championship, and an Olympic Medal?

1:

2:

3:

Remember the rules, only 1 answer at a time unless we need help and I let you know that you can answer multiple players. Give everyone time to answer questions, so everything is fair. +1 points for each player you name remember! See Ya, and Good luck!