ENTER! Misc. Av Contest: Iconic Moments in Sports

[Locutus of Bored]

Thanks for the votes and for all the great contributions made in the last thread, folks.

For this week's contest, I'd like to look at some iconic moments in sports history. I know not everyone here is into sports, but I think we all can think of plenty of moments where an athlete, team, or event transcended the game and became a defining moment in national or even international history.

And it doesn't just have to be an achievement in athleticism itself, but can also be a moment where an athlete or team or event brought about social change or inspired others to take up a cause or treat people with greater respect.

Given the nature of the contest the usual "no media" rules will be waived, but let's stick to real life depictions of people and events rather than fictional or adapted ones. So, actual pictures of Jackie Robinson playing baseball rather than something from the movie 42, for instance.

I'll give us a week for entries, so the entries will run through Sunday 10/4 and the poll will go up next Monday.

Good luck, everyone!

 

[Taylirious]

Date: 7/10/1999
Event: 1999 Women's World Cup
Location: Los Angeles

In the men's game, we're still waiting for the United States to produce a transformative moment like our ladies did in 1999. On American soil, they won the World Cup and inspired an entire generation of girls to choose soccer. Just to add drama to the cause, the United States ended up beating China in the Final through a penalty shootout—something that our country probably couldn't handle on the men's side of the game without combusting. http://www.complex.com/sports/2014/...-sports-history/1999-womens-world-cup-triumph

 

[Avro Arrow]

I know not everyone here is into sports

This is me. I was just going to sit this one out. But then I realized I did know something I could enter...

Paul Henderson's game-winning (and series-winning) goal in the 1972 Summit Series

Known as "The Goal Heard Around the World", this allowed Canada to take the lead in the final minute of the last game of the series. They held on and ended up winning the series. This was such a cultural touchpoint for Canada that it is still talked about today, 43 years later. The fact that I, neither a sports nor hockey fan in the slightest, even *know* about it is a testament to how iconic it is for our nation.

It is the goal being referenced in the Tragically Hip song "Fireworks":

If there's a goal that everyone remembers,
It was back in ol' 72
We all squeezed the stick and we all pulled the trigger
And all I remember is sitting beside you
You said you didn't give a f*** about hockey
And I never saw someone say that before
You held my hand and we walked home the long way
You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr

(I could have expressed the same sentiment about hockey, of course, if I had been around back then! )

The series was even parodied in an episode of Corner Gas.

And I had to check this online, but it turns out the anniversary of that game is... September 28. (Tomorrow, from the time of this post!)

 

[RJDiogenes]

For someone who is bored to tears by sports, this was surprisingly easy.

The lovely Surya Bonaly performing her unique one-bladed backflip. No other human being has ever accomplished this maneuver.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

I'm sooooo not into sports. So I'm trying something different.

This is my brother, Frank Brauns, three-times world champion of table football (foosball, table soccer, or whatever you call where you live).

If this doesn't qualify, I'm just gonna sit this one out.

 

[Timewalker]

For someone who is bored to tears by sports, this was surprisingly easy.

The lovely Surya Bonaly performing her unique one-bladed backflip. No other human being has ever accomplished this maneuver.

She was a gymnast before taking up figure skating, and often incorporated gymnastics into her routines.

Most figure skating fans who didn't know anything about gymnastics were clueless and laughed at her...

 

[Squiggy]

Lou Gehrig's farewell speech.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Known as "The Goal Heard Around the World", this allowed Canada to take the lead in the final minute of the last game of the series. They held on and ended up winning the series. This was such a cultural touchpoint for Canada that it is still talked about today, 43 years later. The fact that I, neither a sports nor hockey fan in the slightest, even *know* about it is a testament to how iconic it is for our nation.

It is the goal being referenced in the Tragically Hip song "Fireworks":

If there's a goal that everyone remembers,
It was back in ol' 72
We all squeezed the stick and we all pulled the trigger
And all I remember is sitting beside you
You said you didn't give a f*** about hockey
And I never saw someone say that before
You held my hand and we walked home the long way
You were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr

(I could have expressed the same sentiment about hockey, of course, if I had been around back then! )

The series was even parodied in an episode of Corner Gas.

So was the Tragically Hip, in fact.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eINGuQwrkPU[/yt]

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I'm sooooo not into sports. So I'm trying something different.

This is my brother, Frank Brauns, three-times world champion of table football (foosball, table soccer, or whatever you call where you live).

If this doesn't qualify, I'm just gonna sit this one out.

I'm easy like Sunday morning, so it's in.

 

[auntiehill]

Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin:

 

[BigJake]

Iconic Tommie Smith and John Carlos black power salute during the 1968 Olympics.

 

[J.T.B.]

I've seen some pretty unforgettable sports moments in my time, but nothing has come close to the 1980 Miracle on Ice.

 

[RJDiogenes]

For someone who is bored to tears by sports, this was surprisingly easy.

The lovely Surya Bonaly performing her unique one-bladed backflip. No other human being has ever accomplished this maneuver.

She was a gymnast before taking up figure skating, and often incorporated gymnastics into her routines.

Most figure skating fans who didn't know anything about gymnastics were clueless and laughed at her...

Well, I'm clueless about both gymnastics and figure skating; I just like Surya Bonaly.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Just the first of phenomenal seven Formula 1 Championships for Michael Schumacher on 11/13/1994.

 

[auntiehill]

Iconic Tommie Smith and John Carlos black power salute during the 1968 Olympics.

That's fantastic; definitely gets a vote from me.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Jackie Robinson integrates Major League Baseball for the first time on April 15, 1947 at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, NY, as the Brooklyn Dodgers play the Boston Braves. Robinson would go on to score the game-winning run after getting on base with a bunt.

Tomorrow is your last day for entries if anyone still wants to join in.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Voting thread is up here:
http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=276339

Good luck, everyone!