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Thread: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

  1. #91
    Member Sea Ray's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by krm1580 View Post
    This thread reminds me of an argument I had a few years ago when one of my friends asked me who I thought the best athlete of my lifetime was. I said Bo Jackson and he about lost his mind and said "how can you say Bo Jackson over Michael Jordan." I of course made some comment about where a .200 batting average in AA baseball would get you to an All-Star game and things went down hill from there.

    The point is that depending on what your definition of great athlete is you can make the case for either guy. Michael Jordan had a unique elite skillset which lined up perfectly for the sport he played but in no way shape or form did he have the complete physical tools Bo Jackson had.

    So while I think it is foolish to say Billy Hamilton is not a great athlete, I think it is fair to say his success hinges upon a very unique skillset and he is not that complete package that a guy like Josh Hamilton is.
    Funny you bring up Bo Jackson. I recall a debate many yrs ago of comparing the athleticism of Bo vs Deion. One guy's opinion was that Deion was far superior because he "could" play tailback but no way Bo could cover NFL WRs


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  3. #92
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by Scrap Irony View Post
    No.

    He's an All-State level player in three sports in Mississippi, with Division I scholarship offers in both basketball and football.

    It takes more than speed to be a Division I athlete in both basketball and football.

    It takes hand-eye coordination.

    It takes eye-foot coordination.

    It takes quickness and agility.

    Put another way, were Hamilton to play basketball against any of the others you mentioned, he'd kill them. Were he to play football against them, he'd again be the better player.

    Would he win a decathlon? Probably, as the decathlon consists of at least six events in which he'd be favored to win or place highly-- the 100 meters, the long jump, the high jump, the 400 meters, the 110 hurdles, and the 1500 meters. The other guys would likely split the "heavier" events.
    Touche'. Perhaps I've underrated him. I'll still take Bo over anybody I've seen, but I wasn't aware he had the D1 basketball talent as well. Of course, Tony Gwynn played D1 basketball too. He was a solid athlete, but I don't know if I'd put him that high.

    Another guy to add to the list would be Dave Winfield.
    Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.

  4. #93
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Serious question: Is Bo Jackson the greatest athlete ever seen?

    I think I'd vote yes.

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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by dougdirt View Post
    He has incredible range at shortstop because he is fast.
    Ah, but range is not always tied to speed.

  6. #95
    Party like it's 1990 Blitz Dorsey's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    I can't believe someone hacked Doug's account and started posting in this thread. Doug said he was done with this thread and I of course took him at his word. How are we not talking about Doug's account obviously being hacked?

    And Homer Bailey ... sorry, but the fact that Billy Hamilton was a star three-sport athlete in high school DOES matter when determining whether he's a "great athlete." I like how you just tried to discount the fact that he was one of the top football players in the entire country and was also an elite basketball player. Oh yeah, this on top of being one of the top 50 baseball prospects in the world.

    Nah, nothing impressive there. Certainly not a great athlete. Move along, nothing to see here. [Sarcasm off.]

  7. #96
    Party like it's 1990 Blitz Dorsey's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by Scrap Irony View Post
    Serious question: Is Bo Jackson the greatest athlete ever seen?

    I think I'd vote yes.
    Ever seen by anyone, period? No. Then we're talking Jesse Owens; someone of that ilk. (IMO.)

    However, best that I've seen? Yes. I think I'd have to say Bo Jackson is the best overall athlete that I've ever seen. He was definitely the best RB in the NFL during his brief prime (a Bengal linebacker named Walker ended his career with a tackle in the '90 playoffs) and was also an All-Star baseball player on top of that. Flat-out amazing.

    Deion is up there. Yes, that's right ... Prime Time is up there.

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    Bo Jackson super athlete, Rickey Henderson super athlete, Dave Winfield super athlete. Those are the first 3 baseball players that come to my mind when I think of super athletes. Does Hamilton fit that category maybe time will tell, but I know he has a better chance of being considered one than 90% of all baseball players. Doesn't mean he will be a good player. In my opinion very few "greatest players of all time" were super athletes. Just those that worked harder and had more desire than everyone else. Amazing how the brain can override the bodies limitations.

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  9. #98
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Daryl Strawberry and Eric Davis also come to mind...

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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    You've all done so well defining Athlete but forgot about super> thanks Merriam Webster:

    a : of high grade or quality
    b —used as a generalized term of approval <a super cook>
    2
    : very large or powerful <a super atomic bomb>
    3
    : exhibiting the characteristics of its type to an extreme or excessive degree

    Billy Hamilton Qualifies on 2 of the 3 above, maybe, at least one, certainly.

    And we all agree he's an athlete....

    Therefore, and without a doubt he is a "Super Athlete" by definition.
    Attended 1976 World Series in my Mother's Womb. Attended 1990 World Series Game 2 as a 13 year old. Want to take my son to a a World Series Game in Cincinnati in my lifetime.

  11. #100
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    What a thread. How would Billy fair in the decathlon....doesn't that define the Worlds Best Athlete come Olympic-time?

    I don't even know what events the decathlon is composed of, but how would Billy do?

  12. #101
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by Blitz Dorsey View Post
    I can't believe someone hacked Doug's account and started posting in this thread. Doug said he was done with this thread and I of course took him at his word. How are we not talking about Doug's account obviously being hacked?

    And Homer Bailey ... sorry, but the fact that Billy Hamilton was a star three-sport athlete in high school DOES matter when determining whether he's a "great athlete." I like how you just tried to discount the fact that he was one of the top football players in the entire country and was also an elite basketball player. Oh yeah, this on top of being one of the top 50 baseball prospects in the world.

    Nah, nothing impressive there. Certainly not a great athlete. Move along, nothing to see here. [Sarcasm off.]
    Look, it's pretty simple. Him being a 3 sport athlete has basically nothing to do with his ability to hit a baseball far, his ability to make consistent contact with a baseball, or his ability to throw a baseball quickly across the diamond.

    Doug refuses to call him a super athlete because he lacks the physical body strength that many super athletes have (by his definition). This is not about defining Hamilton as a super athlete or not. That may be how several people are reading the arguments posted here, but that's not the point. The point is that he does not have the physical strength or size to hit the ball far, throw it far, etc. These kind of skills are very important in baseball. He DOES have the ability to run very quickly. It's a valuable skill, no question, but he doesn't possess the type of athleticism that's going to allow him to hit a ball like Josh Hamilton does. That's just a fact.

    This is why it's just silly to start talking about his high school football stats. It's not going to help him hit a baseball far.

    Billy Hamilton is freakishly fast. He's not a freak in the mold of LeBron James, someone who is very fast, jumps high, and has tremendous strength.

    No one is calling Hamilton un-athletic. He just lacks some of the characteristics of of athleticism that many of the best baseball players have, and that is physical strength (aka power).

  13. #102
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    This discussion should have never been about athleticism anyway, rather baseball tools.

  14. #103
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by Blitz Dorsey View Post
    Ever seen by anyone, period? No. Then we're talking Jesse Owens; someone of that ilk. (IMO.)

    However, best that I've seen? Yes. I think I'd have to say Bo Jackson is the best overall athlete that I've ever seen. He was definitely the best RB in the NFL during his brief prime (a Bengal linebacker named Walker ended his career with a tackle in the '90 playoffs) and was also an All-Star baseball player on top of that. Flat-out amazing.

    Deion is up there. Yes, that's right ... Prime Time is up there.
    Jesse Owens wasn't an athlete, he could just run fast.

  15. #104
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by dougdirt View Post
    The guy is a very good athlete. That isn't what I am arguing. I am arguing that he doesn't stand out athletically among other professional level athletes.
    On speed alone he stands out among other professional athletes. Last time I checked running was considered athletic.

    Hamilton is going to light up the majors believe it.
    I see great things in baseball. It's our game.

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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by dougdirt View Post
    Josh Hamilton has shown things that project well to other sports, in particular football where his arm strength would at least be worthy of being a top end QB or a linebacker where his size, speed and strength are comparable to guys who are playing there now. Usain Bolt hasn't, aside from his speed. How don't you see the difference?
    I pitched in college baseball and I am built like Payton Manning. Does that mean I am a super athlete because someone could project me to have been a good QB?
    Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball - Jacques Barzun


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