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This is not to nitpick but to give you an idea of the type of athlete Jim Brown was, suffice it to say Julius Erving did not break Jim Brown's Long Island basketball scoring record and basketball was Julius' only sport and basketball was Jim Brown's third best sport (after Football and Lacrosse and probably in front of baseball and track/field...then again Jim Brown was nationally ranked in the Decathalon and sniffed by the New York Yankees). Brown did start for two years on the Syracuse hoops team - not a bad squad to make....
Of course Julius Erving was an excellent ballplayer who really blossomed at UMass and even more in the pros and is one of the top 10 pros of all time (IMHO).
Asking for LI's best athlete is sort of like asking who was the best horse in 1973.
2nd best may be a debate in either case.
Breaking the HS scoring record doesn't really mean much, boxscores are relatively arbitrary when comparing HS players in basketball. Not to mention Dr.J was never a very greedy player.
This is not to nitpick but to give you an idea of the type of athlete Jim Brown was, suffice it to say Julius Erving did not break Jim Brown's Long Island basketball scoring record and basketball was Julius' only sport and basketball was Jim Brown's third best sport (after Football and Lacrosse and probably in front of baseball and track/field...then again Jim Brown was nationally ranked in the Decathalon and sniffed by the New York Yankees). Brown did start for two years on the Syracuse hoops team - not a bad squad to make....
Of course Julius Erving was an excellent ballplayer who really blossomed at UMass and even more in the pros and is one of the top 10 pros of all time (IMHO).
Asking for LI's best athlete is sort of like asking who was the best horse in 1973.
2nd best may be a debate in either case.
To be fair, Syracuse Basketball wasn't that great, if at all back then. However, I believe that he averaged a double-double while playing Basketball for the Orange as a 6"2' forward.
He also kicked extra points as well for the Syracuse Football team.
Some other names that come to mind are: Billy Donovan, Amos Zeroue, Shelton Jones, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Morlon Greenwood, Danny Green, Bria Hartley, Don McPherson, Canute Curtis and Rob Burnett.
To be fair, Syracuse Basketball wasn't that great, if at all back then. However, I believe that he averaged a double-double while playing Basketball for the Orange as a 6"2' forward.
He also kicked extra points as well for the Syracuse Football team.
Some other names that come to mind are: Billy Donovan, Amos Zeroue, Shelton Jones, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Morlon Greenwood, Danny Green, Bria Hartley, Don McPherson, Canute Curtis and Rob Burnett.
The point was not whether or not UMass (Dr. J's school) in the late 1960's was better than Syracuse in the 1950's in hoops or if Dr J was better than Jim Brown in hoops....point is that this was Brown's 3rd or 4th or 5th best sport - and he frequently led the Syracuse basketball team in scoring. He also played a little football, a little lacrosse, and anchored the 4 x 100 relay, finished 5th in the nation in the decathalon, and threw the discus while at Syracuse.
Greatest athlete in US (forget Long Island) history? NYT said this: "Brown did not become perhaps the greatest athlete in American history merely by raw ability or burning needs. "
One poster noted he/she had never heard of Jim Brown. Here is what Syracuse writes about him (and some interesting insight about racism cutting short his college hoops career...and possibly costing Syracuse a national championship in basketball - they lost in the 'elite eight' without Jim Brown):Jim Brown
How about Wally Sczerbiak? Derek Adkins? Sue Bird?
The point was not whether or not UMass (Dr. J's school) in the late 1960's was better than Syracuse in the 1950's in hoops or if Dr J was better than Jim Brown in hoops....point is that this was Brown's 3rd or 4th or 5th best sport - and he frequently led the Syracuse basketball team in scoring. He also played a little football, a little lacrosse, and anchored the 4 x 100 relay, finished 5th in the nation in the decathalon, and threw the discus while at Syracuse.
Greatest athlete in US (forget Long Island) history? NYT said this: "Brown did not become perhaps the greatest athlete in American history merely by raw ability or burning needs. "
One poster noted he/she had never heard of Jim Brown. Here is what Syracuse writes about him (and some interesting insight about racism cutting short his college hoops career...and possibly costing Syracuse a national championship in basketball - they lost in the 'elite eight' without Jim Brown):Jim Brown
How about Wally Sczerbiak? Derek Adkins? Sue Bird?
Oh, I know. I actually work at the University and know about his story here.
It is interesting that the write up also mentioned that he could have been a great boxer as well.
Just curious, but who would you consider to be the best athlete to come from Long Island? There are a couple I have in mind, but I was wondering about some others.
The one who has to run farthest to catch the LIRR.
The point was not whether or not UMass (Dr. J's school) in the late 1960's was better than Syracuse in the 1950's in hoops or if Dr J was better than Jim Brown in hoops....point is that this was Brown's 3rd or 4th or 5th best sport - and he frequently led the Syracuse basketball team in scoring. He also played a little football, a little lacrosse, and anchored the 4 x 100 relay, finished 5th in the nation in the decathalon, and threw the discus while at Syracuse.
Greatest athlete in US (forget Long Island) history? NYT said this: "Brown did not become perhaps the greatest athlete in American history merely by raw ability or burning needs. "
One poster noted he/she had never heard of Jim Brown. Here is what Syracuse writes about him (and some interesting insight about racism cutting short his college hoops career...and possibly costing Syracuse a national championship in basketball - they lost in the 'elite eight' without Jim Brown):Jim Brown
How about Wally Sczerbiak? Derek Adkins? Sue Bird?
Wow, incredible story about Jim Brown at Syracuse. I didn't know that racism was like that at Syracuse. Very surprising. I also didn't know that Jim Brown boxed. He was simply a highly intelligent man and gifted athlete.
Speaking of boxing, another athlete from LI was Gerry Cooney. He was almost king of the heavyweight division.
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Originally Posted by LexusNexus
Wow, incredible story about Jim Brown at Syracuse. I didn't know that racism was like that at Syracuse. Very surprising. I also didn't know that Jim Brown boxed. He was simply a highly intelligent man and gifted athlete.
Speaking of boxing, another athlete from LI was Gerry Cooney. He was almost king of the heavyweight division.
Buddy McGirt from Brentwood was the first champ from LI!
Hands Down..No Question Julius Erving!!! Oh! by the way Jim Brown was a great athlete but he relocated to LI from somewhere in Georgia. So not a native.
Hands Down..No Question Julius Erving!!! Oh! by the way Jim Brown was a great athlete but he relocated to LI from somewhere in Georgia. So not a native.
Great point, Julius Erving was actually born in Nassau County. Jim Brown, Al Oerter, and John Mackey and many other fine Long Island athletes noted were actually born outside of Nassau/Suffolk but raised here on Long Island and are generally considered to be from Long Island.
Last edited by Quick Commenter; 01-25-2015 at 05:43 AM..
Yaz v Erving debate as to which was the better LI athlete is interesting. While neither is considered to be the best at their particular popular game (as is the case with folks like Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Jim Brown, Wayne Gretsky, etc) both were perennial professional all stars, held numerous records, and easily made it to their sport's Hall of Fame.
But Yaz has a second sport: "Yaz" attended Notre Dame on a basketball scholarship (his career Long Island high school scoring mark at Bridgehampton broke one previously held by Jim Brown) briefly before embarking on his baseball career."
Last edited by Quick Commenter; 01-25-2015 at 11:05 AM..
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Wow!
