10 Greatest Athletes in Detroit History

[ElectricMayhem]

Over on Yahoo!, they are doing a 10 greatest athletes in _______________ History series. They haven't done Detroit yet, but who do you think they'll choose? Here's an example of Chicago's list (although the writer screwed the pooch by putting Sammy Sosa in over Gale Sayers or Ryne Sandberg).
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ten-greatest-athletes-chicago-sports-history-162900449.html

After some more research, here is an updated version of the list.

Joe Louis

Gordie Howe

Barry Sanders

Ty Cobb

Steve Yzerman

Isiah Thomas


The other 4 positions should be filled out by some of the following. I'll put them in my idea of order of likelihood:
Nicklas Lidstrom - I have been schooled.

Hank Greenberg - 183 RBI in a season? 58 HR? .616 slugging in 12 years as a Tiger? He was Miggy before Miggy was Miggy.

Calvin Johnson - He might end up being the best WR of all time. Imagine if he had Joe Montana and Steve Young throwing to him. In 6 seasons, he has 9 receiving records.

Miguel Cabrera - I've rethought this one. Miggy goes ahead of Verlander. They are both the most dominant at what they do, but we haven't seen Miggy swoon like Verlander is this year. Unless you want to recall his drinking with the season on the line.

Al Kaline - Had an effin' battery named after him. 18x All-Star, 3,000+ hits, announcer for 27 years. He's a sentimental choice to be on the list. It's hard to weigh his long solid career against the current players with higher peaks.

Ben Wallace - Defensive and rebounding beast unlike anything the NBA has seen before. Shaq stopper, Howard stopper....most feared defender in the league for a loooooooong time.

Tommy Hearns - The Motor City Cobra is a legendary boxer.

Justin Verlander - Right after Miggy. He was untouchable before this year. Odds are he'll get back on track soon.

Terry Sawchuk - Given the label of "Best Goalie Ever" at the time, he broke the record for most wins by a goalie, not to be broken for 30 years (by Martin Brodeur).

David Bing - Being mayor doesn't factor in positively or negatively, but he had a great career as a Piston. Averaged 20-7-4.

Alan Trammell - Had a long, great career as a Detroit Tiger, peaking as a runner-up to the MVP (George Bell). His accomplishments can't be mentioned without talking about his other half, Sweet Lou Whitaker. Speaking of which, did you know Lou Whitaker's middle name is Rodman? DETROIT SPORTS!

Fennis Dembo - Led the Detroit Pistons to a championship sweep over the Lakers, hitting every single shot he took for an astounding 100% fg% in the 1989 playoffs.

Bobby Layne - Wasn't a Lion that long, but led the team to 3 championships.

Bob Lanier - Averaged 20/10 over the course of his NBA career, spending 10 years with the Pistons.


That's 18 (+1) players who could easily be in most city's Top 10. Detroit has been blessed with a lot of amazing talent. I'm sure there are more that could be on the list, and I'm sure many people would rearrange the order I have them in, but you have to admit, it's a difficult project.

[sc8581]

Calvin but not Cabrera?
Trammel but not Cobb?

[ElectricMayhem]

Calvin but not Cabrera?
Trammel but not Cobb?

I just came back to edit the Cobb selection. Right now I'd have Cabrera at 11th. I think part of it is Calvin Johnson has been that while Calvin Johhson has only been in Detroit one more year than Cabrera, he's been here his entire career. Johnson has broken records, while Cabrera has simply done things that haven't been done in a really long time. They are neck and neck.

[Collymore]

Fedorov, Billups and Wallace but not Lidstrom...

[sc8581]

I would probably have both on the list, I just figured if you were putting current athletes on there Cabrera would have made it as well.
Your list looks about right though, however I would replace Bing with Ben Wallace because of how he led a decade of great ball including a championship by playing great defense, imo it was just something that has never been done and probably never will again. He also had the whole fro thing working for him which made him that much more of a fan favorite even outside of the Detroit area.

[ElectricMayhem]

Fedorov, Billups and Wallace but not Lidstrom...

He's more than welcome on your list. I spent all of 8 minutes compiling my list, but I still think it's a fairly accurate representation of who I'd put up there given more time and resources.

What's your list?

[ElectricMayhem]

I would probably have both on the list, I just figured if you were putting current athletes on there Cabrera would have made it as well.

Fair enough. You can't argue against anyone who's gotten a triple crown and dominated like Miggy has. Who would you knock off?

[joseph mamah]

you know you've had some great athletes come through your city when its tough to find a way to put Kaline, Cabrera, Layne, Lidstrom and Sawchuk in your top 10.

[Snakebites]

I think Kaline has to have a place on the list somewhere. Isiah might be the only Piston on my list, despite the fact that I don't follow hockey or football very closely.

[ComboGuardCity]

Watch magic top the list

[ajaX82]

Lidstrom is one of the greatest defensemen to ever play the game and will be on it....Federov has no chance comparitively. I'm not sure Calvin is there quite yet

[joseph mamah]

I have to throw an honorable mention to The Hitman, he probably doesn't crack the list but he was definitely one of the most entertaining athletes in Detroit history.

[DocRI]

I have to throw an honorable mention to The Hitman, he probably doesn't crack the list but he was definitely one of the most entertaining athletes in Detroit history.

Not honorable mention; Thomas Hearns absolutely belongs on the list. When you think about how relevant and influential the Kronk Gym has become to the sport of boxing over the last 30+ years, I think you have to find a place for Tommy.

Al Kaline was before my time, but I think he needs to be squeezed in as well. He and Greenberg versus Miggy and Verlander for the "baseball slots" behind Cobb are really, really tough calls.

Joseph also briefly mentioned Bobby Layne, who definitely deserves consideration, but Dick "Night Train" Lane at least warrants a shout out as well.

All in all, great list and great topic, Mayhem. Please don't take all our suggestions as nit-picking; it just goes to show what an amazing and deep sports history our city has.

[Dirtgrain]

James Toney? Out of Ann Arbor, but has big accomplishments.

[MrBigShot]

I don't follow other detroit sports closely, but I figure Isiah is definitely a given...and Ben Wallace should be as well. Ben had the heart of a champion.

[eddh0713]

Not sure that he deserves to be in the top 10, but it is sad how forgotten the first man to ever score 2000 points in one season in the NBA is. George Yardley should definitely at least be mentioned. I am old enough that he was my first basketball hero.

[DocRI]

Bob Lanier deserves a shout out, too. As does Dave Debusschere, who not only starred for the Pistons but for University of Detroit as well.

[ajaX82]

I've been thinking more about this today. I think there are 7 stone-cold locks (in roughly order or preference):

Howe
Joe Louis
Barry
Cobb
Yzerman
Isaiah
Lidstrom

After that it depends on on if you want to include guys still playing or not and your sporting preference

[Han Solo]

Miguel Cabrera will be on this list guaranteed.

[Laimbeer]

Miguel Cabrera will be on this list guaranteed.

He's not there yet. Six seasons, 215 homers in Detroit.