The outbreak of the deadly coronavirus has stopped civilisation as we know it, bringing the globe to a grinding halt.
As the death rate and cases of infection for COVID-19 continue to mount, more and more of the world as we know it is shutting down.
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Unfortunately, this has meant sport has also taken a back seat in the midst of a global pandemic, a vice which is so often an escape from reality for both fans and the athletes themselves.
However, as the pace of life slows and the value of what is truly important is ingrained once again into people’s minds, the chance to reflect on what makes sport so compelling and rich is too good an opportunity to miss.
Despite the ferocious levels of competition and the sheer willpower required to make it to the top, the stars we revere often provide us with moments of humility and affection which remind us it is just sport after all.
In light of the dark times, talkSPORT.com has decided to delve into the archives and pick out 10 of the greatest moments of sportsmanship to hopefully restore your faith in humanity.
Mike Tyson vs Clifford Etienne
After getting thoroughly outclassed and then stopped by Lennox Lewis in 2002 at the Pyramid in Memphis, Tyson knew he needed to bounce back quickly and remind the world of the force he was.
He booked in a fight with outside ranked contender Clifford Etienne and, despite the protests from trainer Freddie Roach about his conditioning, Tyson proceeded to take the fight at the same venue where he was so convincingly beaten months before.
All in all, it proved to be one of his quickest victories ever as he racked up the 50th and final knockout of his career in just 49 seconds with a clubbing right hand.
But in the immediate aftermath and with the brave Etienne struggling to his feet, Tyson helped his fallen foe to his feet and embraced him like a friend.
It was an unusually tender moment from ‘Iron Mike’ who had caused controversy throughout his career with his outlandish remarks and behaviour.
But the New York native proved to the world he was a human just like the rest of us on that night in Tennessee.
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Luz Long & Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens was able to transcend the world of athletics in 1936 when his sheer brilliance acted as a stand of defiance to Adolf Hitler at the Berlin Olympics.
But the world record holder almost missed out on securing gold in the long jump after twice faulting and was in danger of being disqualified and missing out on the final altogether.
Sensing his rival’s frustration, European record holder – and German – Luz Long revealed the secrets of his own success which allowed Owens to clear the board and qualify.
He went on to win gold whilst Long picked up a silver medal, but the competition mattered little at this point as both men had formed a bond for life.
“You can melt down all the medals and cups I have,” said Owens later. “And they wouldn’t be a plating on the twenty-four carat friendship that I felt for Luz Long at that moment.”
Freddie Flintoff vs Brett Lee
The Ashes is notoriously renowned for being one of the most fiercely competed sporting events in history, with constant sledging taking place between England and Australia players on and off the pitch.
As the Second Test of the 2005 Ashes drew to a close in a match where the pendulum of momentum had swung back and forward between both teams, it seemed as though the visitors were on the cusp.
Australia needed just two runs to win the game, but with the victory in sight, Steve Harmison removed Michael Kasprowicz to send the hosts into raptures and spark scenes of wild celebrations.
However, Flintoff decided not to join the embrace of the England team and instead went over to console Brett Lee, who had finished on 43 not out and was still slumped on the turf.
Asked in 2010 what Flintoff had said to him at the moment, Lee told The Telegraph: “Something like ‘bad luck mate, we tried very hard to get you out but we didn’t think it would come down to the last two or three runs but I will see you inside for a beer after’.”
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Matt Ziesel’s touchdown
Whilst the state of Missouri is not the most glamorous of destinations for the world of sport, perhaps one of the most touching stories this Millennium has come from the ‘Show-Me State’.
In 2009, two high school teams met for a freshman football game, with Maryville beating Benton by 46-0.
Benton coach Dan McCamy wanted Matt Ziesel, a 15-year-old freshman with Down syndrome, to make his debut on the football field and approached the opposing team with a request.
“I’ve got a special situation,” McCamy said he remembers telling Maryville freshman defensive coach David McEnaney. “I know you guys want to get a shutout. Most teams would want a shutout, but in this situation I want to know if maybe you can let one of my guys run in for a touchdown.”
The coach of the opposing team agreed and the ‘Matt Play’ proceeded with Ziesel scoring his first touchdown, breaking hearts all around the globe in the process.
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Jack Nicklaus vs Tony Jacklin
Although the Ryder Cup is a far more evenly contested competition these days, in 1969 this was not the case with Team USA dominating on the course.
As Britain’s Tony Jacklin and USA’s Jack Nicklaus made their way down to the 18th hole, the scores were tied at 15.5 apiece.
It was the final singles game of the competition and the stakes for Jacklin at the Royal Birkdale club in Southport could not have been higher.
Nicklaus holed his putt to make par, leaving Jacklin with a three-foot putt to earn the first ever tie in the history of the competition. Miss and the trophy was going back to the States.
Instead of forcing his rival to take his shot, Nicklaus picked up Jacklin’s ball marker and conceded the tie.
“I don’t think you would have missed that Tony,” Nicklaus said, “but I didn’t want to give you the chance.” The two remain good friends until this day.
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Paulo Di Canio vs Paul Gerrard
Paulo Di Canio knew how to play the role of the villain in English football and the former Milan and striker revelled in that challenge during his stint in the Premier League.
After an eight-game ban for shoving referee Paul Alcock to the floor whilst a Sheffield Wednesday player, Di Canio moved to West Ham United to work on his image under Harry Redknapp.
The Italian was incredibly talented and the Hammers faithful fell in love with his shimmies, passion, goals and skills.
But for all his heroics at Upton Park, it was on Merseyside where he completed his character rejuvenation. With injured Everton keeper Paul Gerrard lying stricken on the floor and well out of his goal, Di Canio caught a cross rather than volleying it into the empty net.
For a player capable of scoring that volley against Wimbledon, it was a certain goal. But the entire ground (besides perhaps an initially disgruntled Redknapp) stood and applauded.
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Nigel Mansell vs Ayrton Senna
The pair had more than their fair share of arguments; clashes at the 1987 Belgian and 1992 Australian Grands Prix and nerve-wracking finishes at the 1986 Spanish and 1992 Monaco Grands Prix.
But as with any great rivalry between two titans of sport, there was always a healthy amount of respect.
This perhaps has never been better exemplified at the 1991 British Grand Prix on the final lap at Silverstone.
After Senna ran out of fuel, Mansell allowed the flamboyant driver to hitch a ride on top of his Williams car.
When Mansell came by the Brazilian and his stricken McLaren on the final lap, he stopped his Williams and offered Senna a ride back to the pits. The marshals at the scene weren’t exactly keen on the idea, but Senna pushed them away and thus created one of the most iconic moments in F1 history.
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Tana Umaga vs Colin Charvis
Bearing the brunt of a tackle from former All Blacks number 8 Jerry Collins whilst in a Test match against New Zealand is tough at the best of times.
But for his opposite number Colin Charvis, Collins put down a marker during their 2003 clash in Hamilton which almost proved fatal.
The All Black drove the Wales captain back with a ferocious but fair tackle, which knocked Charvis out cold.
Inside centre Tana Umaga stayed behind as the play surged into the Welsh half, removing the stricken forward’s mouthguard and rolling him into the recovery position.
As well as receiving the Pierre de Coubertin medal from the International Olympic Committee for excellent sportsmanship, Umaga received an honour from the Welsh Rugby Union.
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Derek Redmond & Jim Redmond
Great Britain’s athletes were well prepared for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and gold medals were expected to return back to these shores.
Derek Redmond was on course to qualify for the 400m finals, until he cruelly tore his hamstring with less than half of the race to go.
Perturbed at seeing his son limping and crying to the finish line, dad Jim fought off security guards to get onto the track and lift his stricken son over the finish line.
Despite getting a standing ovation from the crowd, Redmond was officially disqualified.
As recognition for the incredible moment, his father was a torchbearer for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
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Robbie Fowler vs Arsenal
When a striker wins a penalty for his side, the usual clamour and histrionics which unfold tend to be from the opposing team as they crowd a referee.
But for Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler, he decided to do something completely unprecedented in the Premier League at Highbury in 1997.
During a game against Arsenal in a top-of-the-table clash, Fowler went down under the challenge of David Seaman in the box and was duly awarded a penalty. Only this time, he decided to own up and admit his England colleague had not touched him.
Fowler told the Liverpool Echo in 2015: “I just remember getting up and seeing David Seaman. There was all the talk of ‘did he dive or didn’t he’ but I just lost momentum when I jumped over him and fell over.
“It wasn’t a penalty and because he was my mate from the England side, I just said it wasn’t a pen. I don’t think there were too many happy Liverpool fans or too many happy Liverpool management on the bench but two good things came out of it for me that day.
“I helped Jason McAteer score his first ever Liverpool goal and I got a fair play certificate from UEFA so it was not a bad day – and we ended up with the win as well. I didn’t miss the penalty on purpose, it was just a bad penalty but they all are when you don’t score them. I remember it very, very well actually.”
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Source: TalkSport.com Motorsport
