Power that lasts.......

[tikay]

I know he is not universally popular (partly because he is so successful & we Brits love to knock), but after watching Phil Taylor win yet again last night I was reminded of his sheer longevity. At 52, he still rules the world of Darts.  

16 worlld titles (?), NINE televised nine-darters, once had TWO nine darters in the same match. Against the man who has won most matches against him, (Barney), he has a 79% win rate.

I read his Wiki this morning, & it simply blew me away, ram packed with stats which will never be beaten.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Taylor_(darts_player)

We take it for granted, because we see him so often, but that is some career.

I remember regretting not watching more of Piggott after he retired, he was (to me) one in a lifetime, & so is Phil Taylor. In Taylor's case,. nothing to do with like or dislike, just sheer supremacy over two decades.

What other sportsmen (please lets not debate "is it a sport?" here) have endured so long?

I recall many moons ago that David Bryant (he of the pipe) was pre-eminent in Bowls, & won Championships over a 30 year span.

What other sportsmen have endured at the top of their sport for such long periods?

McCoy perhaps?

Piggott, obviously. Gordon Richards.

Beckham did not do so bad, ditto Giggs.

Fred Davis would be one too, I think.

Top Ten British names in this department?

[kinboshi]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Fogarty  - maybe not for as long, but was so very dominant during his time in Superbikes.

[tikay]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Fogarty  - maybe not for as long, but was so very dominant during his time in Superbikes.

Good shout, but I think I'd put Mike Hailwood above him, & Joey Dunlop was a winning rider for nearly 25 years, as I recall. For me, Joey was much superior to Carl, but both were great.

Mike was a hero to me when I was a youngster, & first started attending motorbike race meetings.

This is Mike at Brands, coming up to Druids.

Click to see full-size image.

[BigAdz]

Jonah Barrington

[Tal]

I shall open with a very predictable Garry Kasparov.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Kasparov

World Champion 1985-2000.

World Number One 1985-2004.

Kasparov holds the record for most consecutive professional tournament victories, placing first or equal first in 15 individual tournaments from 1981 to 1990. The streak was broken by Vasily Ivanchuk at Linares 1991, where Kasparov placed 2nd, half a point behind him.

Add to that his iconic nature and being one of only two or three players (Karpov and Fischer) that a fair few people will have heard of.

Born Garry Weinstein.

[BigAdz]

Desmond Douglas

[tikay]

Click to see full-size image.

[BigAdz]

I shall open with a very predictable Garry Kasparov.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Kasparov

World Champion 1985-2000.

World Number One 1985-2004.

Kasparov holds the record for most consecutive professional tournament victories, placing first or equal first in 15 individual tournaments from 1981 to 1990. The streak was broken by Vasily Ivanchuk at Linares 1991, where Kasparov placed 2nd, half a point behind him.

Add to that his iconic nature and being one of only two or three players (Karpov and Fischer) that a fair few people will have heard of.

Born Garry Weinstein.

Is he British now?

[Tal]

What other sportsmen have endured at the top of their sport for such long periods?

Thought this was all nationalities?

No?

[craigbetts]

What about Jahangir Khan! Unbeaten for years on end in the squash world, then Janghshir (sp) took over the streak.

[BigAdz]

What other sportsmen have endured at the top of their sport for such long periods?

Thought this was all nationalities?

No?

Truly a Blondite. Read the bits you want to read..."Top Ten British names in this department?"

[Tal]

What other sportsmen have endured at the top of their sport for such long periods?

Thought this was all nationalities?

No?

Truly a Blondite. Read the bits you want to read..."Top Ten British names in this department?"

Noted. May I counter with Dominic O'Brien?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominic_O%27Brien

[tikay]

Ooh, think this thread might just become epic.

Jonah, Desmond & Kasparov, all great shouts.

Redgrave, Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Terry Paine, Sir Ian.

I think Terry Paine played over 800 hundred times for Southampton. Giggs apart, not too many footballers can boast that for one Club. 

[tikay]

I think we should widen it to all nationalities.

[tikay]

What about Jahangir Khan! Unbeaten for years on end in the squash world, then Janghshir (sp) took over the streak.

Another great shout.