1980-1984 : My Athletes of the Year

Photo by ajay_suresh

1980 : Reggie Jackson

Photo by Larry Neuberger

Reggie went on a rampage in 1980. Free of Billy Martin and all the controversy he instigated around Thurman Munson, Reggie had his best regular season in NY. He hit .300, swatted 41 homers and had 111 RBIs. Pre-steroids and juiced balls, the 1980 HR outburst was big time. The ultimate respect came from Earl Weaver and the Orioles. In the heat of the 1980 Pennant Race, Weaver took the bat out of Reggie’s hands and walked 44 almost every time he came up to the plate. Otherwise, my favorite moment came in a game against Toronto. After three straight balls to start the 9th, Reggie looked down to third base for the sign. He couldn’t help tip his hand and stepped out of the box in frustration at the take sign….or not. The pitcher grooved a strike and Reggie crushed the meatball for a walk off homer. Classic Reggie. Unfortunately, the post season didn’t go the Yankees’ way, and they were out in three.

1981 : Rob Carpenter

Photo by Will Fisher

Back when running backs actually mattered in the NFL, the Giants had a thousand yard rusher named Ron Johnson. But he never got the Giants up to speed, and they never had a ground game - even when the great Larry Csonka signed on. In 1979, though, the Giants finally got a quarterback and flashes of greatness were shown by Phil Simms. So in 1981, the Giants were in the thick of it, and somehow they landed Earl Campbell’s backup to fill out the backfield. Carpenter ran left, he ran right, he ran everywhere, because Simms was not yet the man. And when the QB went down, the Giants went strictly one dimensional. Carpenter rolled nonetheless, and the Giants made the playoffs for the first time since 1963. They even won the first round against the Eagles and stood tall versus the eventual Super Bowl champs. Unfortunately, he did not make the cut by the time the Giants won in 86, but what a 1981 season.

1982 Jimmy Connors

Photo by Jeremy Thompson

Jimmy maybe my favorite athlete of all time. He never gave up, and his interaction with the crowd entertained like no other superstar. He was not a New Yorker. But New York became his home, and he importantly made the across the ocean distinction. “New Yorkers love it when you spill you’re guts out there. Spill your guts at Wimbledon and they make you stop and clean it up,” he said during the 1984 US Open. His serving game or lack of a serving game made him ours. In others words, there were no easy points. So to beat the big hitters, he had to win with sheer grit and determination. That said, Jimbo beat John McEnroe in five epic sets at Wimbledon and made a mess of Ivan Lendl at the open. The decades passing, the quiet champions of today have made the game a bore, and I guess we’ll never see anything like Jim Connors again.

1983 The NY Islanders

Photo by Mike Durkin

This installment is pretty odd. The Giants were 3-12-1, the Yankees would begin a long run of second place finishes, and the Knicks mini rise must wait until 1984. So how about the four time defending Champion NY Islanders. Yes, I hated them like no other team before or since. But how can you overlook what is probably the greatest dynasty in the history of American Sports. 19 straight playoff series victories - no way the run will ever be topped. Plus, the ire made me love the Rangers all the more, and interestingly, when the Islanders were done, I was kind of done with hockey. If I had a picture of Billy Smith I'd proudly include. He was simply the epitome of all my hate.

1984 Bernard King

Photo by Jon Lee Clark

The Knicks began 1982 with seven straight losses and were 14-26 at the half way point. But Hubie Brown’s pressing defense turned things around and allowed Bernard to let loose on the other end. They beat the Nets in the first round, but lost three games in the final seconds in getting swept by the Sixers. Nonetheless, 1984 had every reason for hope, and Bernard definitely brought his game face every night. He went for 50 two nights in a row in Texas, and the Knicks won 47 games. The onslaught didn’t stop in the playoffs either. He averaged 37 points per game in the epic five game series against the Pistons, and 25 in the seven game defeat to the Celtics. Things were looking good. But Bill Cartwright broke his foot before the season, and the tear heard round the world took place in KC. Bernard pounding his fist against the floor, that team never came back, and it hurts just thinking about.

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