Fleeting Brilliance and Eternal Longing
This article was written immediately after the tragic death of young Spanish defender Antonio Puerta. But it as relevant today as it was then.
We have been recently shaken by the sudden demise of Sevilla and Spain defender Antonio Puerta. The young man was a regular feature in the glorious Sevilla side and a recent inclusion in the national team – his death at the young age of 22, leaves dreams unrealized and promises unfulfilled. His young family will miss a father, a son and a husband. For the rest of sporting world, the loss will be of a wonderfully gifted athlete- still coming into his best. They will forever marvel at how good he could have been – a torturing exercise for every sports fan who truly appreciates a wonderful talent. May his soul rest in peace and may god give strength to his near and dear ones.
Talented sportspersons are such a rare breed. They bring great pleasure to a large audience and hence, their loss is also felt by the masses. The pain is even greater when the flower is plucked away at a tender age, as in the case of Puerta. A peek into history and I’ am intrigued by god’s ways. He bestows individuals with so much talent but gives them so little time to use them.
I think the world of music has easily been the worst hit in this regard – with a long list of suicides, drug-related deaths and murders. The world of Sports also, has had its own fair share. Individuals, who could have laid a claim to being the best in their chosen sport, have been taken away before the world could be fully illuminated by their brilliance. Almost in every case the impact of their departure was huge. They left behind a major void, which took a while to fill. In a few cases, their teams have yet to recover from their loss.
Let’s spend some time remembering these wonderful individuals, who, while dear to us were dearer to god.
I will start off with the Munich air crash of 1958, which is probably unmatched in terms of sheer collective loss. The wonderfully gifted Manchester United side- known as the ‘Busby Babes’ for their collection of precociously talented youngsters lost 8 of their very best. The youngsters lived the ‘attack is the best form of defence’ ideology of their manager- Matt Busby and knew no fear- meeting death with similar fearlessness. The team was expected to be the main rivals for Real Madrid in the newly-started European Cup. Instead, they spent the next decade overcoming their sorrows and re-building. Redemption came in the form of European Cup glory in 1968. The likes of George Best and Dennis Law starred in ‘Busby Babes’ part II.
We will never know what he could have become
I will make special mention of the biggest loss in the crash- Duncan Edwards (who was heroic even in death fighting on for 3 weeks before finally succumbing). To quote the great Bobby Charlton himself, “The only player who made me feel inferior was Duncan Edwards. If I had to play for my life and could take one man with me, it would be him.” Terry Venables and Tommy Docherty called him the greatest player they had ever seen – above the likes of Best, Pele and Maradona. A complete player with no weaknesses, he made his international debut at 16 and if not for the tragedy, he would have held aloft the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966.
The Superga air crash of 1949 (which killed the entire AC Torino side) and the 1993 Gabon air crash (which killed the entire Zambian national side) fall into the same category. Torino were the toast of Italy – winners of 5 consecutive Scudettos and contributing ten members to the Italian national side. Similarly, Zambia had a high-flying side well on their way to a first appearance in the World Cup. The accidents completely derailed the two sides and they are yet to achieve even a semblance of their former glory. Torino are an also-ran in Italy and Zambia’s World Cup aspirations got buried with their deceased players.
Archie Jackson
‘The best batsman of all time’. This is probably one of the few undebated topics in sport. Donald Bradman towers above everybody. Well, at least everybody who has had a full playing career. There was little to choose between the Don and Archie Jackson, while the latter was alive – which was for a very short time. He died at 23 (the second youngest cricketer to die), giving only glimpses of what might have been. All articles on great batsmen have a mandatory mention of ‘had Archie Jackson lived’ and there are knowledgeable people, who still think he would have matched Bradman as the greatest batsman of all time, had he lived longer. I think god had pity on the hapless English and summoned Jackson to play for his side against the devil’s eleven instead.
Pride of the Yankees
I now move onto the American equivalent of cricket – baseball. Even though Lou Gehrig had a long legendary career in Major League Baseball, he deserves a mention here for three reasons. The class manner in which he lived and died as well, the fact that he was still ripe for many more successful seasons and for his enduring impact on the sport and popularity among the masses. A physical specimen known as the ‘Iron Horse’ for his durability, he was ravaged by a disease so rare (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) that it is now named after him. He was given a tearful farewell in Yankee stadium (even the conceited Babe Ruth was in tears that day). Had he lived, he would have sealed his place as the greatest player of all time. The league bent its rules to include him in the Hall of Fame as its youngest ever inductee. The nice ones seem to be taken early.
Len was supposed to carry the Celtic dynasty forward. Without him the dynasty collapsed
My next player also comes from the US. Basketballer Len Bias joins this list without ever having stepped on court as a professional. He represents the greatest ‘what-if’ in the history of the sport. He drew comparisons with all the great ones (including Michael Jordan) while still in college and his unbridled potential had the fans and players licking their chops in anticipation. He died of cocaine overdose two days after the legendry Boston Celtics selected him in the 1986 draft (a selection process through which new players enter the NBA). His death seems to have cursed the team and they have gone from best to worst; suffering further tragedy in 1993. (Their best player, Reggie Lewis collapsed and died on court). Len’s younger brother Jay, a promising player himself, was shot to death in 1990. The Bias family is surely the sporting equivalent of the Kennedys.
There will never be another driver like Senna
Ayrton Senna makes a case similar to that of Lou Gehrig. Three drivers’ championships and still an incomplete feeling. Michael Schumacher’s achievements dwarf those of Senna, but the Brazilian remains the most-loved and revered of all. Having struggled with an inferior car in 1993 (still good enough to finish second), his move to Team Williams was supposed to herald a period of absolute dominance. Sadly, the car became his pall bearer to heaven.
Snooker is a sport where you mature with age like fine wine. Unfortunately, Paul Hunter was not destined to become fine wine. Ranked in the top-5 by his early-twenties, he had all the makings of a future World Champion. Called the ‘Beckham of the Baize’, he brought glamour to the staid game he played. He had everything – talent, money, good looks, fame, and a wonderful family – but little time to enjoy any of it. He lost a two year struggle with cancer in 2006, leaving for his heavenly abode at 27.
My last name is not a human but an animal – Barbaro the racehorse. He has to be included because few human beings have evoked the kind of emotional following as this colt. He won the first leg of the biggest racing event in America (on debut) and was a heavy favourite to win all three. Sadly, he broke his leg in the second race leading to serious medical complications. He fought on grimly, aided by his army of well-wishers. Sadly, their prayers were not enough and the horse was euthanized after a long battle with his injuries.
As a last thought – In death, we realize the importance of life. So, let’s have greater appreciation for the wonderful sporting feats we get to witness but take for granted.
The article was originally published on Isport.in in September 2007
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