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Bugger. One of my earliest sporting memories is watching him and Dick Collinge opening the bowling at the Basin in the Plunket Shield
He was a key player in the epic 71-72 Test series in the Windies too.
"His outstanding series was in the West Indies in 1971–72. In a batsman's series, in which all five Tests were drawn, and no other bowler on either side took more than 14 wickets, Taylor took 27 wickets at 17.70 in four Tests."
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Another one gone from the golden age
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Leon Spinks, who surprised the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title in 1978, died Friday night at age 67, according to the Firm PR, a public relations firm that represents him. Spinks, who had been suffering from prostate and other cancers for five years, died with his wife, Brenda Glur Spinks, by his side, the firm said. The St. Louis native, a former Marine who won a gold medal as a light heavyweight at the 1976 Olympics, was just 13 months and eight fights into his pro boxing career when he stepped into a ring against Ali on Feb. 15, 1978, in Las Vegas. But Spinks -- a heavy underdog who had never gone beyond 10 rounds -- went right after the champ, who was 36 years old and clearly on the downside of his career. Spinks, then 24, had enough endurance to survive a 15th-round flurry from Ali -- and provide one of his own in the closing seconds. The split decision went to Spinks, who flashed his famous gap-toothed grin after becoming the only fighter to take a title from Ali in the ring. -
John Pullen, former Lions and England Captain.
Took England to Dublin in 1973 5Ns when Scotland and Wales had both refused to go because of the Troubles. England received a 5 minutes standing ovation from the Lansdowne Rd crowd. After losing 18-9, he famously quipped "“We’re not much good but at least we turn up"
A rugby player's rugby player.
Former England captain Pullin dies after long battle with illness
Pullin famously ignored warnings not to play in Dublin due to The Troubles and was an inspirational leader who was instrumental in significant victories for both England and the British Lions.
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Leon Spinks, who surprised the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title in 1978, died Friday night at age 67, according to the Firm PR, a public relations firm that represents him. Spinks, who had been suffering from prostate and other cancers for five years, died with his wife, Brenda Glur Spinks, by his side, the firm said. The St. Louis native, a former Marine who won a gold medal as a light heavyweight at the 1976 Olympics, was just 13 months and eight fights into his pro boxing career when he stepped into a ring against Ali on Feb. 15, 1978, in Las Vegas. But Spinks -- a heavy underdog who had never gone beyond 10 rounds -- went right after the champ, who was 36 years old and clearly on the downside of his career. Spinks, then 24, had enough endurance to survive a 15th-round flurry from Ali -- and provide one of his own in the closing seconds. The split decision went to Spinks, who flashed his famous gap-toothed grin after becoming the only fighter to take a title from Ali in the ring.Massive, Massive respect for beating the ( arguably ) greatest.
RIP.
@raznomore out of interest where did you rate Spinks overall ? His brother did the sensible thing and retired after his first loss. Leon didn't it seemed.....
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@raznomore said in RIP 2021:
@MN5 he’ll always be the guy that beat Ali. He had a really patchy career after that. He’s not one of the greats in my opinion. But no one can take that win over Ali away from him.
Yeah lost five of his last eight fights ?
Goes to show that once a guy loses it ( as Ali did ) that even a comparative journeyman can beat him.
Leon Spinks record indicates he was just that but again, I bet he dined out on beating Ali for his whole life and good on him.
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@raznomore said in RIP 2021:
@MN5 Chuck Weiner dined out on going 15 with Ali. If you beat the greatest you can dine out on that as much as you like. Unless you’re Larry Holmes.
Who actually was a legend in his own right unlike those other chumps
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@raznomore said in RIP 2021:
@MN5 Chuck Weiner dined out on going 15 with Ali. If you beat the greatest you can dine out on that as much as you like. Unless you’re Larry Holmes.
Chuck Wepner was the subject of a E:30 for 30 doco. Colourful character and Stallone's inspiration for the Rocky Balboa character
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@raznomore said in RIP 2021:
@MN5 he’ll always be the guy that beat Ali. He had a really patchy career after that. He’s not one of the greats in my opinion. But no one can take that win over Ali away from him.
Yeah lost five of his last eight fights ?
Goes to show that once a guy loses it ( as Ali did ) that even a comparative journeyman can beat him.
Leon Spinks record indicates he was just that but again, I bet he dined out on beating Ali for his whole life and good on him.
Spinks was a what could have been. Serious alcohol problems. He even hit the turps the night before he won his gold medal. Probably had an absolutely wretched childhood like a lot of those guys.
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https://stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/124211426/hustler-founder-larry-flynt-dies-aged-78
A highlight of my first visit to the Somewhat-United-States was the Hustler store in San Diego.
Possibly the first "merch" I ever purchased... plus it gave me the idea for one of my first own-designed t-shirts years later...
I think I bought a t-shirt simply stating "HUSTLER" - but the text was a montage of porn-shots.
Years later, I produced a T with a map of NZ, formed of a similar porn-montage. Went down a treat at international customs checkpoints. -
https://stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/124211426/hustler-founder-larry-flynt-dies-aged-78
A highlight of my first visit to the Somewhat-United-States was the Hustler store in San Diego.
Possibly the first "merch" I ever purchased... plus it gave me the idea for one of my first own-designed t-shirts years later...
I think I bought a t-shirt simply stating "HUSTLER" - but the text was a montage of porn-shots.
Years later, I produced a T with a map of NZ, formed of a similar porn-montage. Went down a treat at international customs checkpoints.Sounds like the old TSF T shirt, a NZ made up of little silver ferns. Except yours is more sleazy
RIP 2021
Stuff
