Sports

Famous sports mistakes: remembered forever

Be it divine intervention or simple genetic determination, there is a select group of men and women who are physically gifted enough to become world-class athletes.

Some use those gifts to secure a college education, while others turn them into millions of dollars professionally. But, regardless of their skill level, they are all more than capable of producing moments that will last, not as examples of excellence, but of hilarious futility.

Forever remembered as famous sports mistakes, where lapses of attention, common sense or physical prowess intersect with destiny to create indelible incidents.

Of course, we as fans live for these fables. After all, we who are not so gifted delight in the fact that our heroes sometimes carry feet of clay or heads of cement. We enjoy knowing that those sometimes arrogant mega-millionaires can fail like the rest of us, and on a much brighter stage.

Professional and amateur sports are plagued with unforgettable mistakes. Anyone who watches sports on television when they come of age remembers ABC’s Wide World of Sports opening cut. While very few knew his name, the image of that ski jumper falling off the ramp, circling through the air and crashing to the ground will always be the benchmark of performance disaster.

However, famous sports mistakes can also gain wide recognition due to the popularity of the sport in question. The National Football League has enormous fan support and therefore a long history of gaffes.

Miami Dolphins position kicker Garo Yepremian was one of the pioneers of the crosswind soccer-style kicking approach. But he is equally notable for his inability to throw the ball. During a game in the ’70s, a missed kick found Yepremian with the ball in his hands with throwing designs for the scoreboard. Which followed a clumsy attempt that ended with him waving the air with his empty hand.

Soccer also brought us Leon Lett of the Dallas Cowboy, who is as well known for his mental misadventures as he is for his physical prowess. In one game, while approaching the end zone on a safe touchdown run, he slowed down to start an early celebration and Buffalo’s Don Beebe came up from behind to drop the ball and cancel the score. In another game, following a blocked field goal attempt, Lett ran after what would have been a dead ball, skidded in the snow, touched the ball and brought it to life again. The opposition rallied and eventually scored a touchdown.

Jose Canseco of Major League Baseball is famous for his use of steroids, but his failures on the field are almost as legendary. His list of famous sports mistakes is topped off by the fly ball that bounced off his head and over the fence for a home run.

While these comedy examples cannot erase the physical brilliance of many more, they do make us appreciate the humanity of those who, in their best days, display sometimes superhuman abilities.

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