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Sports Then and Now



Tennis Players Illustrate How To Win And Lose With Dignity 4

Posted on November 26, 2009 by Claudia Celestial Girl
Tennis players regularly have to deal with both the emotional high of winning and the emotional low of losing.

Tennis players regularly have to deal with both the emotional high of winning and the emotional low of losing.

After a spectacular loss to Roger Federer in the 2007 Australian Open, Andy Roddick, said, “It was frustrating, it was miserable, it sucked, it was terrible…Besides that it was fine.”

Decades ago, for those of us in the US old enough to remember, ABC used to open a weekly sports show citing, in equal measure: the Joy of Victory…and the Agony of Defeat (using a horrible skiing accident to illustrate the latter).

The truth is that defeat, though agonizing, can often be the most inspiring illumination of character that comes out of a sporting contest.

This year, Roger Federer took two of the most spectacular losses a champion can accept, and also recorded two of the most spectacular wins a champion could ever make in meeting, then breaking, the all-time Slam record formerly held by Pete Sampras.

But this is an article about that state of grace that can sometimes be entered by a sporting champion in defeat.

Read the rest of this entry →

  • Vintage Athlete of the Month

    • Mickey Lolich: 1968 World Series Hero
      October 2, 2024 | 3:00 pm
      Mickey Lolich

      The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is one of the most celebrated pitchers in Detroit Tigers history and will forever be remembered for his heroic performance in the 1968 World Series.

      Mickey Lolich is remembered for his durability, resilience, and ability to deliver in clutch situations. Known for his powerful left arm and an almost superhuman capacity to pitch complete games, Lolich etched his name in baseball history with his stellar performance in the 1968 World Series, leading the Tigers to a championship. His career, spanning from 1963 to 1979, was defined by consistency, longevity, and an unyielding competitive spirit. Lolich may not have the same level of fame as some of his contemporaries, but his achievements on the mound have earned him a lasting legacy in the annals of Major League Baseball.

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