Two sporting legends in one week - RIP Henry Cooper and Seve Ballesteros

What a terrible week for sporting heroes. First Henry Cooper a man who I grew up admiring, probably the first boxer apart from Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali that I ever heard of. A skillful and hard hitting boxer, who should have beaten Cassius Clay in 1963 and would have done had the counting out rules then allowed people to be literally 'saved by the bell'. In fact I believe he would have knocked Cassius Clay out in the fifth had Angelo Dundee not pulled that stunt with the ripped glove and administered illegal smelling salts. Cooper's fights with Joe Bugner are part of the mythology of British boxing; "Enry's 'Ammer" versus passivity. A British sporting great and a man loved by the British people in a time before the cult of celebrity became all encompassing, Henry Cooper will be missed.

And here's some video of the fourth and fifth rounds of that fight with Cassius Clay - look out for the left hook and the cut glove.


Seve Ballesteros, what can I say? A genius with a golf club. With Seve it is individual shots that I remember, so here's just one...

At the French Open a shot off his knees through the trees at the 6th hole.

And here's a tribute video


Seve winner of five Majors between 1979 and 1988, including three Open Championships and two Masters. Seve was also a great Ryder Cup captain and player. To call Seve not the greatest driver in the world would hardly be controversial but his short game and enthusiasm for golf and life will live on in my memory.

Henry Cooper and Seve Ballesteros, RIP.