Telegraph list of 100 greatest British sportsmen and women

The Telegraph have launched a initiative to establish who are the 100 greatest sportspeople Britain has produced. Judging by the judges and the female emphasis there I suspect it will tell us more about the social mores of our time than be a definitive list. Paul Hayward, an excellent sportswriter, well-informed and fluent, wrote an article to launch it yesterday. It was curious who he had omitted.

Ryan Giggs was there but not Sir Stanley Matthews, Johnny Haynes, Tom Finney, Duncan Edwards or Kevin Keegan.

In boxing he referred to Lennox Lewis and Joe CalzaghE, but no mention of Ted Kid Lewis, Jack Kid Berg nor Ken Buchanan whose victory in Panama over Ismael Laguna in Puerto Rico  must rank amongst the greatest British ring triumphs and only lost lost controversially to the great Roberto Durna

No citing of C.B. Fry, test cricketer, world long jump record holder and FA Cup finalist for Southampton.  Four-minute miler Sir Roger Bannister was not included.

EThe problem with such lists is PC dictates that woman’s sports women get prominent places and disabled athletes too.  Also the younger voter, who spends far more time online, will surely prefer Jessica Ennis to double gold Olympian Mary Rand.

In golf six-time major winner Sir Nick Faldo must make it but what of Henry Cotton or Tony Jacklin, a double major winner in  the era  of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller?

And will post-career controversies as with Sir Bradley Higgins dog his chances? Talking of dogs why cannot animals like Mick the Miller or Ballyregan Bob or a thoroughbred filly like Galileo or jumper like Mill Reef or Arkle make it?

One factor which will not help the ancient sportsman of the past is lack of recognition.

Daniel Mendoza from the Eighteenth century was the father of modern boxing, Ronnie Poulton Palmer the Edwardian centre, a master of his craft, are barely known these days.

Nor I doubt will Olympic heroes from the misty days when 4 golds were a national triumph like Lyn ‘The Leap’ Davies, Harry Llewelyn, Ann Packer and the Mighty Mouse 50k walker and 1960 Gold medalist Don Thompson, who trained in a stifling hot bathroom,would have much chance against the likes of Mo Farah, Charlotte Dujardin, Jessica Ennis Hill and Nicola Adams.

Three of the panellists of experts are women-Baroness Grey-Thompson, Alwex Duncan and Laura Davies- so  there will be a high propnderance of sports women I feel sure .

So my feeling is that such a list might make for an interesting debate over a few pints at your local but whether it will constitute a definitive list of the greatest I am not so sure.