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Sports Heroes
"I’d never lost a favorite athlete until now"
By Nico Savidge, 16
September, 23, 2007
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Sports news has recently been dominated by the passing of legendary figures like Bill Walsh and Phil Rizzuto. But it’s a lesser-known athlete whose death has me thinking about the bond between sports hero and fan.
Colin McRae was a Scottish racing driver who specialized in rallying, a form of off-road racing popular in Europe. The average sports fan may have never heard of him, but McRae had an impressive career. He participated in different racing styles, including the Le Mans 24-hour race. And, he cheated death in several dramatic crashes.
I’d never lost a favorite athlete until now. Sure, I was sad when Ted Williams and Bill Walsh died, but they were sports heroes I was too young to truly appreciate.
The general public grieves when the rich and famous die. But it’s different when sports fans lose an athlete, since we often feel personally invested in their successes, and even their failures. I never met Colin McRae or saw him race in person, and I was too young to follow most of his professional career. But his skill and constant determination to win will stick with me.
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