Lasting memories

The British open at St Andrews will be, among other things, a farewell party for Jack Nicklaus. This year’s Tour de France is Lance Arm...

The British open at St Andrews will be, among other things, a farewell party for Jack Nicklaus. This year’s Tour de France is Lance Armstrong’s last. David Shepherd will stand in his last match at the Oval on July 12. Wimbledon referee Allan Mills retired last Sunday. In Action Replay, this week, we look at six public valedictions.

Donald Bradman

The most famous of them all. Throughout the 1948 Ashes, Bradman’s last, English crowds queued up to catch a final glimpse of the Don. After being bowled for zero by Eric Hollies in his last innings at The Oval and missing a career average of 100 by four runs, Bradman did not try to conceal that he had tears in his eyes and could not see the ball.

Pele

Pele lovers got a treat at Mexico ’70. After a disappointment in 1962 and 1966, Pele had announced this would be his last tournament. In his last match, the final against Italy, Pele scored two and set two up, as Brazil won 4-1.

Steve Waugh

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Steve Waugh’s farewell series, against India in 2003-04, saw an enduring response from crowds all over the country. On the last day of his career, Waugh, typically, rescued Australia from a precarious situation on a Sydeny turner.

Courtney Walsh

About two years before he finally retired on April 21, 2001, crowds and teams over the world realised they were seeing Walsh for the last time on their venues. Teams would hold up play and line up to welcome him every time he walked on to the ground. At Sabina Park, his home ground, Walsh took six wickets in his last Test to help Windies win against South Africa.

Chappell, Lillee & Marsh

SCG was sold out from 2nd to 6th of January, 1984, as the crowds realised this was the last time their heroes Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rodney Marsh would perform for them. And what a happy ending it was. Australia won by 10 wickets against Pakistan; Chappell scored 182; Lille got two four-fors; and Marsh gloved five nicks in the second innings.

Pete Sampras

One that was not public. After losing two US Open finals in a row, and losing to George Bastl in the second round of Wimbledon, Sampras turned back the years beating Andre Agassi in the 2002 US Open final, and took almost a year to decide that winning memories would be his last memories. He got an emotional farewell at next year’s US Open.

— Sidharth Monga