Rudy Hartono

[Fortune]

Yes true. How could we all discredit the achievement of Rudy Hartono, Lim Swie King, Eddie Chong, Frost etc.

LSK ? I think Han Jian has better H2H records afgainst him. Frost ? If I'm not wrong, ZJH outplayed him once or twice, and maybe Yang - Yang has better H2H. Rudy ? Just ask him, where is the AG Gold in MS ? Why he was affraid to old players likes Tang and Hou ?

They were the best and most dominant during their time. This is a great achievement no matter what changes we seen in badminton today.

30 y.o. Rudi still unbeatenable at 1979 Thomas Cup. At 31, he still dare to compete and win the 1980 World Championships. Players around the world still can't beat the old Rudi. You can imagine the competition in that era ! . But when he was younger, at 25 only, he was affraid to 2 old giants from China, Tang Xianhu and Hou Jiachang hahaha

Maybe their racquets were very heavy and many people did not have access to badminton facility that time. But the fact that Rudy Hartono, Swie King, E. Chong, Frost were all able to get past all these obstacles that prevent from proper facility training etc. and set a new standard for badminton is a great achievement if you ask me.

Maybe the racquets of Tang and Hou are the same with the racquets that are used by the players in the 3rd millenium, that's why Rudy was affraid he would be slaughtered by Tang and Hou

To be honest, maybe if LD was born during that time, the conditions were not favourable for him since the racquets too heavy, no electricity to practice during the night time, or not many courts available in his area etc. etc.... maybe LD couldn't even get into the national team because of these problems our past heroes faced. So their achievement stands as the greatest during their time no matter how different badminton is today.

Maybe yes, maybe no ! It depends to how strong Hou, Tang, and the other CHN MS players that are affraid by Rudi. And if LD couldn't even get into the national team, then how about Taufik and LCW whom are far weaker than Lin Dan ?

[cobalt]

Rudy Hartono
By Jason Tedjasukmana Monday, Nov. 13, 2006


Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...#ixzz23fC0hi6V

Excerpts:

...Granted, badminton does not have the massive followings of soccer or cricket. But to its devoted fans there is no sound sweeter than the swish of a goosefeather shuttlecock. Just ask the Indonesians, who arguably are the most fanatical followers of all.

...He trained on concrete at a nearby railway station during the day, and under kerosene lamps at night, under the watchful eye of his father — a player of average ability who channeled frustrated ambitions through his son. "Back then, athletes became successful because of their parents," explains Hartono...

..."I remember listening to the match on the radio when I was growing up in Central Java," recalls Clara Joewono, a director at Jakarta's Centre for Strategic and International Studies. "After he won, all the kids in Pekalongan exploded on to the streets with their rackets."

[Fortune]

That's their own fault... They un-invited themselves to All England and Thomas Cup [that were there even before the existence of Chinese badminton]... INA never ran away from competition that could have proved who were the best. For whatever reason, CHN did... http://www.badmintoncentral.com/foru...Hidayat/page15

China's fault ? Wrong ! It was China that are eager to proved which country is the best. that's why despite Hou and Tang already 30 and 32 y.o., they dare to challenge INA in 1974 AG, bcoz they really know who is the best. . If in 1974 AG they are still superior than INA, surely in 1970 - 1974 All England and 1970 & 1973 Thomas Cup they was more lethal . Hartono and also INA Men's team was very2 lucky that China was not IBF member. After 1974, CHN still compete in 1978 AG (INA won both) and the famous 1980 badminton friendly in Singapore, this time China won by 5 - 4