Kareem Abdul Jabbar and jockey Willie Shoemaker

Kareem Abdul Jabbar, the 7-foot-2 star of the Milwaukee Bucks pro basketball team, and jockey Willie Shoemaker, center, who is tall in the saddle, is a study in contrasts as they receive Dewar’s award of merit at luncheon, November 2, 1972, in New York. Both have won more than 2,000 races apiece. But the record for most wins in a single year by a jockey belongs to Eddie Arcaro, who rode 79 winners in 1938 and considered to be the best in their respective sports. The term “the best” is open to interpretation, of course, but it’s generally applied to someone who has consistently proven himself over time and against the competition. H/T>