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The 1962 Japanese monster flick King Kong vs. Godzilla wasn't much of a movie, but it helps to illustrate one of the sports world's most compelling features -- the duel.
In the film, the giant ape and the fire-breathing lizard were so intent on destroying each other they didn't seem to notice -- or care about -- their surroundings. Locked in mortal combat, they laid waste to large sections of Tokyo, whose residents were so transfixed by the titanic struggle they could only point toward the sky and watch in awe.
Such was the case 32 years ago, when Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus duelled at Turnberry, the site of this weekend's British Open. As Watson (King Kong) and Nicklaus (Godzilla) kept bashing each other with one great shot after another, the rest of the field was reduced to rubble and the spectators were struck dumb by the sheer magnitude of the battle.
And just as there were other great monster combatants -- Mothra, Rodan and Mechagodzilla, to name but a few -- there have been many memorable duellists in the sports world as well.
10. O'Brien vs. Marino
On Sept. 21, 1986, in a battle between two of the top quarterbacks in the NFL at the time, Ken O'Brien of the New York Jets outduelled his Miami Dolphins counterpart Dan Marino in a 51-45 Jets victory. O'Brien's 43-yard touchdown pass in overtime to Wesley Walker sealed the win and gave him 479 yards passing and four TDs (all to Walker). Marino finished with 448 yards through the air and six TDs. Their total passing yardage was the most in NFL history.
9. LeMond vs. Fignon
The 1989 Tour de France was the closest ever, with American Greg LeMond making up an astonishing 58 seconds on the final ride into Paris to beat two-time champion Laurent Fignon by a scant eight seconds. For 17 days, LeMond and the Frenchman waged a back-and-forth battle, trading the yellow jersey four times.
8. Austin vs. Flutie
On Oct. 23, 1993, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders hooked up for the greatest aerial exhibition in CFL history. Stamps QB Doug Flutie staked the visitors to a 35-10 halftime lead before Kent Austin led a furious second-half comeback to secure a 48-45 Riders victory. The two stars combined for seven touchdowns, 70 completions and a league-record 1,093 passing yards -- 547 for Flutie, 546 for Austin.
7. Federer vs. Nadal
It's hard not to include this year's Federer-Roddick epic on the list, but the previous year's masterpiece at the All-England Club had more star power, as the two top-ranked players in the world battled for four hours and 48 minutes -- the longest match in Wimbledon history. Adding to the lustre of Rafael Nadal's five-set victory was the fact it was the sixth time he and Roger Federer had met in a Grand Slam final and the first time in six years anyone had beaten Federer on grass.
6. Burdette vs. Haddix
On May 26, 1959, Milwaukee Braves ace Lew Burdette scattered 12 hits over 13 innings to shut out the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0. But as masterful as his performance was, it was nothing compared to that of his opposite number -- Pirates lefty Harvey Haddix -- who retired the first 36 batters he faced but gave up a homer in the 13th to lose the no-hitter and the game.
5. Hasek vs. Brodeur
Facing elimination in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series against New Jersey, the Buffalo Sabres needed a great game from goalie Dominik Hasek on March 27, 1994. The Dominator delivered, stopping all 70 shots he faced in an epic goaltending battle with the Devils' Martin Brodeur, who matched him save-for-save until Dave Hannan beat him 5:43 into the fourth overtime.
4. Spahn vs. Marichal
Two future Hall of Famers strutted their stuff when the San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Braves met at Candlestick Park on July 2, 1963. For 15 innings, neither Juan Marichal nor Warren Spahn allowed a run, with each throwing more than 200 pitches -- totals that would get a manager fired these days. The game ended when the Giants' Willie Mays hit a solo homer off Spahn in the bottom of the 16th.
3. Watson vs. Nicklaus
What makes the "Duel in the Sun" waged by Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at the 1977 Open Championship so special is how rarely the top two players in the world ever clash in major championships. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson did it briefly at the Masters this year, but both ended up as also-rans. At Turnberry 32 years ago, Watson and Nicklaus played brilliantly together over the final 36 holes, with Watson winning by a single stroke, shooting 65-65 to Nicklaus's 65-66. Ten shots clear of their nearest rivals, it was as if the two titans were playing their own private tournament.
2. Koufax vs. Hendley
On Sept. 19, 1965, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs locked up in perhaps the greatest pitchers' duel in history, as Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax needed a perfect game to beat Bob Hendley and the Cubs 1-0. Hendley threw a one-hitter, allowing only an unearned run in the fifth inning. The only man from either team to reach base was L.A. left-fielder Lou Johnson, who walked and scored the winning run in the fifth, and doubled to break up Hendley's no-hitter in the seventh.
1. Smith vs. Chabot
The longest game in NHL history was played on March 24, 1936, when Detroit's Normie Smith and Montreal's Lorne Chabot stubbornly refused to allow a goal through eight periods of play. The game didn't end until 16:30 into the sixth overtime period, when Mud Bruneteau beat Chabot on the Wings' 67th shot on goal. Smith stopped all 92 of the pucks he faced. Coincidentally, Chabot had won the second-longest game ever played, three years earlier, while playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Disagree with our picks? E-mail yours to topten@sunmedia.ca.