Bruce Lee was probably equivalent in impact and talent to Babe Ruth. Why? Because, while there might have been other baseball players that were better, no one cares because they didn't get the press. Effectively, he was the best. After all, humans work off preception, not historical possiblity.
Was he the greatest? We'll never really know, even if the greatest was documented. He was really good.
Here's the thing, though. There is a tacit difference between a martial artist, a warrior, and a fighter. A martial artist is, after all, is an artist. This should not be forgotten. It is a work of the mind. In this respect, because of his vision and clarity of thought, he may very well have been the best. Was he a warrior? I doubt it -- he never saw war, or joined the military, I believe. Only wars make warriors. It is a matter of definition. A fighter? Certainly, and a damned good one by all accounts.
Most of the qualities that many folks associate with warriors certianly are warrior traits, but not all of them. There are a great many warrior traits that don't cross over into being a good fighter. Real warriors, because they are commanded and trained by generals and nations, work under a code. In the U.S. it is called the Uniform Code of Military Conduct. In Japan, it was called Bushido.
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A broken mace is still a weapon. |