Sports can be very dangerous, players can get seriously injured to the point where they’ll never play again. Sportsmaster knows all about this, he’s the kind of guy who caused those injuries. So how does a guy who was good at sports become a mercenary and villain? Let’s find out!
Lawrence “Crusher” Crock was a world class professional athlete, he was capable at just about any one of them. It was during a football match that his fate would change, he knowingly and viciously permanently injured another player to ensure his victory. This had Lawrence banned from all professional sports for such dangerous behavior. Out of a job, needing cash, a talent at hurting people with ease? Lawrence found it easy to transition his skills to crime, he was soon robbing the wealthy sporting events he once played at. Carrying around a bat and his other sporting equipment as makeshift weapons when starting out. Something happened when he would strike the golden age Green Lantern, Alan Scott that changed things for Lawrence. Turns out, wood is the weakness of that Green Lantern, so sporting equipment became Lawrence’s trademark. Sportsmaster was born.
Joining the Injustice Society, Lawrence would meet his future wife who was the original Huntress, Paula Brooks, they would be a constant thorn in the Justice Society’s side for years to come. Lawrence and Paula would even have a daughter, Artemis, would join the family business of super crime as the Tigress. Committing crimes and fighting heroes became a family affair for Lawrence. The Justice Society being his enemy and then eventually the Justice League as well, he would always be upgrading his sports related equipment to work with the times. Exploding sports balls along with metal bats and javelins, became par for the course, golf reference!
As time wore on, Lawrence would age, which is always bad for an athlete. Desiring to have that youthful energy again so he could keep up with all the new crimes and heroes to deal with. When General Immortus offered him and other villains power, Lawrence jumped at the chance. Turns out joining a group of people who are only together because they crave more power isn’t that great. He would be killed by a teammate who would betray the team and Lawrence’s death was part of the escape plan. Seen as such a good athlete, even in death, he would become the clone template for The Council, who would use these as their masked assassins. Lawrence would live on in legion, as many murderers for people he once worked along side with.
There you have it! Sportsmaster is basically the evil Casey Jones, a sports gear wielder at a level that super humans have a tough time with. He really gained his notoriety as a threat on the Young Justice animated series. He’ll be appearing in live action in the upcoming Stargirl series, as well. What will he do next? Who knows? See you next time!
Suggested Reading
All-American Comics #85
Justice Society of America
Green Lantern
JSA
Final Crisis Aftermath: Run!
Dr. Bustos
drbustos@comicattack.net
