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Who is the greatest baseball player ever?

EagleEyeKidEagleEyeKid Posts: 4,496 ✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
My wife and I just watched a bio on Ted Williams and we really enjoyed it.
I was just wondering who you think was the greatest player ever. If you had to pick just 1.
I know that's a very hard decision. In a era when it was just a game, with no roids.

Who is your pick and why?
«1

Comments

  • lawnmowermanlawnmowerman Posts: 19,477 ✭✭✭✭
    Roy Hobbs

    edit: Why? Because he had a movie made about him.

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  • lsutigers1973lsutigers1973 Posts: 11,093 ✭
    Glen Hubbard

    Because he had a great rat's nest of a beard and he posed on a baseball card with a large reptile.
  • markj111markj111 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭
    Surely this is a trick question. Babe Ruth.
  • VitoCo1972VitoCo1972 Posts: 6,128 ✭✭✭
    I have the Williams documentary TIVO'd and plan to watch it tomorrow. My dad grew up with him being legendary in Boston and being from there and a Red Sox fan, I'm eager to watch it.

    With regard to your question, I'm sure you'll get a lot answers, but I think you have to say Ruth, despite the fact that he didn't play against a multi-racial league. Not only the pure lunacy of his hitting numbers (.342/714/2217/.474/.690/1.164) but the fact that he was arguably one of the top five pitchers in the league for the seasons that he pitched (94-46/2.26/1.15WHIP)

    Based on your original question, "who is the best baseball player ever," I think you have to say Ruth. There are other arguments about best hitter, best all around everyday player, best pitcher etc. but I think Ruth is the only plausible answer to your stated question.
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  • lawnmowermanlawnmowerman Posts: 19,477 ✭✭✭✭
    All good points Mike but Hobbs played at a high level with a silver bullet rotting his innards. That's something Ruth can't say.

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  • bighurt2000bighurt2000 Posts: 1,022 ✭✭✭
    Greatest baseball player to play our the greatest baseball player who played and lived his life like a man
    not a drunk, wife beater, raceist, sleeping around with other women , not there for his kids and our wife,
    not on steriods etc.

    If your looking for the best all around greatest baseball player and person I would pick Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken
    and Roberto Clemente for what they did while playing baseball and did off the field for baseball and for the thing
    they didn't do. Hank Aaron was great but he didn't give back as much as he got out of the game and life.

    Just my 2cents

    James
    http://stores.ebay.com/bighurt2000

  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    The arguments for Ruth are compelling, but do not convince me.

    My pick remains Ted Williams.
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • JackWESQJackWESQ Posts: 2,133 ✭✭✭
    To be sure, playing with a silver bullet in your innards is quite commendable. However, some points going against Roy Hobbs ...

    1. According to ESPN's Bill Simmons, Hobbs' stats were great, but certainly not out of this world.

    115 Games
    400 ABs
    92 Runs
    140 Hits
    75 BBs
    85 Ks
    44 HRs
    106 RBIs
    .350 BA
    .447 OBP
    .750 SLG

    2. Hobbs only played one season which, in and of itself, is not dismissive of his greatness. But the argument can be made given his stats noted above.
    3. The movie ends prematurely, so we'll never know if the Knights won the World Series. But if they did, Hobbs likely did not play due to his injuries.
    4. All players go through slumps. But Hobbs' slump is directly attributable to a woman. Doesn't support his greatness candidacy. (And recall it was a woman who originally derailed Hobbs' career.)

    However, given the fact that Hobbs hit four (4) home runs in one game and also smacked a walk-off home run that shatters the scoreboard clock in Chicago (things Ruth never did), I'd have to give it to Hobbs.

    /s/ JackWESQ
    image
  • schr1stschr1st Posts: 1,677 ✭✭
    Greatest hitter : Ted Williams
    Greatest all around player: Willie Mays
    Player you would want to build your team around: Babe Ruth
    Greatest Pitcher: depends on the day you ask me (Johnson, Mathewson, Young, Paige, and Maddux are the first 5 to come to mind).
    Who is Rober Maris?
  • akuracy503akuracy503 Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭
    Was ruth racist? I dont think he was....

    Who was the drunk wife beater?

    I've got to catch up on personal life stories of our historical legends...

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    Collection: https://flickr.com/photos/185200668@N06/albums

  • hammeredhammered Posts: 2,671 ✭✭✭

    Greatest player I ever saw in person: Hank Aaron
    Greatest pitcher I ever saw in person: Tom Seaver
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Was Ruth racist?............ >>



    //////////////////

    George Herman Ruth, Jr.
    February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948


    ............

    According to the second edition (1989) of the OED, the earliest known usage of the word "racism" in English occurred in a 1936 book by the American "fascist,"

    Lawrence Dennis, "The Coming American Fascism." ........In the case of the word "racist" as an adjective, the OED dates the word to 1938..



    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • akuracy503akuracy503 Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭
    I read awhile back about how Ruth was one of the players who was thought to have colored lineage....and was often a victim of racism himself.

    I just googled and found lots of literature behind this...

    So which player(s) were the drunk wife beater?

    CU Ancient Members badge member.

    Collection: https://flickr.com/photos/185200668@N06/albums

  • SportsCardCollectorSportsCardCollector Posts: 320 ✭✭
    Hmmmm, let's see.

    Lifetime on base percentage .4740 (2nd all-time)
    Lifetime slugging percentage .6898 (1st all-time)
    Lifetime home runs 714 (3rd all-time)
    Lifetime runs batted in 2217 (2nd all-time)

    AND...

    Lifetime ERA 2.28 (15th all-time)
    Lifetime win-loss percentage .671 (94-46) (12th all-time)

    When you find a player that can match those stats, let me know. Until then, the greatest baseball player of all time is the Babe.

    "It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it."
    - John Wooden
  • TrevmoTrevmo Posts: 201 ✭✭
    Best player? I would have to say Jim Abbott. That dude pitched a no-hitter in 1993 with one arm! You can't be much better than that! image
    Collecting Ozzie Smith PSA 10's, 1949 Bowman PSA 5's, and 1949 Bowman PCL'S in any grade!
  • KK Posts: 1,364 ✭✭✭
    Ted Williams

    My grandparents used to tell me bedtime stories that made him sound like a god! (Funny because my mother would tell me the bedtime story of Doug Flutie and the Miracle in Miami!)
  • Bottom9thBottom9th Posts: 2,695 ✭✭
    I've got to go with Ted Williams. Imagine his stats if he wasn't in the the military for all those years? I also have the Williams special DVR'ed and will be watching it today.
  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,732 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Eddie Gaedel
  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,732 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Eddie Gaedel >>



    oh sorry, I thought it said the smallest baseball player ever...never mind.
  • fandangofandango Posts: 2,622 ✭
    greatest Right handed hitter: Pujols


    Behind RUTH WILLIAMS of course
  • edmundfitzgeraldedmundfitzgerald Posts: 4,306 ✭✭
    The answers given are spot on.

    Babe Ruth was the best all around baseball player ever because of his pitching ability.

    Ted Williams was the greatest hitter ever.
    When some of these power hitters today like Albert Puljos or Prince Fielder ever get close to hitting .400,
    then we can start even mentioning them in the same breath as Williams. Until then, leave them out of any
    thread such as this.

    In 1941 Williams hit .406 while hitting 37 home runs.
    In 1942 Williams hit .356 while hitting 36 home runs.

    He missed the next three years of his career while serving his country in the war. He
    missed three seasons at the ages of 24, 25, 26.

    So Ted Williams was 22 years old when he hit .406
    If a 22 year old hit .406 today along with 37 dingers, you would never hear about Albert Puljos, Prince Fielder,
    or any other player. It would be all Ted on ESPN.


  • IchiroDeportedIchiroDeported Posts: 1,610 ✭
    now now, Pujols can't be considered he's still playing and is in his prime, come back when he is old, crippled and retired and we can talk about his career greatness.

    I lament the fact that none of the negro leaguers got to experience full careers so we could marvel at their eye popping stats. i wonder how many of them would be on the all time lists. Alas, we can only speculate.

    The "greatest" is probably Ruth, as a hitter and pitcher he dominated and was simply an unstoppable force. The greatest pure hitter was Ted Williams, most under appreciated probably Aaron. Musial and Mays are definitely top 10 if not top 5 for hitters.
  • IronmanfanIronmanfan Posts: 5,463 ✭✭✭✭
    That HBO special on Teddy Ballgame was awesome..If you haven't seen it, I recommend you do!
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  • 1960toppsguy1960toppsguy Posts: 1,130 ✭✭
    Peter Edward Rose
  • itzagoneritzagoner Posts: 8,753 ✭✭
    my son.

    because he's my son.
  • fiveninerfiveniner Posts: 4,111 ✭✭✭
    Rocky Bridges Woops Willie Mays
    Tony(AN ANGEL WATCHES OVER ME)
  • bobbybakerivbobbybakeriv Posts: 2,186 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Surely this is a trick question. Babe Ruth. >>



    image
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Ryan Howard.


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • dontippetdontippet Posts: 2,605 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>my son.

    because he's my son. >>




    Best and most accurate answer so far.
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  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231 ✭


    << <i>greatest Right handed hitter: Pujols >>




    Pujols couldnt carry Frank Thomas' jock strap as far as pure right handed hitters are concerned!
  • ReljacReljac Posts: 758
    I'll choose Roberto Clemente... I choose him though based on his humantiarian nature and his on field skills.

    an interesting list of players to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom
    Hank Aaron
    Roberto Clemente
    Joe Dimaggio
    Frank Robinson
    Jackie Robinson
    Ted Williams

  • shagrotn77shagrotn77 Posts: 5,577 ✭✭✭✭
    I knew someone was gonna mention Pujols. Come on now. He's a better righthanded hitter than DiMaggio? I don't think so.

    Best player ever is the Babe. I would have no argument against Aaron, Mays, Gehrig, Williams or Musial either.
    "My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Our childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When we were insolent we were placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds - pretty standard really."
  • ReljacReljac Posts: 758
    I find it interesting that no one thinks pitchers are worthy and that one of the two two-time batting triple crown winners has been left off (Roger Hornsby)

    No one like Hornsby, Christy Mathewson, or Sandy Koufax?


    How about Charles Radbourn? 59 wins and 441 strikeouts in 1884. He has a career ERA of 2.67 with the 8th most innings pitched in league history.
    9 20 win seasons
    3 30 win seasons
    2 40 win seasons
    1 50 win season
    had 309 wins in just 11 seasons
  • markj111markj111 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭
    To paraphrase someone: Remember in high school that every team had a player who was the stud pitcher and hit clean-up. On days he was not pitching he would play the field. There have been a few such players in college (Tim Hudson comes to mind). Babe Ruth did it at the major league level.
  • larryallen73larryallen73 Posts: 6,062 ✭✭✭
    Babe Ruth by a mile! Every other player needs an argument why they are the best. For Ruth people only can knock him for being a womanizer or whatever else he did. I think you all are playing for second place and it's not even close in my opinion.

    FYI, Fandango, you posting Pujols was expected but is why people don't like you. Give it a rest. He may one day be considered the greatest player ever. However, at this point he is not there yet. Come back in 10 years. If he continues with the numbers and no peds then you may have a case to make. At this point it's just an annoyance to an otherwise good thread.
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231 ✭


    << <i>I find it interesting that no one thinks pitchers are worthy and that one of the two two-time batting triple crown winners has been left off (Roger Hornsby)

    No one like Hornsby, Christy Mathewson, or Sandy Koufax?


    How about Charles Radbourn? 59 wins and 441 strikeouts in 1884. He has a career ERA of 2.67 with the 8th most innings pitched in league history.
    9 20 win seasons
    3 30 win seasons
    2 40 win seasons
    1 50 win season
    had 309 wins in just 11 seasons >>




    Was that with a 2 or 3 man rotation? Cannot compare stats from TOTALLY different eras.....its almost 2 different sports.
  • baseballfanbaseballfan Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭
    that was a great show on HBO.

    actually redford said he modeled the hobbs movie using williams as a guide.

    best hitter williams
    best player ruth including pitching
    best pitcher mathewson/young

    i think you need to look at eras. as the leagues got bigger move travel (by train not chartered jets) was involved more teams meant less talented teams. nowadays you have people playing that would not have been playing minor league ball 60 years ago. mathewson/young pitched in 3 man rotations. spahn/koufax in 4 man rotations. both eras used very little relief pitching, they threw complete games. i think its unfair to compare a guy who played in the 50's to a guy playing now. in the 50's they had to go find a job in the off season now they workout all year and still get more injuries then they did in the 50's-60's. some guys will not even start enough games to equal youngs win mark and pitch for 15 years and be great by today standards. tough call i say go by eras.

    just my .02
    Fred

    collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.

    looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started

  • MrVintageMrVintage Posts: 1,027 ✭✭✭
    My top 5 in order
    1. Babe Ruth-the guy was the best pitcher in baseball before he became the best position player.
    2. Ty Cobb- One of the most intense and complicated men to ever play the game
    3. Rogers Hornsby- the best right handed hitter of all-time and he played 2nd base!!!
    4. Willie Mays-5 tool player that could do it all
    5. Lou Gehrig-His numbers simply blow you away.
  • ReljacReljac Posts: 758


    << <i>
    Was that with a 2 or 3 man rotation? Cannot compare stats from TOTALLY different eras.....its almost 2 different sports. >>



    Isn't that what this post is about to find the greatest of all eras?

  • onebamafanonebamafan Posts: 1,318 ✭✭
    Tyrus Raymond Cobb.................................He could do it all......367 LIFETIME AVG 4191 hits......... 892 stolen bases. If he had had the # of AB as Rose, he would have 5000 HITS!

    1911 AL MVP
    .367 career batting average (highest ever)
    54 career steals of home (most all time)
    12 batting titles(including 9 straight)

  • TJMACTJMAC Posts: 864 ✭✭
    Babe Ruth was the greatest, but the better debate is the 2nd best. I say Cobb. To add to what the above poster said, I think about only 20 players have hit above .367 in a season let alone their career since Cobb retired. That is remarkable.

  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭
    No reason to repeat the "whys" ... My vote goes to THE BABE as well. I do not think it is even close. JMO.

    In addition, as others have said, why do people bring up off the field actions? If we are talking about the NICEST person to ever play the game then RUTH is NOT the winner. But the question was "THE GREATEST BASEBALL PLAYER OF ALL TIME".

    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • Ladder7Ladder7 Posts: 1,221 ✭
    I havent a clue, but find this compelling., When all the greats (Including Ruth) were asked this question, They all said Cobb.
    some cards
  • ReljacReljac Posts: 758


    << <i>
    But the question was "THE GREATEST BASEBALL PLAYER OF ALL TIME". >>



    If you honestly think that then Ruth should be eliminated based on his fielding stats that wouldn't even rank in the top 55 OFs in 2009

    Here's Ruth's attrocious fielding stats
    baberuth.com
  • intenceintence Posts: 1,255 ✭
    although babe wasnt in my era, his history speaks enough for itself
    image
  • sayheykid54sayheykid54 Posts: 779 ✭✭
    TY COBB
  • Nathaniel1960Nathaniel1960 Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭✭✭
    This is a subpar question. It angers me to see lazy efforts on the part of posters sometimes.
    Kiss me once, shame on you.
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  • baseballfanbaseballfan Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Babe Ruth was the greatest, but the better debate is the 2nd best. I say Cobb. To add to what the above poster said, I think about only 20 players have hit above .367 in a season let alone their career since Cobb retired. That is remarkable. >>



    i would agree cobb #2 best player, i would love to have seen him play

    no one played harder and wanted to win more, they don't make them like him anymore
    Fred

    collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.

    looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started

  • fandangofandango Posts: 2,622 ✭


    << <i>Babe Ruth by a mile! Every other player needs an argument why they are the best. For Ruth people only can knock him for being a womanizer or whatever else he did. I think you all are playing for second place and it's not even close in my opinion.

    FYI, Fandango, you posting Pujols was expected but is why people don't like you. Give it a rest. He may one day be considered the greatest player ever. However, at this point he is not there yet. Come back in 10 years. If he continues with the numbers and no peds then you may have a case to make. At this point it's just an annoyance to an otherwise good thread. >>




    Oh its ok for Sports illustrated to write an article (by Bill James Basically) about how Pujols may be the best reght handed hitter ever and thats ok.....But i cant bring it up on a message board (when it may even be true) without upsetting you?

    LARRYALLEN SHUT THE HELL UP! YOU are constantly following ALL of my Posts with a JAB STOP TROLLING ME ! I DONT POST AFTER EVER ONE OF YOUR COMMENTS AND I WANT THE SAME...
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231 ✭
    Its pronounced "poo-holes".image
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