who's your favorite all-time baseball player, and

jbrbears

Seasoned Expediter
I used to be a really big baseball fan back when I was growing up, now I can barely stand to watch a full game. The players have changed so much, and the salaries are so large, it's like they can't even relate to the average fan. I miss the days when players were like most of us: some beer bellys, some skinny, tall, short weird looking, some downright fat. here are some examples; Greg Luzinski was 5'11", but weighed about 230, and most of that was muscle. He had a little beer gut, but man, he could mash. Dave Parker, Pirates. He was about 6-6, 235-240...and he could steal a base when he was healthy. by far the best arm in the national league during his playing days. but my all time favorite has to be Jim Rice, Boston Red sox. Anybody remember this guy? He had power to spare (I believe He broke a bat on a check swing?) hit for a high average, and learned how to play the green monster better than anyone ever thought he would. His biggest flaw as a player was hitting into double plays. I don't believe he's ever gotten the recognition he deserves, but he's still my favorite "old school" baseball player of all time.
 

Jayman

Expert Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

I dont watch much baseball anymore either. I like to play though. In the 70's and early 80's, I was a Pirates fan. Dave Parker and Willie Stargell were my favorites.
 

dpea9

Expert Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

I loved John Kruk as a baseball player. He ate three hot dogs before each game. Loved beer, never worked out and loved the game of baseball. He always said he would have played for nothing. OH I forgot! He was a pretty dang good player too. :7
 

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

Alan Trammel and Lou Whitacre were a good team. Both modest guys, no chest pounding and all that crap. Just good, tight players.
 

jbrbears

Seasoned Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

anybody remember rick Reushal(sp)? I believe he pitched for the cubs in the mid-late 70's, and he was about as non-athletic as they come. I do believe though, He won several gold gloves as a pitcher. Another one who comes to mind is Wilbur wood, Chisox. He was like a lefty Reushal. Willie McCovey was known to slam a few Hot dogs before a game also.
 

Doggie Daddy

Veteran Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

All time favorite player? So many to choose from,but I would have to say Rocky Colavito.

"DON'T KNOCK THE ROCK"
 

JohnO

Veteran Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

I saw Rocky pitch and win a game for the Yankees during his last season in Majors. He was a smooth outfielder in his hay day. Some fan gave him the rasberries about his hitting or fielding and then crossed the line and cursed out his Mom. Well Rocky jumped into the stands and beat the tar out of the guy and there was no big hoopla.
 

JohnO

Veteran Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

I was sitting in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium when the Yanks were playing the Boston Red Sox and Jimmy Piersal was playing CF. Boston relives the starting pitcher and after his warm up pitches they start the game and the umpire calls timeout asking where the heck is Piersal? He was no where to be found until the grounds crew noticed him sitting behind the center field monument talking with the pigeons.

Push the clock ahead to 1963 and he's finishing his career with the Mets with Casey as manager along with Duke Snider, Willie Mays, Carl Furillo, Gil Hodges and a host of other great players. Well Casey was in his 80's and prone to take naps during the game. During one of these naps when nothing was happening in the game Piersal screams out he was safe. With that Casey wakes up runs to the top of the dugout steps and starts screams at the home plate umpire this goes on and the umpire stops the game takes his face mask off and looks at Casey. Well Casey put 2 & 2 together and realizes he’s been had and sheepishly walks back to his seat and the game resumes. He knew Piersal was the guilty culprit and advised him to ship up or out.
Well to make a long story longer Duke Snider was on the verge of hitting his 400 HR and Jimmy his 100 so Jimmy bets he’ll get more press coverage with his 100 than Duke’s 400. Needless to say
everyone took a piece of that action and they were all smiles when Duke hit his 400 and all the NY papers had it on the front page. The needled Piersal asking for there winnings and he just said wait for my chance at 100. The day did come and upon hitting his 100 Jimmy ran the bases backwards and was covered east coast to west coast by every paper for that backward running. He won the bet and Casey promptly removed him from the rooster.

I am so grateful I grew up in the 50's and saw so many great ball players play this game called baseball. It was so special to sneak into the parks and have every player’s stats at the tip of my tongue on all 16 teams in the majors. If baseball was a class in school I would have been a Rhodes Scholar...LOL
 

Dreamer

Administrator Emeritus
Charter Member
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

My memories of baseball are as a kid... late nights, and ol 9 volt transister am radio. WLW 700 out of Cinci of course, huddled under the covers listening to the games with the radio pressed against my head so Mom wouldn't yell at me to go to bed!

My favs were the Reds, I was right there listening to every game of that World Series Victory!

And of course, Johnny, Pete, Jose, Ken.. those were the MEN!!

You never heard of steroids back then, they were probably there.. but, ya never heard of it.






Dreamer
Forums Administrator


--------------


"Good will, like a good name, is achieved by many actions and lost by one."


Zig Ziglar
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

I can't see comparing the girly men of today's baseball with real men who were not coddled or on steroids.

My list is short;

Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb
"Shoeless Joe" Jackson
Hank Greenberg
Honus Wagner
Lou Gehrig (not for the baseball but the concern he showed when he was sick and the work he and Ruth did trying to find a cure)
Moses Walker
and of course Ruth

But I think that we need another Kenesaw Mountain Landis as commissioner. He made baseball by bringing respect to the game something that is so lacking and so needed today. Until some owner gets it togther and realizes that this is the way to go, baseball is a joke.
 

jbrbears

Seasoned Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

those guys from the last few posts are way before my time, but it's cool to hear about them...I remember vividly going to comiskey park when the whitesox had red/white uniforms, and my favorite player was Richie Allen (who remembers him?). He used to take a tree trunk to the plate with him, and I was amazed by the fact that He could even swing such a large bat, much less hit 400 ft homers. Jim Rice is still my favorite from back then, but there are a few who get honorable mention: Willie Stargell, John Mayberry, George Bell, George Brett, Rod Carew, Robin Yount, Ron Guidry, Fred Lynn.
 

JohnO

Veteran Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

Not that I'm a baseball historian but the last 60 years I have learned a lot about the game and this is the first time hearing about Moses Walker being the first negro to play in the majors. I always thought it was Jackie Robinson #42.

Now I’ll pass on a Jackie Robinson story told to me an others by Enos Slaughter. In 1992 I went to Mickey Mantle Whitey Ford Fantasy Baseball Camp for a week I heard a Zillion baseball stories right from the horse mouth. It was like being in heaven for a week.

Jackie’s first year he endured an awful lot of abuse from the stands and field. Enos Slaughter was the base runner one first base with two out and the next batter hit a ground ball to Pee Wee Reese who caught it and tossed to Jackie for the tag out. A routine play to end the inning, well Enos came in hard spikes Jackie drawing blood smiles and walks off the field. Jackie didn’t say a word. A few years later Jackie is a perennial all-star and a duplicate play comes to be as Enos slides into 2nd Jackie rears back and slaps his glove into his mouth area for the tag out. Enos has a mouth full of blood and is missing his two front teeth. He gets up smiles and walks off the field.
 

Doggie Daddy

Veteran Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

JohnO,those were some great stories.Baseball had many colorful characters back then,unlike players of today who are all pretty much overpayed and underachieving crybabies.Also you had me going to the archives of MLB to check those pitching stats on Rocky,because I didn't remember him doing any pitching but you were right on the money with that info.

And Dreamer I was also a Reds fan being born and raised in Springfield,OH.But I was from an earlier era.Vada Pinson,Frank Robinson,and that great place to see a game,Crosley field.:) DD.
 

Dog_House2691

Seasoned Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

dreamer you should have been at MATS today,you could have meet one of your favs Johnny Bench in person signing autographs...
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

Kirby was great fun to watch. It was hard to believe he could do what he did with that funny body. He loved the game and it always showed on his face. That big ol' Kirby smile.

As a kid I liked another great Twins player. Harmon Killebrew. He seemed like such a nice guy and he could drive a ball deep. A friend of mine had the pleasure of golfing with Harmon in a charity event. He said that Harmon is even nicer in private than his public persona.
 

Jack_Berry

Moderator Emeritus
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

>anybody remember rick Reushal(sp)? I believe he pitched for
>the cubs in the mid-late 70's, and he was about as
>non-athletic as they come. I do believe though, He won
>several gold gloves as a pitcher. Another one who comes to
>mind is Wilbur wood, Chisox. He was like a lefty Reushal.
>Willie McCovey was known to slam a few Hot dogs before a
>game also.


rick and paul, whale one and whale two. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. wilbur had a good knuckle ball. so did hoyt wilhelm.




Jack Berry
 

Broompilot

Veteran Expediter
RE: who's your favorite all-time baseball player,

Darrell Evans,

Came to the Tigers from the Braves in 84. Replaced Enas Cabel who was suspected of Cocaine use.

He brought maturity to the team on top of being the only player over the age of 40 to hit 40 home runs back to back in two years. He tought Trammel/Lou W. how to settle down into there positions.

Helped Kirt Gibson bat (remember 87 Dodgers home run same type of memory in 84 for the Tigers)

Told Jack Morris to grow up in front of Lance Parish when Jack threw a temper tantrom.

He just brought wisdom to the team without being the coach. What a bat, what a glove. Proabably never gona be in the Hall Fame, but with out him on the 84 Tigers history books would have not been written with them winning 35 out of 40 out of the gates.

Remember Toronto only finished 6 back of the Tigers that year, 40 home runs one guy think about it.
 
Top