All Sport Report

With Hank Aaron’s home run record about to be unfairly broken and inductions into the Baseball Hall of Fame being made, there is a lot of discussion about what makes a great baseball player. Keep in mind that this list reflects what I feel makes a great ball player. With that in mind, I have compiled my list of the top five ball players throughout baseball’s history. Feel free to comment to this message and make your own list of five.

First, a good ball player must be an exceptional hitter. If they can’t hit then they are either an exceptional pitcher or they are just good at defense. Second, a good player should be able to handle themselves in their defensive position. There are plenty of power hitters who aren’t so great when they are out on the field. Third, a good baseball player should be loved and/or admired by their fans. The fans know who are the good players and they rally behind them regardless of whether they are personable with the crowd or not. The best of the ball players are legends that are still loved by their fans to this day. That being said, let’s get on to my list.

#1 - Lou Gehrig – Born Henry Louis Gehrig in New York, New York on June 19, 1903, there is not another player more loved then “The Iron Horse”. Despite his career being cut short by a debilitating form of Muscular Dystrophy known as ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) a.k.a. Lou Gehrig ’s disease, Lou still managed to break many records playing for the New York Yankees. The reason Lou Gehrig is my number one is because throughout his time playing ball he was one of the most reliable players that the Yankees and all of baseball had. He was also loved, respected, and adored by his fans, teammates, and friends.

Lou Gehrig was an American League All-Star from 1933-1938, in which he played first base. During those years, he led the American League in runs in 1933, 1935, and 1936, Batting Average in 1934, On Base Percentage in 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1937, RBIs in 1934, Slugging Average in 1934 and 1936, Home Runs in 1936, and Base on Balls in 1935, 1936, and 1937. In fact, the only year in which he did not finish at the top of the American League was in 1938, when he was first noticing signs of ALS. He was to play in the 1939 All-Star Game, but he retired before the game.

Lou played for the New York Yankees at the height of the Yankees’ popularity. He was first recruited to play at the tender age of 19 in 1923. He played until he no longer could in 1939, known as the Yankee’s first baseman that had an amazing talent on the field and with the bat. On occasion, he also played short stop, outfield and right field for the Yankees. The record that he was most known for though was playing in 2,130 consecutive games in his career. This is a major sign of Gehrig’s reliability for the Yankees and was only broken recently, in 1995, by Cal Ripken Jr.

His career records include 23 Grand Slams, 1,508 First Baseman Base on Balls, 1,995 First Baseman RBIs, 1,190 First Baseman Extra Base Hits, First Baseman Slugging Percentage at .632, First Baseman On Base Percentage at .447, and First Baseman Runs Scored at 1,888. He also shares the Major League record of the most home runs in a single game at four, which he accomplished in 1932 versus the Philadelphia Athletics. Lou was an American League MVP in 1927and 1936.

Lou Gehrig was a charismatic personality as well known for his farewell speech to baseball as he was for the baseball records he broke. There was not a dry eye at Yankee Stadium when Gehrig spoke those now infamous words: “Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been to ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans. Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure I’m lucky…”

Lou Gehrig died on June 2, 1941 at the age of 37. Coincidentally this was 16 years (to the day) from when Gehrig first became first base for the Yankees.

#2 – Babe Ruth – Some may say it is a disservice to put Babe Ruth behind Lou Gehrig, but I am sure “The Babe” wouldn’t mind. If anyone loved Lou it was Babe. The two played together as New York Yankees and Babe and his wife, Claire, were amongst the first to comfort Lou’s wife Eleanor when Lou finally passed.

I recall my grandfather talking about the times when Babe Ruth came to Mudhens stadium in Toledo to play games. My grandfather was a youngster working at the ballpark selling game cards (for not very much money I will say that) and the awe in his voice and twinkle in his eyes all these years later took him back to a happy part of his childhood where baseball was honorable and players were true. Yes, it was an amazing sight to see Babe Ruth and it is one memory my soon to be 89 year old grandfather has never forgot.

The Babe was born George Herman Ruth in Baltimore, Maryland on February 6, 1895. He was given his Major League break with the Yankees’ rivals, the Boston Red Sox when he was just 19 years old. He played 22 seasons in baseball finally retiring in 1935. Babe played from 1914 to 1919 for the Red Sox, when he was traded to the New York Yankees. He played with the Yankees (and was most famous as a Yankee) from 1920 until 1934 when he was sold to the Braves in 1935. This was the last year he played.

Babe Ruth was one of the few pitchers that could be quite a powerful slugger. He played in the All Star Game in 1933 and 1934 as a Right Fielder. In his time in baseball, the Sultan of Swat was a pitcher, outfielder and even played first base. He was at the top of MLB for Home Runs in 1918-1921, 1923, 1924, and 1926-1931, RBIs in 1919-1921, 1923, 1926, and 1928, Run Titles 1919-1921, 1923, 1924, and 1926-1928, and Total Base Titles for 1919, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1926, and 1928.

Babe Ruth was known for his temperamental personality and quick temper. This not only got the Babe in trouble but ensured he wouldn’t be managing the Yankees, which he wanted to do after he retired. Instead, they traded him to the Braves, something Ruth never forgot. He died in 1948 after complications from a tumor in his neck, which had pressed against the carotid artery, led to cancer. He was 53 when he died.

Stay Tuned for Part Two, which will offer information on #3-#5 of Baseball’s All Time Greatest Players in History.

Baseball, Top Players, All Time, Yankees, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig