Most Recognizable Name in Baseball

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Posted By: <b>Bill Stone</b><p>The HOF thread got me to wondering who you thought today would still be the most recognized names in baseball -ie: if asked to name 3 famous baseball players who would the average person know? I have to believe Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle would be first and second? Others?

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Posted By: <b>Peter Spaeth</b><p>Jackie Robinson.

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Posted By: <b>Mike</b><p>A few possibilies. Cy Young maybe because of the award named after him. Joe D. because of the Monroe connection. Ot Ty Cobb. Just because he is Cobb...<br /><br />Pre war players now. No post War. Who knows who they'd name in that instance. Griffey or Bonds maybe.

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Posted By: <b>Ken McMillan</b><p>Pete Rose and Sammy Sosa due to their noteriety

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Barry Bonds would probably be first these days.

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Posted By: <b>Bruce Babcock</b><p>Chico Escuela

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Posted By: <b>Richard</b><p>Jim Slaton.

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Posted By: <b>Andrew</b><p>Don't forget about Honus. When people find out I collect old baseball cards, I usually face two questions: 1) "What are my 1987 Topps etc worth," and 2) "What do you know about that famous Honus Wagner card."<br /><br />Andrew

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Posted By: <b>Patrick McMenemy</b><p>Let's add my dad's favorite ball player to the list: Ted Williams. One of the greatest hitters that ever lived, not to mention, war hero, and one hell of a fisherman. Ted also quietly did a lot for the Jimmy Fund. Ted deserved better in the end. RIP!<br /><br />Patrick

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Posted By: <b>Bob Beyerle</b><p>Patrick- On a side note, my Dad went to Junior High School with Ted Williams and played ball with him as a kid. For Sure Ted would be top 3 here in San Diego....

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Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>Not one mention of Ruth? <br /><br />Jay<br><br>I love pinatas. You get to beat the crap of something and get rewarded with candy.

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Posted By: <b>Peter Spaeth</b><p>Yes Jay, Ruth was the first name mentioned. Ya gotta start at the top. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>Doh! Managed to skim right past it.<br /><br />Jay<br><br>I love pinatas. You get to beat the crap of something and get rewarded with candy.

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Posted By: <b>darrell</b><p>Joe Charboneau

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Posted By: <b>Pcelli60</b><p>Ruth..Thats it. Totally universal..Still leading the league in recognition.

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Posted By: <b>Steve f</b><p>Just asked the wife, who is mostly clueless on this topic. Joe DiMaggio<br /><br />I have to agree on Ruth.

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Posted By: <b>Judson Hamlin</b><p>Cuno Barragan?

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Posted By: <b>joe</b><p>Sure would depend on the age group, we collectors sometimes forget, everyone does not collect baseball cards. But there are a lot of baseball fans. Younger fans that are not into collecting probably would not mention Cobb, Wagner, Ruth or Gehrig. Those are the players I would pick.<br /><br />Joe<br><br>Ty Cobb, Spikes flying!

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Posted By: <b>John Kalafarski</b><p> Dizzy Dean. The last of his breed: ". . . a hick--but he felt great about himself. . . a happy rube. . . Dizzy was beloved because he represented something which no longer could be seen first-hand on a Sunday drive. People of his ilk dominated television in the 1960s--the Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, Gomer Pyle, Petticoat Junction, and Andy Griffith's village of gentle rubes. We watched them because they had been a part of who we were for 150 years, and we missed them." Nice. Now, gang, where is this passage from?

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Posted By: <b>Lance</b><p>MICKEY MANTLE.

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Posted By: <b>Ted Zanidakis</b><p>I grew up in the 1950's listening to Dizzy Dean announcing the NY Yankees games along with Mel Allen.<br /> What a duo....and Allen would get Dizzy all "wound-up", and Diz would start singing his favorite song....<br />the "Wabash Cannonball". So, I really appreciate what you are saying.<br /><br />Boy, that was a great time to be growing up in the greater NY area.<br /><br />TED Z <br />

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Posted By: <b>Max Weder</b><p>Smith?

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Posted By: <b>John Kalafarski</b><p> You can get the collection of Dizzy's radio show on tape from MLB. Did you, by any chance, get to listen to Red Barber (baseball's greatest announcer) when you were a kid?

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Posted By: <b>Brian</b><p>Stubby Clapp

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Posted By: <b>Eric B</b><p>My wife said she doesn't know anyone. I said think! Finally she said Ruth, Cobb, Cal Ripken.

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Posted By: <b>Jerry Hrechka</b><p>Cy Acosta

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Posted By: <b>Ryan Christoff</b><p>Ed Ott, cognitively speaking. <br /><br />Fewest letters for the brain to recognize. <br /><br />-Ryan<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Max Weder</b><p>Ryan<br /><br />Oh?

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Posted By: <b>Ryan Christoff</b><p>Max,<br /><br />Sadaharu Oh is 10 letters, twice that of Ed Ott, shortest name in MLB history. <br /><br />-Ryan<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>E, Daniel</b><p>1.Barry Bonds.<br />2.Derek Jeter.<br />3.Joe D.<br /><br /><br />Daniel

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Posted By: <b>Tyler</b><p>My fiance just responded with:<br /><br />1. Babe Ruth<br />2. Mark Giambi<br />3. Ty Cobb<br /><br />She is from England, but lives in the states now. She must have seen (Jason)Giambi in a HR contest a couple of years ago, or remembers his name from a steroid deal...weird that she would throw that one in there with 2 legends!?

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Posted By: <b>Rob</b><p>i asked my wife to name 3 baseball players. she responded with:<br /><br />1) david ortiz<br />2) manny ramirez<br />3) curt schilling<br /><br />she's a red sox fan, but only watches games cuz i'm watching them (rooting against them!!!!)<br /><br />so i asked for 2 names of players no longer playing. she responded:<br /><br />1) babe ruth<br />2) shoeless joe jackson<br /><br />she said the movie "field of dreams" was what made the jackson stick in her head.<br /><br />Rob<br /><img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>MVSNYC</b><p>ruth<br />gehrig<br />mantle<br /><br />honorable mention:<br /><br />shoeless joe<br />joe d.<br />ty cobb

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Posted By: <b>Ted Zanidakis</b><p>As you know, Red Barber was the voice of the Dodgers for many years and if a Yankee game wasn't on,<br />then I'd listen to Red on the Dodger's station (or on WOR TV Channel 9). Then, he joined Mel Allen on the<br /> Yankees' station. I never understood why the Dodgers "dumped" Red, it was their loss and the Yankees gain.<br /><br />In 1957 "The Scooter" Rizzuto joined this broadcasting team and the "play-by-play" entertainment got even<br /> better. But, I never forget the Dizzy Dean days in the early '50s.....he was quite the character to listen to,<br /> and watch on TV in the broadcast booth.<br /><br />Thanks for asking and thanks for suggesting the tapes.<br /><br />TED Z

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Posted By: <b>Joe</b><p>1- Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma McLish<br /><br />2- George Washington (White Sox, 1930s)<br /><br />3- John Kennedy (maybe more than one...I remember a Red Sox util infielder)<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Ed</b><p>Marv Thornberry

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Posted By: <b>Anonymous</b><p>From the 19th century<br />Al Spalding (everyone knows the last name) and Billy Sunday (for non baseball reasons)

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>As an Anglophile, the two most recognizable names in England would be Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds.<br /><br />In the US it clearly would be Babe Ruth. Most non-baseball fans would have also heard of Bonds, Jackie Robinson and DiMaggio. If they're Jewish add Sandy Koufax.

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Posted By: <b>Max Weder</b><p>David<br /><br />An anglophile is a person who has fondness for England and English culture. Babe Ruth and Bonds are likely to be well down below the Queen's corgis for an anglophile.<br /><br />Max<br /><br /><br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>I meant baseball names. Scary Spice and Mr. Bean would be more recognized names, though I don't believe they played baseball.<br /><br />I've seen every episode of Black Addar, Are You Being Served?, Red Dwarf and Monty Python, and neither Babe Ruth nor Mickey Mantle was mentioned once. Not even Willie Mays. The only connection to baseball is that, in Red Dwarf, they sometimes hit things with baseball bats.<br /><br />Interestingly, the English writer P.G. Wodehouse, who wrote stories that could not be more British, was a big baseball fan and the NY Giants were his favorite team.

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Posted By: <b>Max Weder</b><p>Ah. I get it: you're the anglophile.<br /><br />I'm a little slow today.<br /><br />Max

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Posted By: <b>Mark</b><p>I bought Robbie Williams' greatest hits. I don't get it.

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Posted By: <b>Marty Ogelvie</b><p>Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio<br><br>martyOgelvie<br />nyyankeecards.com

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Posted By: <b>Brett</b><p>I think it would depend on the ages of the people who you asked. Although every age groupd should know who Babe Ruth is anyways...

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Posted By: <b>Colt McClelland</b><p>BABE RUTH.<br /><br />It's really not even a contest.<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Steve f</b><p>Today, i'd asked a pessimistic coworker. He replied, Bill Buckner

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Posted By: <b>Larry</b><p>I just polled my three daughters and their three friends here that are staying over, all ages 9-14....<br /><br />Three Names almost all said:<br />1. Babe Ruth<br />2. Mickey Mantle<br />3. Hank Aaron

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Posted By: <b>Scot Reader</b><p><br />Babe Ruth<br />Hank Aaron<br />Lou Gehrig<br />Joe DiMaggio<br /><br />Okay, okay .... Barry Bonds.<br /><br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Neal Kane</b><p>Kelly Leak

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Posted By: <b>Ed</b><p>1. Babe Ruth<br />2. Lou Gehrig<br />3. Bucky *&$#! Dent

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Posted By: <b>Fred C</b><p>Ed,<br /><br />Are you from Boston?

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Posted By: <b>Jimi</b><p>.....being a 4th grade teacher, I gladly handout "old" 1980s and 90s baseball cards to the kids as rewards. Nearly everyday I get, "When are you going to get Babe Ruth or Griffeys in here?" So it appears 10 year old kids know who Babe Ruth is. I'm from Ohio, so maybe that's why the Griffey reference. <br><br>Jimi

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Posted By: <b>dennis</b><p>ty cobb because he's been around the longest of the most famous.

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Posted By: <b>JK</b><p>Willie Mays Hayes <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>Ed</b><p>Fred: No. I'm a Yankees fan. I just think the tag given Dent in Boston is everlasting, and funny.

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Posted By: <b>Mark Evans</b><p>Assuming a poll of "average" adults, thus including mostly non-fans, I think that after Babe Ruth, the answer might well turn on when such poll is conducted because the players named, at least by some, may well be those who are receiving coverage in the mainstream press at the time. So now, for example, the other two receiving most votes could be Jackie Robinson and Barry Bonds. If the poll were conducted at another time, I think you could see DiMaggio, Mantle, Rose, maybe even Joe Jackson. Mark

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Posted By: <b>John Kalafarski</b><p> Yogi Berra. Everybody loves Yogi. And I'm a Red Sox fan!

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Posted By: <b>Joe</b><p>A children’s book I found abandoned atop a pay phone in the NYC subway the other day makes a powerful argument for the most recognizable baseball name question. The 24-page booklet titled “World Series Heroes,” was published in 1994 and highlights players like Dave Winfield, Kirk Gibson, and Jack Morris. I’ve inset the “ex libris” upper left. We have no idea whether little Tyler recognized any of the names in the book, but we can reasonably assume he figured that any book of baseball heroes MUST contain the man he depicted on the inside back cover. <br /><br /><img src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w150/base_ball2007/ruthtyler.jpg">

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Posted By: <b>Marty Ogelvie</b><p>Tryler would be correct.. <br><br>martyOgelvie<br />nyyankeecards.com