Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorewalker
I will likely catch shit for this but I am not one of those who believe that some of the very best pre war players would be as great if they played today. The game is so different that I am not certain it is fair to compare the eras even with the analysis/stats that we have.
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It’s certainly difficult to compare eras…. I can’t imagine Trout being all that good in 1923. Once the injuries started stacking up the bus rides on dusty gravel roads without A/C and eating a roadside diners wouldn’t help alleviate the swelling and discomfort. Ol’ Earl Smith spitting tobacco juice on him at the plate wouldn’t have gone well either. Once the headhunters had him on their radar his melon better be on a swivel to compensate for the lack of batting helmets. No medications, no 5 star hotels, no AC, longer travel schedules…. Most modern day guys would fold up so fast their names would never have been known.
Modern players are better in the modern day not because they are “better” but because their era is better equipped to maximize their performance.