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chris cathcartI didn't live "then," so I'm really just going on my impressions of then-contemporary opinion about who was most famous "then."
Decade - Famous Then / Now
1900s - Wagner / Young
1910s - Cobb / Cobb
1920s - Ruth / Ruth
1930s - Ruth, Gehrig, Foxx / Gehrig
1940s - DiMaggio / Williams
1950s - Musial, Mantle / Mantle
1960s - Mantle, Mays / Mantle, Aaron, Mays
1970s - Aaron, Rose / Aaron, Rose
1980s - Schmidt, Rose, Garvey? / Ryan, Rose
1990s - Griffey, Ripken, McGwire / Bonds, Ripken
2000s - Bonds, A-Rod
In terms of preventing opponents from scoring, Ryan was great but nowhere near the greatest pitcher ever. He might have deserved one Cy Young Award, when he actually managed to lead the league in ERA. For serious consideration for Greatest Ever, a pitcher needs at least 3 or 4 solid CYA wins.
Clemens may be the greatest pitcher ever, though I don't think he's especially famous.
The BEST player from each decade:
1900s - Wagner (wide margin)
1910s - Cobb
1920s - Ruth (in a landslide)
1930s - Gehrig
1940s - Williams (fairly wide margin)
1950s - Mantle
1960s - Mays
1970s - Toughie, but a nod to Joe Morgan
1980s - Schmidt (sorry Rickey)
1990s - Bonds (landslide)
2000s - Bonds (BIG landslide)
By James' Win Shares method, Bonds will clear 700 for his career. Who else in this era will even clear 500? A-Rod, maybe?