Posted By:
Scott Forrest<<...But I can not accurately determine what conclusions are drawn from this fact by fans, sportscasters, stat-nuts, nor others.>>
I'll buy that. It's much easier when you lived through the same era as the player in question. I know that Mantle was almost a god during the '60s when I was growing up, but I also feel that his stats and value to the Yankees seemed to justify his popularity.
Another thing to consider is the emphasis that certain generations put on the skills of their ball-players. For instance, if you went back and read interviews and newspapers from the early 1900's you might think that Jimmy Archer was over-rated compared to the stats we view today. But at that time fielding the catcher's position was considered much more important than it is today, and Archer was considered one of (if not the) best catchers of his generation.
(edited to add)
Bill Bergen must have been able to stop lightning bolts.