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Old 04-18-2008, 09:08 AM
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Default Best / Greatest baseball player ever, redux

Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

Ahhhh, those numbers....those stubborn darn numbers....but, that's the beauty of Baseball....talking numbers,
comparing stats. No other American sport enjoys the significance of numbers as BB does. But, I'll not further
this discussion using numbers.

So, if you are alluding to the 1942 The Sporting News poll of 100 former major leaguers and managers, then I
will simply offer....in 1942, it was too soon to judge Ruth in the proper perspective. On the other hand Cobb
had been retired for approx. 15 years; and, it is human nature to evaluate others in a better light as time
passes. I still recall the tremendous out-pourring of grief when Ruth died in 1948. The enormous processions
of young and old fans that attended his funeral all saw Ruth PLAY....and if you are so concerned about polls....
then this was the true "poll". The American people voted with their presence.

As they did when Ruth was playing, when 60,000 fans would fill the seats in Yankee Stadium every day for 12
years (1923-1934).


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