Who was better, who would you take, Joe DiMaggio or Ted Williams?

[CMIZ5290]

Talking about all facets of the game. This has always been an intriguing discussion with all of my older family members. Please weigh in with your opinions

[rhettyeakley]

Ted Williams all day long!

Ted is IMO one of the few (5-10) that is in the argument of "greatest baseball player ever" and if he didn't miss as much time as he did by being in the military he would be even higher on most peoples lists.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by CMIZ5290

Talking about all facets of the game

Personally, I would take DiMaggio.

Williams may lay claim to the best hitter of all time, or maybe second best behind Ruth. However, his fielding was not nearly so good.

DiMaggio excelled in all aspects of the game.

Just my opinion...I am sure others will disagree, and that's fine.

Best Regards,

Eric

[Cardboard Junkie]

Joltin Joe All The Way! Plus he bagged Marilyn, that alone would be enough to rank him far above the splinter. Dave.

[HRBAKER]

Ted, but Joe has better cards.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Cardboard Junkie

Joltin Joe All The Way! Plus he bagged Marilyn, that alone would be enough to rank him far above the splinter. Dave.

I wasn't going to mention this; however, since you brought it up, I imagine it does speak to DiMaggio's better overall "performance."

[Cardboard Junkie]

Originally Posted by Eric72

I wasn't going to mention this; however, since you brought it up, I imagine it does speak to DiMaggio's better overall "performance."

Who would think that such humor could spring forth from the suburbs of Philadelphia. Will wonders ever cease? Excellent! Dave.

[RCMcKenzie]

When I was a sophomore in college, a 102 English teacher told us to write a 5 page persuasive paper on any subject. My paper was titled "Ted Williams is the greatest hitter of all time". I got an "A", but she wasn't a baseball fan and was known for handing out a lot of "A"'s

[quinnsryche]

Having never seen either play and not going strictly by stats I would choose DiMaggio for his championship pedigree, respected as a teammate, beloved by the fans and the media. Ted was from all reports, surly, unapproachable and a general douche to everyone. I really think the off field stuff should be taken into account, not just record book stuff.
Just my opinion, take it or leave it.

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by quinnsryche

Having never seen either play and not going strictly by stats I would choose DiMaggio for his championship pedigree, respected as a teammate, beloved by the fans and the media. Ted was from all reports, surly, unapproachable and a general douche to everyone. I really think the off field stuff should be taken into account, not just record book stuff.
Just my opinion, take it or leave it.

I think you have this backwards. The Dago was a sonofabitch to everyone who didn't kiss his royal arse. If that team wasn't stacked, they would have thrown him overboard. Would you want to share a clubhouse with a guy who wouldn't sign a baseball for your kid?? There are players who talked to someone DiMag didn't like, so he gave them the silent treatment for the rest of their life!
TSW was loud, obnoxious, and decidedly anti-establishment, but I don't recall hearing his teammates say they wouldn't want him on the team. Sure, Joe's teammates wouldn't say that, either, but that's because they enjoyed those WS checks.


While we're on the topic, can someone explain to me how "DiMaggio never had to dive for a ball" is a positive thing. Sure, I understand positioning and speed, but I'm supposed to believe that a ball never dropped just out of his reach? Think of all those fantastic diving plays Jim Edmonds used to make; are you telling me Joe would've gotten those without diving just because of his "positioning"??

TSW, for the sheer offense he provided, plus he might actually make you laugh in the dugout.

Ken

[jimm]

I'm more of a Joe D guy, probably the SF ties and what not, both greats, but you made me choose

[Cooper1927]

I'm a Yankee fan but I'd pick Williams. He lasted a lot longer than DiMaggio did.

14 years (minus war years) vs 21 years (minus war years) and was productive all the way to the end of his career.

[egbeachley]

Originally Posted by Eric72

I wasn't going to mention this; however, since you brought it up, I imagine it does speak to DiMaggio's better overall "performance."

Could only keep her for a year. Must not have performed so great afterall

Easily Ted, even overcoming the fact that he was not approachable by the media. Had he been, or played in NY, it wouldn't even be a question.

[conor912]

Oy. Splitting hairs here. Williams was a better hitter hands down. Joe edges out Ted as an overall player. That said, DiMaggio pussied out at age 36 before he started to decline whereas as Williams stuck it out to age 42. Maybe that makes Joe smarter or maybe it makes him a pansy....your decision. However, if we're strictly comparing their respective primes, I would take Williams and sacrifice a little defense for arguably the best hitter of all time.

[snider4prez]

Williams!!! Best swing in baseball EVER!!!! No contest IMO

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by Eric72

Personally, I would take DiMaggio.

Williams may lay claim to the best hitter of all time, or maybe second best behind Ruth. However, his fielding was not nearly so good.

DiMaggio excelled in all aspects of the game.

I agree. Though I've always liked Williams more, his crazy bad ass military record included (flew combat in the same squadron as astronaut John Glenn!!), I'd have to take Joe D's all around game. If I could know in advance Williams would play into his 40s, I'd probably change my mind.. But if we're talking peak 5-7 years, or basing this on a GM making a decision at the beginning of their careers, its Joe D. DiMaggio by all accounts was a tremendous outfielder, and playing center made him the anchor of that outfield. Too much value added there to overlook.

[rhettyeakley]

Isn't it always that whoever is the best Yankee at the time is the greatest living baseball player by the media and fans of the period (of whom a majority are/were Yankee fans)...

Babe Ruth (probably accurate) followed by Lou Gehrig, followed by Joe DiMaggio, followed by Mickey Mantle, then some lean years, followed by Don Mattingly for a short time, followed by Derek Jeter!

Joe benefitted from being a media darling in the media center of the world, while the same didn't hold true for Williams. Williams started out as a surly guy, Joe just died that way.

[billyb]

Ted was the better hitter, by far, but Joe the better fielder and better teammate, but not by much. So all around, it is a close call. I think Terrible Ted gets the edge, but not by much.

To EarlyWynnFan,
I don't remember many, if any, outfielders diving for balls like these outfielders have done in this more modern era. I watched Kaline play outfield for almost 20years, and never remember him diving. The shoestring catch and then rolling over was the closest they got. I don't think I can count on one hand, the diving plays made in the 50s 60s era. Willie Mays made one of the best catches ever, with his back to the field, and that was about as far as they went. I am not sure, but I believe they were taught that the ball does not get by them, so they would allow the single instead of taking the chance and letting the ball go through them. A missed play would get you benched.

[EvilKing00]

Ted would be my choice.

[Gradedcardman]

Was good but Ted was incredible

[Peter_Spaeth]

Williams, clearly.

[MVSNYC]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

I think you have this backwards. The Dago was a sonofabitch to everyone who didn't kiss his royal arse. If that team wasn't stacked, they would have thrown him overboard. Would you want to share a clubhouse with a guy who wouldn't sign a baseball for your kid?? There are players who talked to someone DiMag didn't like, so he gave them the silent treatment for the rest of their life!
TSW was loud, obnoxious, and decidedly anti-establishment, but I don't recall hearing his teammates say they wouldn't want him on the team. Sure, Joe's teammates wouldn't say that, either, but that's because they enjoyed those WS checks.


While we're on the topic, can someone explain to me how "DiMaggio never had to dive for a ball" is a positive thing. Sure, I understand positioning and speed, but I'm supposed to believe that a ball never dropped just out of his reach? Think of all those fantastic diving plays Jim Edmonds used to make; are you telling me Joe would've gotten those without diving just because of his "positioning"??

TSW, for the sheer offense he provided, plus he might actually make you laugh in the dugout.

Ken

Ken- FYI, this is a derogatory term towards Italians.

[Runscott]

I would take Ted Williams, but Joe's fielding ability is often underplayed. DiMaggio didn't have all the spectacular catches of some outfielders because he was such a good judge of where the ball would be.

[midwaylandscaping]

Williams. Give him the time missed during war(s) his stats would have put him solidly in the greatest ever conversation IMO. Even without those years, Ted >> DiMaggio

[Forever Young]

Originally Posted by midwaylandscaping

Williams. Give him the time missed during war(s) his stats would have put him solidly in the greatest ever conversation IMO. Even without those years, Ted >> DiMaggio

Agreed... and those were is prime years.

[obcbobd]

Ted, by a wide margin.

[Edward]

Dimaggio lent far more to team chemistry. Baseball is a team sport. Teams have stats. Williams if it was golf.

[Tedw9]

Originally Posted by Edward

Dimaggio lent far more to team chemistry. Baseball is a team sport. Teams have stats. Williams if it was golf.

David Halberstam wrote a great book called "Teammates" that talks about the friendship between Ted, Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky and Bobby Doerr. If Ted was so bad for team chemistry, I don't think anyone would have wrote a book about his friendships with teammates.


Here's an amazing stat of Ted's that some people don't know. He holds the record for consecutive games reaching base by walk, hit or hit by pitch at 84 games. Every game, 84 straight games, Ted reached base. To me, that's incredible.

I'll take Ted all day long.

[CMIZ5290]

Originally Posted by Tedw9

David Halberstam wrote a great book called "Teammates" that talks about the friendship between Ted, Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky and Bobby Doerr. If Ted was so bad for team chemistry, I don't think anyone would have wrote a book about his friendships with teammates.


Here's an amazing stat of Ted's that some people don't know. He holds the record for consecutive games reaching base by walk, hit or hit by pitch at 84 games. Every game, 84 straight games, Ted reached base. To me, that's incredible.

I'll take Ted all day long.

I had no clue about that stat, that is remarkable!

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by CMIZ5290

I had no clue about that stat, that is remarkable!

84= Moneyball's version of 56. Surprising that doesn't get more play the way stats are evolving.

... I just hope the sabermetricians don't become so powerful that we replace all the old goodies like 61, 257, 190 (or 73, 262, 191), with new magic numbers like 14 (Babe Ruth's hallowed all time single season WAR record).

84 straight is an amazing stat though!!

[TUM301]

If I recall correctly, Ted at age 39 hit 38 Hr`s and 388 to win his 5`th batting title. As hard that is to fathom that`s just 5 or 6 hits away from hitting .400 at age 39 !! For an encore, the next season at 40 he hits .328 for his 6`th and final batting title. What can you say.....................WOW

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by Tedw9

David Halberstam wrote a great book called "Teammates" that talks about the friendship between Ted, Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky and Bobby Doerr. If Ted was so bad for team chemistry, I don't think anyone would have wrote a book about his friendships with teammates.


Here's an amazing stat of Ted's that some people don't know. He holds the record for consecutive games reaching base by walk, hit or hit by pitch at 84 games. Every game, 84 straight games, Ted reached base. To me, that's incredible.

I'll take Ted all day long.

Yeah, I never heard that Ted was a bad teammate, just didn't like the press or the fans. Actually, from what I've read and heard stories about, seems like Ted was a better teammate than Joe.