Biggest Jerks in the HOF

[bigtrain]

Today is my brother's birthday and that always reminds me that it is the anniversary of the day in 1912 when Ty Cobb climbed into the stands to beat up a disabled heckler. The guy had lost one hand and part of the other in an industrial accident. So....my question is, excluding Cobb who is the biggest jerk in the HOF? It is tough to pick one, with so many drunks, womanizers and racists to choose from. Or...maybe just a guy who was obnoxious to you.
One of the biggest jerks I ever met personally, as far as being nasty to fans, was Johnny Bench but certainly he does not rise to the level of a Cap Anson or any of the others who did so much to make sure the game was segregated. Your thoughts?

[brewing]

Being unable to defend yourself does not give you the right to berate and/or insult people.


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[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by brewing

Being unable to defend yourself does not give you the right to berate and/or insult people.

That's what I was thinking too.

[bigtrain]

So it was okay for Cobb to go into the stands to beat up a disabled heckler? Really?

[packs]

I don't think Cobb knew the guy was disabled until after it happened. Like you said someone had to tell him he had no hands. It seems like all he knew was someone was insulting him and he flew into a blind rage. I don't know that anyone can say for sure what was said.

Cobb in all his letters is sincere and kind to the fans who wrote him.

To combat his legacy as a racist, I would like to point out that he set up many scholarships for African Americans from Georgia at a time when few others did. He even named his housing development Booker T Washington Heights and frequently rented land and affordable housing to minorities in exchange for simple favors, like making sure no harm came to his property.

He would also routinely pay the hospital bills of Georgia residents.

Even today the scholarship fund he established has awarded more than 14 million dollars.

[bigtrain]

I believe that when spectators yelled for Cobb to stop beating the man because he had no hands, he is said to have replied "I don't care if he has no feet".
BTW I am in no way defending the heckler who was clearly a racist himself in that he was taunting Cobb by suggesting that his mother was half black.

[brewing]

I get tired of the Cobb bashing and the incident of beating a handicap man is always brought up. He may have been an a$$hole and I believe he was a racist. I don't believe he had the market cornered on bad traits. Al Stump did a number on him and it perpetuates the ill will toward him.

Facts are we really don't know all his views or all the bad and good things he may have done. I would wager we know more about the good stuff Babe Ruth did and less about the bad stuff Ruth did.

I am not saying because other people were bad it excuses Cobb. What I am saying is for the vast majority of MLBers, we do not know the level of jerks they were or are.

Elvis once sang "walk a mile in my shoes".


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[6-4-3memorabilia]

I don't get mad at players unless they kill or beat up people. They are human and if they blow off some fans for autographs I don't think it is fair to judge them on that. I know I would get tired of it when people are always bothering me asking for autographs or taking pictures esp if I am living my private life. I feel a little bad for players today, they cant be normal out in public. I used to work for Party City and Michael Strahan came in to buy stuff for his kids party. This was in 2009, I knew it was him off the bat and helped him like a normal customer although I did call him Mr. Strahan. After I helped him he thanked me for not making a big deal about him being there. He even tried to give me a $20 tip which I refused to take. I think fans try to pry into players private lives way too much today. As for jerks being in the HOF I am sure there are as many jerks in it just as you see jerks in your daily lives.

[Exhibitman]

I'm gonna go with Lawrence Taylor [until Ray Lewis is elected]:

In 2009, Taylor started having troubles in his personal life again. On November 8, he was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Florida for leaving the scene of an accident after striking another vehicle with his Cadillac Escalade. He had already committed the same offense in 1996 when he totaled his Lexus in a one-car accident and left the scene, saying he did not think the law required the reporting of a single driver incident. He was released on a $500 bond, and the other driver later sued him, seeking $15,000. He was arrested six months later for having sex with a 16-year-old girl. He was charged with felony third-degree statutory rape, for allegedly engaging in sexual intercourse with someone under 17. He was also charged with third-degree patronization for allegedly paying the underage girl $300 to have sex with him. Taylor pled guilty and on March 22, 2011 was sentenced to six years probation as part of a plea agreement, in which he pled guilty to the misdemeanors of sexual misconduct and patronizing a prostitute. He will also have to register as a low-risk level one sex offender.

[vintagetoppsguy]

From personal experiences:

Baseball: Joe DiMaggio
Football: Tony Dorsett

[Jim65]

If we are talking about criminal activity, it doesn't get much worse than OJ Simpson.

[djson1]

The athletic world (not just the HoF) is FULL of jerks, racists, haters, etc. You have to guess that these guys are so Type A and just look out for #1, that they don't care a lick about anybody else. Truly nice guys are rare, but there are some great nice ones too (too many to list).

I'm still hoping that all those rumors of great baseball players like Speaker and Hornsby (maybe even Cronin) being associated with the KKK are not true (that would make them real big jerks!). Many of these are based on rumors, according to my research, but some are convinced that they did have ties. That would be disappointing as I admire Tris Speaker and Hornsby as the best of the best. BTW, wasn't Enos Slaughter a big racist jerk? Plus, his numbers weren't even that great.

[refz]

I'll agree with DiMaggio and as far as non hof, ron guidry was very obnoxious in person.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Derek Jeter - I asked him for an autograph in NYC (as an 11yo) and he told me that I didn't have enough money.

[Davino]

Originally Posted by I Only Smoke 4 the Cards

Derek Jeter - I asked him for an autograph in NYC (as an 11yo) and he told me that I didn't have enough money.

he should take a kick in the nuts.

[mets41]

Back in the mid-80's to early 90's I was going thru the card show circuit getting a 1969 Met team picture autographed by all pictured team members (at the time everyone was still living except manager Gil Hodges). Also I wanted to get all notables from the Brave and Oriole teams the Mets beat in the post season. When I got Frank Robinson to sign, once he saw the picture, I got a look that could kill. At a later show, when I got Art Shamsky to sign, he was saying that he hit his 1st major league homer as a pinch hitter for Robinson. The previous inning while the Reds were in the field Robinson injured his arm but remained in the game until the teams changed sides, then went into the trainer's room and was done for the game.

[ooo-ribay]

I'm hoping my favorite jerk, Barry Bonds, gets in....he deserves it, steroids and all....an incredible talent.

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

I'm hoping my favorite jerk, Barry Bonds, gets in....he deserves it, steroids and all....an incredible talent.

Agreed. He may be a jerk, but he would be in good company.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

I'm hoping my favorite jerk, Barry Bonds, gets in....he deserves it, steroids and all....an incredible talent.

I agree. It's the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Nice Guys. People have found ways to cheat for years, I don't like it but it's part of the game.

[packs]

Not in the same way he did it. The guy was motivated by jealousy and insecurity. He should never be elected to the HOF. His legacy is manufactured.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Originally Posted by packs

Not in the same way he did it. The guy was motivated by jealousy and insecurity. He should never be elected to the HOF. His legacy is manufactured.

It is interesting to hear your point of view. I know a number of people who hold it against Bonds that he was a great player without the PEDs. Personally, I view all PED users the same. They are cheats - but it was part of the game back then.

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by packs

Not in the same way he did it. The guy was motivated by jealousy and insecurity. He should never be elected to the HOF. His legacy is manufactured.

Other PED users will get in or may already be in. The difference is that they didn't have a Federal Agent with a hard-on for them and/or a newspaper bankrolling a couple of investigative reporters for years. I've heard it estimated the Feds spent $50M going after Bonds. Bud Selig allowed Bonds' legacy to develop as it did.

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by packs

Not in the same way he did it. The guy was motivated by jealousy and insecurity. He should never be elected to the HOF. His legacy is manufactured.

So because Bonds modified his body instead of the baseball like Gaylord Perry, Bonds is worse?

Edited to add: I am not saying cheating is ok, but to call what Bonds (and McGwire, Canseco, Sosa... and probably 50% of players through the 90s) worse is ridiculous.

[ezez420]

Reggie Jackson


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[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Originally Posted by ezez420

Reggie Jackson


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I met him when I was in high school during spring training and he was a nice guy. I walked over to Yankees minor league facility and he was there working with prospects. He signed a ball on the sweet spot and posed for a photo.

[djson1]

Originally Posted by ezez420

Reggie Jackson


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I think Reggie's intentions to be "good" are there. But I have to agree with you on a personal basis as the one time I saw him after an Angels game, I saw him yelling at little 7 year old kids for coming too close to one of his classic cars. Jim Rice was on the passenger side and not signing, but Reggie was churning out the signatures (really messy "RJxx"s only though) and yelling at the kids. Sure, he was yelling at little kids and I thought he was the biggest jerk ever at the time (I decided not to ask for his autograph), but at least he made time to sign. There was one dad who stuck out his hand to congratulate him on his homerun that day and Reggie snaps at him "Don't stick that thing in front of my face! Can't you see I'm signing autographs?!" But again...at least he was signing. haha

[veleno45]

From personal experience:

3rd place...Football-Bobby Mitchell, what an arrogant jerk
2nd place...Rickey Henderson, what can I say...just wow.
And my champ...Oscar Robertson, by far.