Top 3 — Most Important

[LincolnVT]

Who are the top 3 most important baseball players (in your opinion) of all time and why?

[Johnny630]

Ruth, Jackie, the Third I don’t know 🤷*♂️

[Seven]

I'd argue Anson, Ruth and Jackie.

Anson was the first star to make the game marketable. He was the draw, he popularized the idea of a pitching rotation, and using signs as a means to communicate with players.

Ruth and Jackie because they ushered in new eras for baseball. It is ironic though that if it wasn't for Anson's extreme prejudice towards Black Americans, and the subsequent "gentlemen's agreement" that baseball should be segregated, then Jackie's impact would've been lessened, as their would've been no color barrier to break.

[53toppscollector]

Babe Ruth
Jackie Robinson
Curt Flood

[Rhotchkiss]

Cobb - first superstar
Ruth - the ultimate superstar
Jackie - broke color barrier

[robw1959]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Cobb - first superstar
Ruth - the ultimate superstar
Jackie - broke color barrier

+1 Hard to argue with that, but it is tempting to put Willie Mays into the mix. Nobody drew fans like Willie, the most exciting player of his generation.

[LEHR]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Cobb - first superstar
Ruth - the ultimate superstar
Jackie - broke color barrier

It's hard to argue with that list, although my similar list that first came to mind was:

Cobb
Ruth
Clemente

[quinnsryche]

Originally Posted by rhotchkiss

cobb - first superstar
ruth - the ultimate superstar
jackie - broke color barrier

101%

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by 53toppscollector

Babe Ruth
Jackie Robinson
Curt Flood

+1

[brunswickreeves]

IMHO…Ruth-grew baseball internationally, Jackie-broke the color barrier, McGwire/Sosa-reinvigorated fan’s love of the game with the Home Run chase of ‘98.

[RCMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by 53toppscollector

Babe Ruth
Jackie Robinson
Curt Flood

These were the 3 I thought of before I opened the thread. Tommy John, already said above, is another good one.

I had to read Rickey a few times before I realized you didn't mean Henderson.

For cards...

Wagner
Titus
Bartirome

[CurtisFlood]

Originally Posted by 53toppscollector

Babe Ruth
Jackie Robinson
Curt Flood

I like the way you think!

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by Seven

I'd argue Anson, Ruth and Jackie.

Anson was the first star to make the game marketable. He was the draw, he popularized the idea of a pitching rotation, and using signs as a means to communicate with players.

Ruth and Jackie because they ushered in new eras for baseball. It is ironic though that if it wasn't for Anson's extreme prejudice towards Black Americans, and the subsequent "gentlemen's agreement" that baseball should be segregated, then Jackie's impact would've been lessened, as their would've been no color barrier to break.

Well said. These would be my three also

[Fred]

Ruth, Robinson and Tommy John!

[jcmtiger]

Cobb, Ruth, Jackie

[todeen]

I think we're cutting hairs asking about generational game-changers. All of the following are exceptional choices for top three most impactful individuals:
1) Anson....for good and bad.
2) Ruth.... popularized the game around the world and helped keep interest after 1919 cheating scandal.
3) Rickey & Jackie should be a pair honored together.
4) Curt Flood for his free agent lawsuit.
5) McGwire and Sosa should also be considered as a trio with Bud Selig. Their choices and opportunities for good and bad changed baseball.
6) Rob Manfred...I think he's an idiot, he can't censor himself, but he's trying to modernize the game to attract younger viewers and in 20 years he might be revered for his actions.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by todeen

I think we're cutting hairs asking about generational game-changers. All of the following are exceptional choices for top three most impactful individuals:
1) Anson....for good and bad.
2) Ruth.... popularized the game around the world and helped keep interest after 1919 cheating scandal.
3) Rickey & Jackie should be a pair honored together.
4) Curt Flood for his free agent lawsuit.
5) McGwire and Sosa should also be considered as a trio with Bud Selig. Their choices and opportunities for good and bad changed baseball.
6) Rob Manfred...I think he's an idiot, he can't censor himself, but he's trying to modernize the game to attract younger viewers and in 20 years he might be revered for his actions.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

In 20 years Manfred may also be known as the first commissioner to allow gambling to infiltrate MLB.

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

In 20 years Manfred may also be known as the first commissioner to allow gambling to infiltrate MLB.

And the guy who permanently ruined extra inning baseball during the regular season

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by BobbyStrawberry

I would argue with it, as King Kelly was the game's first superstar, not Cobb

Yeah, its hard to pin down one original superstar.

There was Ross Barnes, George Wright, Jim Creighton, King Kelly, and Dan Brouthers among other early stars of the game.

[FrankWakefield]

Quite a few well thought out responses...

1 Cap Anson
2 Babe Ruth
3 Jackie Robinson


4 AG Spalding
5 Curt Flood
6 Ty Cobb
7 Christy Mathewson (people would go to see the college boy pitch)
8 John Montgomery Ward
9 Lou Gehrig
10 John McGraw

[toledo_mudhen]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

In 20 years Manfred may also be known as the first commissioner to allow gambling to infiltrate MLB.

Does that mean that Pete Rose will be eligible to play again?

[Mark]

After Ruth and Jackie Robinson, one possibility for a distant 3rd is Matty. Back in the 19th century, ballplayers were a pretty rough bunch. Mathewson was a good looking, very clean cut, college man who didn't pitch on Sundays. He made baseball seem more respectable to lots of people, and he did alot to make NYC crazy about baseball at the start of the 20th century.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by toledo_mudhen

Does that mean that Pete Rose will be eligible to play again?

Might as well let him and Joe Jax in the Hall, when you have sportscasters keeping you updated on the betting line the Horse has clearly left the barn.

[Touch'EmAll]

Important. In my lifetime, Aaron's lead up to and breaking the Babe's 714 is tops. But is anyone in my lifetime making this list of 3 ?

Can't go wrong with choosing Jackie Robinson and all the importance that brings to the table.

My instinct then goes to Cobb and Ruth.

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Might as well let him and Joe Jax in the Hall, when you have sportscasters keeping you updated on the betting line the Horse has clearly left the barn.

Regarding Joe Jackson- his exclusion from the hall of fame is a huge part of his fame and notoriety. At this point, considering he and likely all his immediate next of kin and everyone who ever saw him play are dead, his legacy may actually be better preserved/honored by keeping him out and keeping the legend of the black sox scandal alive and well. Moreover, his career was cut short because of the ban. Who knows what he would have done with a full career. The continued exclusion validates that (not sure that’s the right word, but I hope you get my point that putting him the HOF would discount what his career would have been had he had a full career).

Thus, at this point, I think it would almost be wrong to Joe to put him the HOF; it would dilute or alter his legacy which is rightly and currently larger than the typical tier 1 HOFer