Could you or I have dominated the 1880s?

[rhettyeakley]

I doubt any old Joe Schmo from today would dominate if they were transported to the past. I think We see the mustaches and posed images and just assume they were terrible because they look awkward, some people really do have natural god given talent and they did then just like they do now.

Players bridge the gap from the 1880's to the 1900's and those people played alongside players from the 1900's that played alongside players from the 1920's and on and on. I can't ever remember a player saying that the players at the end of their careers were just so much better than when they started so I have a hard time believing that things change as much as we think. I am sure players today are better trained but just assuming everyone in the past would suck compared to today is silly. Some sports today barely resemble the same sport from 100 years ago but baseball is perhaps the one sport that has changed the least amount.

Nobody looking at a picture of Kent Tekulve in the 1970-80's thought he looked like a great athlete but the guy was a decent pitcher! I think we would be surprised at the ability of some of the players of yesteryear if we were to see them play.

-Rhett