Who is the greatest player of the Pre-War Era?

[ethicsprof]

greatest player if we're talkin' stats and nothing else.

all the best,
barry

[Tobacco&Gum]

Hammerin' Hank missed the list?

Even if you take away ALL of his homers, he still has over 3000 hits!

Not sure if he's the best (I voted Ruth), but Hank needs to be considered IMHO.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Tobacco&Gum

Hammerin' Hank missed the list?

Even if you take away ALL of his homers, he still has over 3000 hits!

Not sure if he's the best (I voted Ruth), but Hank needs to be considered IMHO.

Vince,

Agreed...Aaron was one helluva a ballplayer.

Best,

Eric

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by ethicsprof

greatest player if we're talkin' stats and nothing else.

all the best,
barry

Barry,

Please accept my sincerest thanks for you weighing in here.

Best Regards,

Eric

[itjclarke]

Ruth is a no doubter in my mind, no one ever single handedly changed the game like he did... maybe in any sport? Wilt Chamberlain maybe close? The pitching record and WS pitching records are just icing on the cake. Cobb 1a by himself.. then other top 10-20 types like Wagner, Mays (maybe best 5 tooler ever), WaJo, Matty, Hornsby, Williams, Musial, Speaker, E Collins, Aaron, Bonds, etc in a 2 category (2nd tier not in any particular order, and not complete in any way)

[Sean]

Originally Posted by itjclarke

Ruth is a no doubter in my mind, no one ever single handedly changed the game like he did... maybe in any sport? Wilt Chamberlain maybe close? The pitching record and WS pitching records are just icing on the cake. Cobb 1a by himself.. then other top 10-20 types like Wagner, Mays (maybe best 5 tooler ever), WaJo, Matty, Hornsby, Williams, Musial, Speaker, E Collins, Aaron, Bonds, etc in a 2 category (2nd tier not in any particular order, and not complete in any way)

Not only is Ruth #1, but whoever you put second (Cobb, Mays, or Wagner), the #2 player will be closer to the #20 player than to Ruth.

[Shoele$$]

What always struck me about Ruth was when he was pitching, he had a fairly slender athletic body that was better suited for being an all around baseball player with base running and stealing in mind. Then when he became a hitter and switched to the outfield, his body turned into a slow, sloppy, overweight pitcher's body. That extra weight did probably help with power behind his swing, but I just wonder how good he could have been had he possessed the body and speed to be an all around ball player like Cobb and Wagner. Hmmm....

[drc]

I'd vote but I don't see Sammy Sosa on the list. My God, people, he and McGwire saved baseball!

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by Shoele$$

What always struck me about Ruth was when he was pitching, he had a fairly slender athletic body that was better suited for being an all around baseball player with base running and stealing in mind. Then when he became a hitter and switched to the outfield, his body turned into a slow, sloppy, overweight pitcher's body. That extra weight did probably help with power behind his swing, but I just wonder how good he could have been had he possessed the body and speed to be an all around ball player like Cobb and Wagner. Hmmm....

He would have been a BEAST. He clearly had superhuman hand eye coordination and ridiculous upper body strength. He hit 714 and over .340, while basically walking toward the mound as the pitch approached and swinging a 40+ oz bat. I could maybe do that in a batting cage, but facing different pitchers/pitches, different speeds and still making those moving parts work?!? That said, there's no doubt in my mind he'd have outdone himself had be maintained a more athletic body type. He'd still have that ridiculous hand/eye but would also be fast enough to leg out some more soft infield grounds (imagine how deep infields must have played him).. maybe turn some 450 ft gappers into triples/HR's... probably been a bette outfielder with an already great arm... and maybe extended his career and peak production a little longer (even though there was little drop off until the very end).

[CW]

What? No Sadaharu Oh?

As much as I love Cobb's tenacity and approach to the game, I gotta give this one to the Babe.

[deadballfreaK]

I hate voting for a Yankee, but gotta be Ruth.

[Kenny Cole]

Ruth, His impact, both on and off the field, was immeasurable.

[CMIZ5290]

I am amazed 2 people voted for Frank Baker, are you guys related, or trying to drive prices up on his cards? Holy cow.....

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by CMIZ5290

I am amazed 2 people voted for Frank Baker, are you guys related, or trying to drive prices up on his cards? Holy cow.....

Lol, my thoughts exactly

[ZenPop]

In the Pre-War era... I'd go Josh Gibson or Babe Ruth...

But Willie Mays was the best ever.

Ruth was awesome. But he played in a segregated league.
Mays was a baseball genius... playing in the most perfect era of baseball, ever.

[the 'stache]

Ed Walsh could have received some consideration. The man threw nearly 3,000 innings and had a career 1.82 ERA.

I'm still trying to figure out how in 1910 Walsh threw 369 2/3 innings, struck out 258 batters, had a 0.820 WHIP and a 1.27 ERA, and went only 18-20!

But for the best player, after some careful consideration, I had to vote for Ruth. The guy could have gone down as one of the all-time greatest pitchers, and he was an even better hitter.

[2dueces]

Cobb was the greatest all around player of all time. Not just pre war. Babe Ruth was the most dominate player of all time. There is a difference.

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Ed Walsh could have received some consideration. The man threw nearly 3,000 innings and had a career 1.82 ERA.

I'm still trying to figure out how in 1910 Walsh threw 369 2/3 innings, struck out 258 batters, had a 0.820 WHIP and a 1.27 ERA, and went only 18-20!

The pre-1917 Sox were known as the Hitless Wonders. He didn't have much run support to win games.

[doug.goodman]

We all know all about Ruth hitting a few homers, having a .342 lifetime average, a couple other things at the plate, all of which make him a candidate, based on hitting.

When you add in his 2.28 lifetime ERA with 97 pitching victories, including his 3-0 record in the World Series (with one of those WS wins being a 14 inning complete game), are we really still thinking about anybody else?

Doug

[Zone91]

I am going to have to go with Willie Mays!! I was going to say Mantle....but I am biased now that I own his ''rookie'' card...lolllll!!!

[drc]

Okay, I'll come clean. I vote for me twice under 'None of the Above.'

[triwak]

Originally Posted by Zone91

I was going to say Mantle....but I am biased now that I own his ''rookie'' card...lolllll!!!

Hold on! Dunlop isn't listed in the poll.

[mikemcgrail]

George Herman by a mile

Honus is for me number 2

[AMBST95]

Originally Posted by Zone91

I am going to have to go with Willie Mays!! I was going to say Mantle....but I am biased now that I own his ''rookie'' card...lolllll!!!

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by AMBST95

Agree about Mays, but wasn't the original poll asking who was the greatest player of the pre-war era?

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

We all know all about Ruth hitting a few homers, having a .342 lifetime average, a couple other things at the plate, all of which make him a candidate, based on hitting.

When you add in his 2.28 lifetime ERA with 97 pitching victories, including his 3-0 record in the World Series (with one of those WS wins being a 14 inning complete game), are we really still thinking about anybody else?

Doug

This. Ruth could have been an HOF pitcher if he hadn't become the hitter we all remember. No other player even comes close to matching that ability.

[pepis]

In major league history,, only 5 left-handed pitchers have ever compiled an ERA of under 2.00 runs while pitching over 300 innings in one year 2-in pre war
Rube Waddell & The Babe,,,in pos war Koufax, Carlton and V.Blue, so his pitching prowls were up there with the greatest ever!! no need to say anything
about his hitting,, most complete baseball player!! with not even a close 2nd.

[jcmtiger]

Come on, it's still Ty Cobb and won't change no matter how many polls are taken.

Joe

[howard38]

Originally Posted by pepis

In major league history,, only 5 left-handed pitchers have ever compiled an ERA of under 2.00 runs while pitching over 300 innings in one year 2-in pre war
Rube Waddell & The Babe,,,in pos war Koufax, Carlton and V.Blue, so his pitching prowls were up there with the greatest ever!! no need to say anything
about his hitting,, most complete baseball player!! with not even a close 2nd.

It's been done more often than that. Carl Hubbell, Wilbur Wood (the same year as Vida Blue) and Hal Newhouser all did it. Probably some others as well.