Iconic Players from each decade (50's/60's/70's)

[Vintagevault13]

Originally Posted by rats60

I would associate Mike Schmidt with the 80s.

1x World Champion

1x World Series MVP

2x NL Champion

3x NL MVP



all from 1980-89. During the 70s only 4 of 12 AS games, 3 of 8 HR titles and 4 of 10 gold gloves.

Agreed. Great point.

[Neal]

For the 50s, I'd add Jackie Robinson, as well as Aaron. I'd also add Mays and Mantle to the 60s.

Carew is a very iconic 70s player, in my opinion, and Carlton moreseo than Seaver.

[Peter_Spaeth]

70s Carlton, Palmer, Morgan.

50s Spahn

60s Killebrew

[pokerplyr80]

Banks won a couple of MVP in the 50s. I think he deserves a spot.

[David W]

I was born in 1963, and raised in Central Illinois. I'll leave the 50's and 60's alone except to say it would seem Willie, Mickey, and the Duke along with Ted Williams and Jackie Robinson would be tough to beat for the 50's and Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Juan Marichal would seem to be the stars of the 1960's.

In the 1970's when we played baseball we were almost always one of these guys.

I think Pete Rose and Reggie were far and away the most popular baseball players where I was.

[David W]

And for the 80's in the Midwest, you had these guys. No one was bigger than Mike Schmidt and Dale Murphy, and every wanna be pitcher tried the peek a boo wind up like Fernando.

I ran a little league and pony league program in the early 80's between college years, and every coach for about a year always had to "Check the pine tar" hahahaha.

In 1984 all the Cub fans went nuts over Ryno, and gave new hope to that franchise.

Meanwhile, Gooden burst on the scene and the Cardinals and Mets had a nice mini rivalry for a few years.

Then Rickey, Raines, Willie, and Vince brought the stolen base to prominence.

Throw in a few back flips by the Wizard of Oz, and this was baseball in the Midwest in the 80's

[Peter_Spaeth]

Gotta include Gwynn and Ripken on any 80s list.

1950's

Jackie Robinson

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

70s Carlton, Palmer, Morgan.

50s Spahn

60s Killebrew

Peter, you have no idea how many times I'm going to post something, only to find you've stolen my thunder as I scroll down.

Warren Spahn won a whopping 202 games in the 50s. How good is that? Consider the best win total by decade in the modern era (post 1919).

1920-1929:
Burleigh Grimes 190 wins
Eppa Rixley 166 wins

1930-1939:
Lefty Grove 199 wins
Carl Hubbell 188 wins

1940-1949:
Hal Newhouser 170 wins
Bob Feller 137 wins

1950-1959:
Warren Spahn 202 wins
Robin Roberts 199 wins

1960-1969:
Juan Marichal 191 wins
Bob Gibson 164 wins

1970-1979:
Jim Palmer 186 wins
Gaylord Perry 184 wins

1980-1989:
Jack Morris 162 wins
Dave Stieb 140 wins

1990-1999:
Greg Maddux 176 wins
Tom Glavine 164 wins

2000-2009:
Andy Pettitte 148 wins
Randy Johnson 143 wins

2010-2016:
Clayton Kershaw 104 wins
Max Scherzer 99 wins

While a couple other pitchers came close, Warren Spahn is the only pitcher in the modern era to average 20 wins a season for a full decade.

He had eight 20 win seasons, leading the league in wins six times in the 50s. Spahny is one of the most under-appreciated pitchers in the history of the game, if you ask me. He pitched twenty-one seasons, and won 20 or more in thirteen of them. And he threw a whopping 382 complete games.

And don't forget about Hank and Warren's teammate, Eddie Mathews. He was a stud in the 50s, as well. The guy hit 299 home runs in the decade even though he didn't play in 1950 or 1951. Only Duke Snider (326) and Gil Hodges (299) hit more in the decade, and they both played in all ten seasons.

Ted Williams and Joe Dimaggio would be the first two guys I think of for the 1940s.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Neal

For the 50s, I'd add Jackie Robinson, as well as Aaron. I'd also add Mays and Mantle to the 60s.

Carew is a very iconic 70s player, in my opinion, and Carlton moreseo than Seaver.

Seaver is better than Carlton by any measure. Philly bias!!
Agree on Carew, something like 7 batting titles is nothing to sneer at even if the statisticians don't like his lack of power and low walks.