Top 3 — Most Important

[packs]

This is a sincere question for the Anson people:

King Kelly's career overlaps almost entirely with Cap Anson. Did baseball need Cap Anson while it also had King Kelly?

I'm not buying into this idea that Anson was unusually important to the sport's early popularity. I think King Kelly was doing the exact same thing at the exact same time and was probably far more famous while he was alive.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

This is a sincere question for the Anson people:

King Kelly's career overlaps almost entirely with Cap Anson. Did baseball need Cap Anson while it also had King Kelly?

I'm not buying into this idea that Anson was unusually important to the sport's early popularity. I think King Kelly was doing the exact same thing at the exact same time and was probably far more famous while he was alive.

But was he the inspiration for Casey at the Bat?

[packs]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

But was he the inspiration for Casey at the Bat?

Perhaps.

I'll tell you who wasn't: Cap Anson.

The idea Anson's good outweighed the bad is not something I can ever get on board with. No one hurt baseball more than Anson when he championed segregation. No one robbed baseball of more until Landis reaffirmed it.

[darwinbulldog]

Doc Adams
Jackie Robinson
Curt Flood

It's safe to assume that the accomplishments of the latter two would have been accomplished by two other people if Jackie and Curt had never been born but not that baseball as we know it today would exist if Doc Adams hadn't, so I'll put him first.

[nwobhm]

Ruth, Robinson, Mantle

[Leon]

Ruth, J. Robinson, Cy Young...
.

[LincolnVT]

Well since Leon posted a card. I see Jackie as one of the most important as well.

[Popcorn]

Could make a strong argument for mantle. So many worship him to this day. Obviously his king of the hobby.

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

Ruth-There can be no one else at Number 1
Jackie Robinson
Mickey Mantle-he was the 1950's and who's post war cards bring the most money. He's and icon and folk hero.

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by packs

Perhaps.

I'll tell you who wasn't: Cap Anson.

The idea Anson's good outweighed the bad is not something I can ever get on board with. No one hurt baseball more than Anson when he championed segregation. No one robbed baseball of more until Landis reaffirmed it.

+1. And I agree that King Kelly was just a big as star as Anson, so I don't see why Anson should be singled out as being more important to the development of baseball.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

Perhaps.

I'll tell you who wasn't: Cap Anson.

The idea Anson's good outweighed the bad is not something I can ever get on board with. No one hurt baseball more than Anson when he championed segregation. No one robbed baseball of more until Landis reaffirmed it.

It's interesting, Thayer denied it, but Casey sure has that Kelly swagger, doesn't he?