Top 3 — Most Important

[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

[jsfriedm]

Ryan, your reasoning sounds a lot like what I think about the declaration that the Negro Leagues are Major Leagues and the inclusion of Negro League statistics in the official record. No, the Negro Leagues were not Major Leagues - they were created because Blacks were excluded from the Major Leagues, that is the whole point. Posthumously pretending they weren't doesn't help them, and it shouldn't assuage anyone's conscience either. And cobbling together a few box scores to pretend we know how many home runs Josh Gibson hit in 1938 doesn't help his legend either, it diminishes it. We are better off accepting that they were excluded, that it was unjust, and that we will never really know how good they were or what they could have accomplished.

[LincolnVT]

I thought this was interesting: https://www.sportworldnews.org/boxin...e-final-top10/

[oldjudge]

Reflecting on this some more I think to be one of the three most important players your fame needs to transcend the sport. You have to be known to people who know nothing about baseball. To me that makes it clear that it is Ruth, Robinson and DiMaggio. While players like Mantle, Mays and Cobb were great, they really weren't household names outside of baseball. DiMaggio may not has been as great as Mays but he was certainly better known.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Reflecting on this some more I think to be one of the three most important players your fame needs to transcend the sport. You have to be known to people who know nothing about baseball. To me that makes it clear that it is Ruth, Robinson and DiMaggio. While players like Mantle, Mays and Cobb were great, they really weren't household names outside of baseball. DiMaggio may not has been as great as Mays but he was certainly better known.

I completely agree with your thoughts and immediately felt the same way when the question was first posed. I don't think DiMaggio qualifies at this point in the game, however. If we had been asked this question 50-75 years ago, sure, but Joe D's potential place on this list has faded with time. Ruth and Robinson simply can't be argued to me. I chose Branch Rickey as my third because there would be no Robinson without him, and he was a player himself. I didn't mind letting him in on that technicality simply for the sheer magnitude of what he did later on.

It just dawned on me: has nobody mentioned Ted Williams?! He led a uniquely remarkable life in and out of the game. He might be a contender.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by LincolnVT

I thought this was interesting: https://www.sportworldnews.org/boxin...e-final-top10/

Interesting take. "Tom Brady has won multiple Super Bowls and established himself as one of football's most iconic faces. His professionalism and consistency inspired many young players and helped make football one of the most popular sports in America." As if Football wasn't 'one of the most popular spots in America' decades before Brady.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by G1911

Interesting take. "Tom Brady has won multiple Super Bowls and established himself as one of football's most iconic faces. His professionalism and consistency inspired many young players and helped make football one of the most popular sports in America." As if Football wasn't 'one of the most popular spots in America' decades before Brady.

And just think how even more popular football will become now that Travis Kelce is linked to Taylor Swiftypants.

Brian