Who are some of your favorite "forgotten" players?

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by packs

Riggs Stephenson - career 336 hitter. I don't know what his story was or why he played in so few games, but man, could he hit.

Injuries that I believe went all the way back to his college football days. He couldn't throw, and I don't think he was a good enough fielder to play the infield. But man could he hit...it's too bad that he got hurt early on because with his hitting he would have been a sure hall of famer.

[Browncow75]

The only way players in todays' game could do that is to use an aluminum bat. Geez, I hope that never happens!

[JP]

Originally Posted by FrankWakefield

I was well aware of the Sewell's lack of strike outs. I don't recall ever hearing about him using only one bat. That's great!

Originally Posted by packs

Wow. Same bat his whole career? Incredible.

Originally Posted by Browncow75

The only way players in todays' game could do that is to use an aluminum bat. Geez, I hope that never happens!

I know, truly amazing! And most people didn't even know this strange fact until it was published in his obituary.

[Mark]

I would believe that Sewell had a bat that he never cracked and that he used throughout his career, but I find it hard to believe that he never cracked a bat. Hillerich and Bradsby record that he orderded bats from them almost every year from 1920 through 1933. His pro-model (game used) bats are considered very rare.

[E93]

Reggie Smith, from back in my era of MLB obsession. I hardly follow these days.
JimB

[celoknob]

I was (and still am) a huge Reds fan and Johnny Bench will always be my favorite player and I think the greatest catcher.

But a catcher that I think was overlooked during that era, probably because of Bench, was Ted Simmons. He was an excellent switch-hitter, a blue collar kind of guy with a long solid career--a guy I would love to have on my team. His fielding was no where near Bench, but I thnk was adequate.

[Wite3]

Jack Clements...no hall of fame stats (heck, barely any stats) but handled the duties behind the plate for the Phillies, as a lefty!

Sherry Magee should be a HOFer in my opinion. But I am biased towards Phillies. He had 2100 hits, 1100 RBIs, and a career .291 avg. He was a great fielder and was certainly overshadowed during his career.

Joshua

[slidekellyslide]

Clarence Mitchell...he had an unspectacular career in the majors and is probably mostly remembered for making 5 outs in two at bats in the 1920 World Series...he is also the last legal spitballer in the majors. He was known as Mr Baseball in Nebraska though and played many years in the minor leagues in and around Nebraska.



I am also fond of George Johnson...he played for the Nebraska Indians ball team, then the Lincoln minor league club...finally making the major leagues..he also played in the Federal League and the Pacific Coast League. He was murdered over a dice game in Des Moines, Iowa shortly after his playing days ended.

[Brian Van Horn]

The model of consistency, Jake Daubert:

[Theoldprofessor]

Moses Yellow Horse, considered by most historians to be the first full-blooded Native American (Pawnee) to play major league baseball. Pitched well for the Pirates in 1921-22. But never more notoriously than when, in a 1922 exhibition game, he beaned the famous peacemaker Ty Cobb, who had spent much of his only at bat hurling racist insults at him. Right between the eyes.

But hung around too much with one Walter (Rabbit) Maranville, who taught him the delights of alcohol. Became an admitted alcoholic, and was out of the majors for good the following year.

Appears on an Exhibit card (1922) and on a Zeenuts PCL (1924)

[Kawika]