Happy 111 to the Babe

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Posted By: craig

greatest team player of them all imho

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Posted By: jay behrens

I don't know about that. You'd get some good arguments for Jordan or Gretzky

Jay

I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

The real question is....111 years after their birth (Gretzky
and Jordan) will Americans still regard them with the
tremendous respect and adulation that Babe Ruth still
receives ?

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Posted By: Brett

Gretzky was a good player yes, but his stats were inflated in the 80's due to expansion. hell, count how many players had 50 goals and 100 points. its rediculous.

Lamieux was on pace to pass Gretzky's career goal record, but all of the injuries he had. those 3 and a half yers he retired for really hurt him. i think its safe to say if he was healthy, those would be 50 goal seasons. he won the scoring title his last few seasons before he retired the first time.

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Posted By: Zach Smith

Ruth, Gretzky and Jordan were all great athletes and team players... in their respective fields. We all saw what happened when Jordan put down the basketball and picked up a baseball bat. On that note, could you imagine The Babe on a basketball court?

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Zach

I can imagine the Babe playing BasketBall, FootBall and
Tennis and playing these sports very successfully. The
guy was "bigger than life" in anything he did. He pos-
sessed a tremendous ability and ego to win at whatever
he did.

At 6 ft 2 in. he would have been taller than most basket-
ball players of his time. What most people don't realize
was he was pretty fast on his feet. And, being a Left-
handed thrower would have confounded his opponents.

Another fact that most do not realize was that Ruth was
ambidexterous, and could use his right arm quite effect-
ively.....proof of this is that he signed his name with
his right hand.

And, as a tennis player, he would have dominated, as most
left-handers do in that sport. I can't imagine facing his
powerful left-handed spinning serve.

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Posted By: Jim

Gretzky not only was a great scorer but he always looked to set up someone else first. Look at all the assists he accumulated. Lemieux was the most talented player I have ever seen but Gretzky was the better player. I would take either one on my team any day.
BBall - Jordan no question. Scoring, passing, defense.

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Posted By: jay behrens

If expansion is the explanation as to why Gretzky scored so much, then how do you explain the derth of scoring today when there are even more teams in the league? I've never bought the whole "expansion is to blame" argument for any sport. I forget who in SABR did the study, but they basically proved that if there is an effect due to expansion, it only lasts for 2-3 years at most and then things return to "normal".

Jay

I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: Ben

Brett, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you didnt watch Gretzky in his prime (Oiler years, early to mid 80's). The guy was pure magic. Other people may have been scoring 50 goals and 100 assists, but nobody was getting 92 goals or 163 assists in a season like Gretzky did. Not only did he obliterate the record books with his stats, he also lead the Oilers to 4 Stanley Cups while dominating the league like no other player before or after him. He is the hands down greatest to ever play the game, period.

Now back to regularily scheduled programming...

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Posted By: Dave Snyder

You have to start any argument about the greatest team player of all time with Bill Russell of the 50's and 60's Celtics. 11 world championships in 13 years including 9 in a row....His last coming as a player/coach. Oh yeah, plus 5 MVP awards.

In fact, you could make a case that Babe Ruth wasn't even the best Yankee team player..........I'd put Gehrig and his streak of games played or Dimaggio with 9 World Series Championships in 13 years ahead of him.

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Posted By: jay behrens

Gehrig and Dimaggio are great, but the Yankees was a bad franchise until Ruth showed and they instantly became a contender. Take away Gehrig or Dimaggio and the Yankees were still contenders. SAMe goes for Russel, take him away from those great Celtics and they are still contenders. We all saw what happened when you took Jordan away from the Bulls.

Jay

I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.