Your favorite player of all time

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Posted By: T Engle

Since were are all collectors of cards, I was just wondering what is your favorite player of all time and why?

I'll get the ball rolling by saying my favorite player is Walter Johnson. Walter is my favorite because of his pitching ability he had. He was known for his side arm delivery, and even made Babe Ruth awestruck of his fastball. He pitched 802 games, winning 416 of them, and had 113 shutouts which he still holds to this day.

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Posted By: Josh Adams

For me, it's Hank Greenberg (I know, a little to "recent" for some collectors here!), but he had such power, grace, and courage in the face of adversity.
A great movie is "The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg" a must see.


Have a good weekend everyone!

Go Go White Sox
2005 World Series Champions!

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Posted By: Paul

I know it's out of place on this board, but my favorite player is Tom Seaver.

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Posted By: Andrew Parks

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Posted By: Joe D.

As a kid I always wanted to be a catcher and looked up to Johnny Bench. Was a New York kid rooting for the Reds (go figure).

I'm going to stick with Bench as my favorite.....

but as far as vintage - its either Walter Johnson or Matty.

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Posted By: Rob Fouch

Ryne Sandberg. Grew up loving the Cubs and I worshipped Ryno. I got to meet him at a Cubs charity event about 13 years ago (back when I was a lad of 23 or so) and I was trembling so hard I thought I might faint.
Felt kind of ridiculous reacting that way, and he looked very uncomfortable. Can't imagine why.
As for the old-timers, I'm still learning. Very new to this. But I find Matty intriguing.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Of the ones I've seen play who are no longer active: Pete Rose, Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Paul O'Neil

Alltime, you can add Lefty O'Doul, Carl Hubbell and Sandy Koufax to the list.

Currently playing: Shawn Green, Andy Pettite, Ichiro

Remember, these are my favorites, not "best" players.

I've only met 3 of them (Aaron, Green, Koufax). Can't recall what I said to Aaron or Green but I know it was stupid. Edited to say: I forgot Koufax. Met him at a card show back in '87. I was getting his autograph for a friend on a '66 Topps that he'd had since he was a boy (I didn't do autographs then, so I didn't get one for myself). I was so awestruck that I asked to shake hands, which I've never done with anyone else, just so I could tell my grandkids that I shook hands with Sandy Koufax.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Mine is Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.....you just have to appreciate their tremendous
stories and what they have contributed to Baseball.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Well, as a player I like John McGraw. Half the time he got to bat he wound up on base (according to my calculations). No one has come close to that. He was a stolen base threat, an innovator, an accomplished manager, a cheat, a thief, and a very resourceful individual.

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

Favorite players of all time: Rube Waddell and Satchel Paige. The stories are just too amazing.

Favorite players I watched play: Graig Nettles and Jimmy Key, both for their artistry.

Favorite active players: Bernie Williams for his class and raw talent, Derek Jeter for his hustle and baseball IQ, Barry Bonds for his pure skill, and Greg Maddux for his brain.

-Al

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Posted By: Steve Dawson

For me, it's Nolan Ryan. As far as pre-WWII, my favorite is Walter Johnson.


Steve

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Posted By: Jay

John Ward--Great pitcher and a great shortstop. After his playing days a great golfer. Also, other than Albert Spalding, had the greatest influence on 19th century baseball.

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Posted By: fkw

1.Bonds
2.Wagner
3.Mathewson
4.O'Doul
5.Koufax
6.Garvey (when I was a kid)
7.Ryan (when I was a kid)

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Posted By: Bob

Matty, Buck, Mick and Joe D.

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Posted By: Richard

Honus Wagner.

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Posted By: Tim James

Pete Rose,Ty Cobb.

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Posted By: dstudeba

Roy Campanella

A great player, and by the accounts that I have heard, a good man.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Roberto Clemente. I watched him play in his prime.

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Posted By: RayB

Matty!

RayB

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Posted By: John Kal

The greatest hitter of all time, Teddy Ballgame.

By the way Barry, Roberto was better than Hank.

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Posted By: David McDonald

Favorite player of vintage days: Smokey Joe Wood
Favorite player I saw play: Moose Skowron

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Posted By: Dustan Hedlin

Current: Ken Griffey Jr. (Can't believe no one has mentioned him yet)

Prewar: Joe Jackson

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Posted By: ScottIngold

Cobb Cobb & Cobb.... is there any better ?
Rose and Mantle for post war.

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Posted By: Scot Reader

Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams. Great players and role models.

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Posted By: Bill Stone

Dale Long

Prewar --Joe Jackson

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Posted By: dd

Mickey Mantle

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

As a kid growing up: Steve Garvey. Now: Hank Greenberg, Sandy Koufax, Ty Cobb, Hal Chase.

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Posted By: jay behrens

Of the players I grew up watching, Tony Oliva was my favorite. Of the old-time players, it's a toss up between Ken Williams and Benny Kauff. Sam Crawford would also be close

Jay

Growing old is not optional, growing up is.

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Posted By: Joann

Growing up: Al Kaline. I used to tell my friends that he was my uncle. hee. Really. My last name is Kline, and I told the other kids that they made a mistake on the uniform way back when and he just kept it that way. lololol. That still kind of cracks me up.

All time: Babe Ruth. Still don't have a card, but will someday.

Joann

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

Favorite player I have seen play: Mickey

Favorite player I have read about: Matty

Frank

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Posted By: PC

--

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Posted By: scott brockelman

I grew up watching him and still remember the night he broke the record off Al Downing. A tremendous slugger with an affable love for the game.

Scott

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Posted By: E, Daniel

Derek Jeter.
His running catch into the stands absolutely seals for me what a player, is about. And he is SOME player!

Sure, I could say the hip thing and go for Wags, MMMMMMatty, or Corn on the...., but how can you have a favourite player you've never seen play, never heard speak, never judged their girlfriend/wife on the bimbo scales of life?


Daniel

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Posted By: Brad Freeman

This is an excellent question since it apparently lets us break it down into categories. With that in mind, here are mine:

1. Favorite players that I have seen play:

Hank Aaron--I was a 9 year old when he came to Milwaukee in 1954. I was raised in Beloit, Wisconsin and fortunately my dad took my brother and me to about 6 games per year. (Plus 1 game from both the 1957 and 1958 World Series.)Hank was so multi-dimensional: he could hit for average, for power (obviously) and could field well, throw well and could also steal a few bases.

Mickey Mantle--Speaking of the 1957 and 1958 World Series, I could not wait to see this guy play. All of the hype, etc. Was it worth it? Absolutely! I saw Mick knock out 2 home runs.

Ted Willliams--My dad took my brother and me to see him play in Comiskey Park in 1955 or 1956. Not sure which year. Anyway--my dad said before the game, "Wait until you see the smooth swing of Ted Williams!" Well--we were not disappointed. "The Kid" smoked one of the pitches into the right-center field bleachers for a home run. What a thrill in retrospect.

Willie Mays--Wow! My lasting impression of him was his laser-like throws from center field to cut down Braves' runners. Such an exciting talent.

Bob Gibson, Warren Spahn, Sandy Koufax. Yes--I saw all of them in person. One of the benefits of being older!

I have now taken up too much space for this topic and perhaps in the near future I can address the favorites of mine from the more distant past and the more current present. God, what a great game!

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Posted By: Dave Williams

Favorite I saw play - Lou Brock and Al Hrabosky - I got my picture taken with the Mad Hungarian circa 1975.

Favorite I didn't see play - Bob Feller - He was my dad's favorite player. I was fortunate enough to get his autograph 15 years ago.

Favorite old timers - Pepper Martin - The Wild Horse of the Osage. After that any of the old Gas House Gang, Dizzy Dean, Medwick, Bottomley, and the great 40's Cardinal teams with Musial, Moore, Marion, the Cooper's, et al.

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Posted By: Ricky Y

Modern player: I always loved Catfish Hunter. I got to see him pitch during the A's glory days. He didn't blow people off the mound..but he just kept winning.. Only if Charlie O Finley kept that club together they could have given the Reds a run for the money well into the late 70's...

Oldtime player: Babe Ruth. I'd love to go back into the time machine and see the 1927 season.

Ricky

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Posted By: Sean Coe

1.Grover Alexander
2.Babe Ruth
3. Brooks Robinson
4.Lou Gehrig
5. Frank Robinson

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Posted By: cn

#1-Lou Gehrig - a real hero #2 Tom Seaver- best pitcher in modern age

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Posted By: Brian

Would have to be The Babe.
Followed closely by Gehrig and Greenberg, who epitomized class and what I love about the game.

Today, I would guess that only Jeter comes close (yes, I'm a fan of the Bronx Bombers....)

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Posted By: Jim

My favorite player growing up: George Brett - sweet swing
My favorite players from years past: Gehrig and Teddy Ballgame - wish I could have seen them play.

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Posted By: David Vargha

All Time
Position Player: Ty Cobb
Pitcher: Dizzy Dean

That I saw play:
Position Player: Ichiro
Pitcher: Randy Johnson and Nolan Ryan

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: Anonymous

Jeff Torborg, because he couldn't hit his weight either.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

favorite current-Bonds
favorite old time- billy hamilton
favorite all-time fisk

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Posted By: Spencer

My favorite is Don Mattingly!! '86 being my most hated year. To think, a pitcher, Clemens, could win the MVP. Appearing 1 out of every 5 games, what a joke. Modern baseball enjoyment ended for me when the Yanks picked up Boggs, if I didn't cry then I should have, and then Clemens, Hey Steinbrenner, just stick a knife in my heart why don't you.
prewar: Cobb, he just seems so blood and guts. Gotta love that.

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Posted By: joe brennan

Ty Cobb and Mickey Mantle

A scared man can't gamble and a jealous man can't work.

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Posted By: Daniel Bretta

My favorite growing up was Pete O'Brien...followed him from his playing days with the University of Nebraska through his major league career, and tried to collect every card I could find of his. When Ebay came around it helped me locate many of them, but believe it or not there are some very hard to find regional cards from the 1980's.

My favorite player from the prewar era is Eddie Collins....I like to read about him. I think he's one of the most under appreciated players of all time.

My favorite current player is Jason Varitek. My team is the Red Sox so I'm sure no further explanation is needed.

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Posted By: steve f

Josh Gibson

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Posted By: anthony

almost one in the same, played as if every game was their last
loved to win, did whatever it took...

Carew is way up there too, i just loved the way he could place
the ball wherever he wanted to...learned a lot from watching him
bat

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Posted By: Brian Lindholme

Mike Schmidt...far and away my favorite.

Old Timers : Nap Lajoie
Johnny Evers
Joe McGinnity

This is another fine topic along with the set collectors thread...kudos for keeping the board fun to read. I haven't seen a fake T206 Wagner thread in long time !!! hahaha

Brian L
familytoad

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Posted By: Troy Kirk

Mark (the Bird) Fidrych. In 1976, Brooks Robinson said he didn't even know Fidrych was on the team the first time he played against the Tigers, and by the next time they played he was the biggest sensation in baseball. Fidrych was everything great about baseball, a unique spirit who wasn't afraid to manicure the mound to his liking on his hands and knees between innings. Just electric, and the crowds were huge for all his starts. I got to see him once in Oakland that year, when he lost 2-1 in 10 innings. I've never seen anyone like him before or since.

Favorite old-timer is Ty Cobb because of his brilliant baserunning, regularly scoring from first on singles, and going from 1st to 3rd on bunts. When was the last time you saw a modern player do either of those?