Koufax/Brady private signings

[packs]

I do think people in Cy Young's time would have probably said he was the greatest. He was clearly revered in his time. He's referred to as the "Grand Old Man" on his Tom Barker game card, for example. Nobody had ever seen a Perfect Game before either.

He was a bridge between the old game and what we now know as modern baseball and he pitched equally well in both worlds. Somebody mentioned him not being in the 1936 HOF class. Well, that vote was split into two votes for players: a 19th century vote and a 20th century vote. Cy Young straddled both centuries and his votes were split between them. That's why he wasn't inducted. The next year they did away with the split century vote and he got in.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by packs

I do think people in Cy Young's time would have probably said he was the greatest. He was clearly revered in his time. He's referred to as the "Grand Old Man" on his Tom Barker game card, for example. Nobody had ever seen a Perfect Game before either. He was a bridge between the old game and what we now know as modern baseball and he pitched equally well in both worlds. Somebody mentioned him not being in the 1936 HOF class. Well, that vote was split into two votes for players: a 19th century vote and a 20th century vote. Cy Young straddled both centuries and his votes were split between them. That's why he wasn't inducted. The next year they did away with the split century vote and he got in.

Young was, indeed, considered the greatest until Matty came along. I didn't know that about Young and the first HOF election--you'd think they would have realized the unfairness of a career splitting votes between the centuries and adjusted for that. Do we know how many total votes he got and where that would have put him if combined? I see where he's #1 in career WAR, and that's impressive considering the respect that stat has come to have recently. But he's also 61st in lifetime E.R.A. and down the list in both strikeouts and shutouts, so I'm not sure how the SABR guys regard him in a statistical light. It's so hard trying to compare across generations in any category, including pitching, so I'm satisfied with my list of 15 pitchers I honestly believe you can mount a truly serious case for as GOAT employing various metrics, and leave it at that. I will also tell you that, from my many years of research, the anecdotal opinion of those who played against Johnson is no less than overwhelming on this score.

[packs]

The first HOF vote was very complicated and confusing and the Wikipedia page's explanation is equally complicated and confusing. But essentially, it was almost impossible for Young to get inducted on that first ballot with him split between centuries and his votes being recorded in a very confusing way.

I don't know that you can look at strike out totals for him because of his era. But if you look at his WAR totals, he led the league six times, spent 14 seasons in the top five for the entire league, and he's still third all time today for all players.

He never got hurt either. It wasn't until he was 43 years old that his innings dipped below 200. I see him as a Dead Ball Nolan Ryan for his time. Not in the strike out sense, but in the durable freak sense.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by packs

The first HOF vote was very complicated and confusing and the Wikipedia page's explanation is equally complicated and confusing. But essentially, it was almost impossible for Young to get inducted on that first ballot with him split between centuries and his votes being recorded in a very confusing way.

I don't know that you can look at strike out totals for him because of his era. But if you look at his WAR totals, he led the league six times, spent 14 seasons in the top five for the entire league, and he's still third all time today for all players.

He never got hurt either. It wasn't until he was 43 years old that his innings dipped below 200. I see him as a Dead Ball Nolan Ryan for his time. Not in the strike out sense, but in the durable freak sense.

Cy Young = Country Strong

[rlevy]

No question that Koufax was the GOHT (Greatest of his time).

Just back from the private signing is the line-up card from Game 4 of the 1963 World Series, signed by Sandy. At 88, still a very nice signature. According ot the guy supervising the signing, he spent about 5 minutes looking at this item, as it apparently brought back some memories. I would have loved to have been there to ask him his thoughts.

Rick

dodgers signed by Koufax reduced by 50 and 50.jpg

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by rlevy

No question that Koufax was the GOHT (Greatest of his time).

Just back from the private signing is the line-up card from Game 4 of the 1963 World Series, signed by Sandy. At 88, still a very nice signature. According ot the guy supervising the signing, he spent about 5 minutes looking at this item, as it apparently brought back some memories. I would have loved to have been there to ask him his thoughts.

Rick

Attachment 611548

Amazing artifact, Rick! Congrats on deciding to get this signed.
It was totally worth it.

[frankbmd]

Something bothers me about calling the loss leader (315) in major league baseball the best pitcher of all time.

If the truncated career of Koufax was too short, then I guess the elongated career of Cy Young was too long.

If Cy Young is the GOAT, then George Blanda is the GOAT, best QB, of all time.

One could put Cy Young in the same basket as McGinnity, if you consider the Iron Man's minor league stats, that nearly equal his major league stats, with 470 total wins and 343 total losses. Their records suggest that in the 1890s and early 1900s, the disparity between the bigs and the minors may not have been that much.

[Polarboy]

Originally Posted by rlevy

No question that Koufax was the GOHT (Greatest of his time).

Just back from the private signing is the line-up card from Game 4 of the 1963 World Series, signed by Sandy. At 88, still a very nice signature. According ot the guy supervising the signing, he spent about 5 minutes looking at this item, as it apparently brought back some memories. I would have loved to have been there to ask him his thoughts.

Rick

Attachment 611548

What a great story, how’d you even find something like this? It’s an incredible piece of history!

[Polarboy]

As for me, I’d love to get a Koufax auto one day, but on my budget, I can’t warrant spending that much. I’m a full time student, so the PC money I do get I use deal hunting, unfortunately Koufax isn’t the kinda guy I can find for $50 and lower, maybe if it was 2005 😭😭😭LOL.