50 Most Hated Players of All Time (good read)

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I had the pleasure and good fortune to visit many men who played both with and against Babe Ruth. Always thinking that they were tired of decades of being asked about him, I never once was the first to bring up Ruth's name in our conversations. Each time, the player wanted to speak about The Babe. He was beloved by all these men. As to his being boastful or some of his greater misdeeds, the guys I knew pretty much just let Babe get a free ride because of his stature and the fact that he treated each one of them decently. The combination of those two facts sealed the deal with each of the players (I'm not talking about a small handful of players, either!)

[sayheykid54]

Disagree with Cobb being the most hated of all time. Much of the information from his playing days and events surrounding his life were later proven to be false. Much of the historical "Misinformation" was cleared up in the book "A Terrible Beauty"

"In legend I am a sadistic, slashing, swashbuckling despot who waged war in the guise of sport." Ty Cobb, who wrote that just before his death in 1961, was possibly the only one not to believe the legend. For everyone else, this was a case of perception and reality meeting.

I personally believe Ty Cobb is the most interesting and unique player in the history of baseball.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by sayheykid54

Disagree with Cobb being the most hated of all time. Much of the information from his playing days and events surrounding his life were later proven to be false. Much of the historical "Misinformation" was cleared up in the book "A Terrible Beauty"

"In legend I am a sadistic, slashing, swashbuckling despot who waged war in the guise of sport." Ty Cobb, who wrote that just before his death in 1961, was possibly the only one not to believe the legend. For everyone else, this was a case of perception and reality meeting.

I personally believe Ty Cobb is the most interesting and unique player in the history of baseball.

Cobb was:

1. One of the very best
2. One of the most tormented
3. One of the loneliest
4. One of the most generous
5. One of the most maligned
6. One of the most misunderstood

And I agree,

7. One of the most interesting

[brian1961]

"(good read)" Seriously? Bub, methinks you oughta hightail it to your nearest car wash in a convertible.

No one ever pleased everybody, nor ever could. It's never a good time to malign our heroes.

--- Brian Powell

[z28jd]

This list lost me when they thought Babe Ruth wasn't famous enough that they needed a modern player, from another sport no less, to realize how famous he was. I've heard people from other sports compared to Babe Ruth, but not the other way around.

The list is filled with errors and modern players. It's lazy.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by z28jd

This list lost me when they thought Babe Ruth wasn't famous enough that they needed a modern player, from another sport no less, to realize how famous he was. I've heard people from other sports compared to Babe Ruth, but not the other way around.

The list is filled with errors and modern players. It's lazy.

Agree on all, and I have never heard that the Babe was hated. The Yankees, yes, Babe, no.

And this list seems to have been created in 2012 or so, so it is not even current. Lastings Milledge...who in the fadoodle is that? I guess he didn't make a Lastings Impression.

Brian

[Orioles1954]

Brooks Robinson has to be up there.

[perezfan]

Agree that McGwire should be high on that list.

Always disliked him, as well as most of the 'roided out LaRussa-led A's and Cardinals teams.

[obcbobd]

For modern players I would go with Manny Machado. He pretty much ended Dustin Pedrioa's career with a dirty slide, I also remember him spiking Steve Pearce

[MRSPORTSCARDCOLLECTOR]

Originally Posted by obcbobd

For modern players I would go with Manny Machado. He pretty much ended Dustin Pedrioa's career with a dirty slide, I also remember him spiking Steve Pearce

Good one. I remember those. He got Steve Pearce in the 2018 WS if I remember correctly.

[buymycards]

Originally Posted by obcbobd

For modern players I would go with Manny Machado. He pretty much ended Dustin Pedrioa's career with a dirty slide, I also remember him spiking Steve Pearce

I agree. I remember his dirty plays during the playoffs against the Brewers in 2018.

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by brian1961

"(good read)" Seriously? Bub, methinks you oughta hightail it to your nearest car wash in a convertible.

Maybe we can reserve a spot for anyone who designates his own words as a "good read" on the 50 most hated writers list.

[MRSPORTSCARDCOLLECTOR]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

I had the pleasure and good fortune to visit many men who played both with and against Babe Ruth. Always thinking that they were tired of decades of being asked about him, I never once was the first to bring up Ruth's name in our conversations. Each time, the player wanted to speak about The Babe. He was beloved by all these men. As to his being boastful or some of his greater misdeeds, the guys I knew pretty much just let Babe get a free ride because of his stature and the fact that he treated each one of them decently. The combination of those two facts sealed the deal with each of the players (I'm not talking about a small handful of players, either!)

Sounds very interesting,and good to know about the Babe. Thanks for sharing. I am a big Babe Ruth fan. I don't think no other player dominated their sport like he did for what a good 15 years? Great hitter and pitcher.

[Mark70Z]

Personally don’t really care for Willie Mays. Even though a great ball player I wouldn’t take or purchase a card or collectible related to Mays I guess I would t mind “looking” and enjoying someone else’s collection of him, but I have to separate the ballplayer from the personality.

[h2oya311]

(1) Cobb - should be removed due to misinformation
(2) I actually agree with many on your(?) list although I’d like fewer 1980s-90s players to be replaced with ones that pre-date that era or for a few who are still playing today (Bryce Harper?)
(3) Lastings - Never heard of him
(4) Two players who have “f’ing” for a middle name should be on the list: Bucky F’ing Dent and Aaron F’ing Boone (from a Red Sox fan perspective)
(5) Cap Anson from a historical perspective due to his involvement with keeping black players out of the game
(6) as a young Astros fan of the mid ‘80s, I hated the entire New York Mets team of 1986. Wally Backman, Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson, etc. I think Dykstra could/should make the list.

Despite everyone’s digs, I appreciate the attempt.

This video of Albert Belle gets me every time. I’ll never forget seeing it live on tv:

https://youtu.be/VV3fNK31HD4

I love how not even one teammate of Vina sticks up for him. I sure as heck wouldn’t want to stand up to Belle. He was clearly one of the most feared players. Hated, meh.

[robw1959]

Originally Posted by Mark70Z

Personally don’t really care for Willie Mays. Even though a great ball player I wouldn’t take or purchase a card or collectible related to Mays I guess I would t mind “looking” and enjoying someone else’s collection of him, but I have to separate the ballplayer from the personality.

I don't know much about his personality, but when I was a teenager I wrote him a short letter asking for his autograph, to which he replied and signed, "To Bob - Best wishes, Willie Mays." So in my opinion his personality couldn't have been all bad.