Best Player You've Seen, Best Player You've Met.

[frankbmd]

Seen play

Roy Campanella
Jim Brown
Michael Jordan
Wayne Gretzky
Tiger Woods
Aaron Rodgers
Nolan Ryan

Met in person (autographs)

Casey Stengel
Benny Bengough
Don Larsen
Johnnie Gray
Jim Kaat
Minnie Minoso

[nolemmings]

Best I ever saw:

Baseball: Barry Bonds. I saw Mantle and Aaron and others also, but most were at the tail end of their careers.

Football: Johnny Unitas.

Basketball: Michael Jordan.

Hockey: Wayne Gretzky. Also saw Gordie Howe late in his career.

Best I ever met: Other than a few quick auto requests, which I don't count, the best or at least my favorite athlete I ever conversed with was Thurman Munson (for all of about two minutes or less).

[egri]

Best I ever saw:

Baseball: David Ortiz.

Football: Tom Brady.

Best I ever met: I'm going to stretch this to include TTM autograph requests. Minnie Minoso, Whitey Ford, Jim Bunning, Jim Rice, Alex Morgan.

[YazFenway08]

(1) Have seen lots of greats...but the greatest single performance I ever saw in person was a 3-tater day by Pujols at Busch in 2006. I was sitting behind home plate and even in a packed ballpark the contact sounded unlike anything I ever heard....and he missed #4 on the warning track.

(2) greatest player ever "met"...Yaz at his last spring training game in '83...back when you could lean over the dugout and solicit autographs. He signed and actually talked to me for what seemed like an hour (it was probably 30 seconds...). My favorite all time player

(3) slight twist....best i ever FACED...Billy Wagner. even at 20, his shit was unreal. That ball also made a sound I had never heard before...cuz I sure didnt SEE it

[BCauley]

Best I've ever seen play is probably Pedro Martinez during his peak. I've been able to see a fair amount of players that went on to the HoF but Pedro at his peak was a treat to watch.

Not sure if I'd say I actually "met" him, but I did get Yaz's autograph at a card show about 25 years ago or so. Didn't talk or anything. Earl Weaver and Carlton Fisk were great at the shows I went to and were very personable.

[steve B]

Yes, seen play is a tough one. So many great players between 74 and now (Or for me a few years ago, the Sox have been an expensive ticket.

I'd have to give sort of an honorable mention to Hank Aaron. I went to a game in 76 on a church trip and he was there, but didn't play in that game.

The usual suspects for the Red Sox, Yaz, Rice, Lynn, Clemens, Boggs, Ortiz, Pedro...

I haven't been to many hockey or Basketball games, but did get to see Havliceks last game, which got rescheduled from the collapsed Hartford Civic Center to the last game of the year at the old Garden.

I haven't made it to any pro football games, but did go to Army-Navy four times.

The best player I ever met? I'll call it a tie, although by stats it's not really close. Bob Feller who I got to sit with for a while at a minor league doubleheader in I think 75? And Brooks Robinson who I met at a SI hospitality suite in 76. (which I was WAY underage for, but sometimes the rules have to be set aside. Thanks Dad! )

[mcgwirecom]

Saw Aaron play. Saw Nolan pitch. Saw Trout play. Saw Jordan's last game.

Met Feller. Met Joe D. Met Aaron