Who is your favorite childhood baseball player?

[Bagwell-1994]

As a kid in the 80's reading baseball books my favorite historical player was Ted Williams. Dude was the last to hit 0.400 in a season and lost a good chunk of his prime career to the war and still hit 521 homers.

My favorite modern player I watched (as you may have guessed from username) was Jeff Bagwell. I loved imitating his goofy squat stance while me and my brothers played back yard baseball with a tennis ball and rake stick. The guy hit for power, average, took walks, stole bases and body slammed opponents during brawls! He broke my heart in postseason play much of the time but still holds a special place in my heart regardless.

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[Peter_Spaeth]

Senators late 60s, Frank Howard was about all there was to root for.

[PowderedH2O]

My favorites were Jim Rice and Fred Lynn. Oh, if Freddie had stayed with the Sox...

[Wihawk]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Senators late 60s, Frank Howard was about all there was to root for.

My first year in Little League 1968 my team was called the Senators, so Frank Howard was it for me. I just loved the Nestle Quick commercial starring "Hondo", couldn't wait to see it Saturday mornings watching cartoons.

In 69-70 I became a Dodgers fan and Don Sutton then Steve Garvey were absolutely my favorite players till they were traded.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Darryl Strawberry

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[Bagwell-1994]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

Darryl Strawberry

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Why Darryl? Just curious to know what about his game made you adore him?

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[KCRfan1]

The KC Royals are my team. I have followed the team from the beginning, and as a 6 year old (at the time growing up in a small Kansas town 1970) with a name of Lou, my player was Lou Piniella. My next door neighbor, a teenager named Mike Bartlow called me sweet Lou.

[Jayjones82]

Nolan Ryan in the last few years of his awesome career. I couldn't believe that a guy that old was that good (while playing for pretty crappy teams most of his career). And that fight with Ventura was like watching a collision between baseball generations and the older generation kicked butt. I still laugh when I see a pic of that moment, with Ryan holding Ventura in a headlock.

[Bagwell-1994]

Originally Posted by Jayjones82

Nolan Ryan in the last few years of his awesome career. I couldn't believe that a guy that old was that good (while playing for pretty crappy teams most of his career). And that fight with Ventura was like watching a collision between baseball generations and the older generation kicked butt. I still laugh when I see a pic of that moment, with Ryan holding Ventura in a headlock.

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[MrPosadas]

Frank Thomas


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[frankbmd]

“The Catch” gave me the Willies, simply aMaysing.

[Writehooks]

Born in '56 and grew up in Victoria, B.C. Became a die-hard Yankees fan thanks to KVOS-TV in Bellingham, Washington, and loved to watch Mantle and Maris as a kid. In the early '70s briefly switched to the Swingin' A's because of Catfish and Reggie, but returned to the Evil Empire when Hunter went to New York in '74.

[jimmer77]

Will Clark. Growing up in the late 80's early 90's, I loved his intensity.

[guy3050]

Growing up in Montreal in the early 70's my favorite player was Mack Jones.

[the 'stache]

Robin Yount and Roberto Clemente. I liked Paul Molitor a lot, too, and Jim Gantner.

Yount, Molitor and Gantner played like a million games together.

[holybull]

Johnny Bench.....I was 10 when the Reds won the World Series in 1975 and followed that up with another in 1976....Bench was the 1976 WS MVP...rest is history....

[bmattioli]

Jim Rice. Saw him in Double A in Bristol CT and was hooked.. In '75 my buddy across the street followed Lynn and I followed Rice. What a great year and Summer of Baseball..

[Mike D.]

Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens, which basically reveals where and when I grew up.

[RTK]

Ernie Banks. I wasn't around for his prime years but I'm old enough to have seen him play his last several years, maybe 5-6 games. WGN, the Cubs & Ernie, it was a great childhood.

[swabie2424]

Bobby Murcer was my hero as a young boy. Adored him and still do. My mother sewed me a custom Murcer Yankees #2 pinstripe uni to wear when I was 4 years old. (God Bless her!)

The victim of unreal expectations, he still had an awesome career. A .277 hitter with over 250 HRs and over 1,000 RBIs. 5 time All-Star and a heck of a broadcaster and an even better human being.

My mother-in-law recently passed from a brain tumor - the same type that claimed Murcer's life. I never appreciated how awful he had it near the end until I saw a loved one go through it.

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by RTK

Ernie Banks. I wasn't around for his prime years but I'm old enough to have seen him play his last several years, maybe 5-6 games. WGN, the Cubs & Ernie, it was a great childhood.

Ernie Banks was my childhood hero, too. Those were great times. Regardless of how things ended in '69, I loved that team. They were a strong contender for several wonderful years, after being a doormat for a couple decades. Have a great day, bro. ---- Brian Powell

[Exhibitman]

That's an easy one:



I was almost nine years old when Hank Aaron broke the record and deep in the throes of a boyhood infatuation with the game, so Hank Aaron was a god.

[RedsFan1941]

the reds’ Big Klu for me!

[mocean]

Darryl Strawberry for me - 1986 was the first world series I saw as a kid (on TV, not in person). I imitated his leg kick in my swing throughout my childhood.

[perezfan]

Tony Perez was my favorite. Rose, Morgan and Bench got all the attention... and with good reason. But Perez quietly delivered every time they needed it most. I've still never seen a better clutch hitter, or a guy who could continually get that crucial 2-out hit. Even Sparky admitted that Tony was the Heart & Soul of those pennant-winning Bid Red Machine teams.

I even made my Mom sew a number 24 onto my little league jersey (they were not numbered back in the '60s). I live in the Seattle area now, and boy could the M's use a Tony Perez! And the way Votto is playing, I suppose the same could be said of the Reds.

[nolemmings]

This guy, from the first year I started buying packs:

[MarcosCards]

Arriving in Detroit through a straight-up trade for batting champ Harvey Kuenn in 1960, Rocky Colavito caused young boys to cheer and women to swoon.

With a rocket arm, a powerful bat, and Hollywood good looks, he was one for the ages in Detroit. Take a look at his 1963 Topps (#330) card — royalty in an Old-English D.

Who remembers the behind-the-back bat stretch he’d do while on deck?

[Jakkal]

Ken Griffey Jr. - I tried so hard to copy his swing when I was young but could never pull it off even half as smooth.

[swish54]

My favorite is Andre Dawson. Started heavily watching the Cubs in '87 as a 6 year old kid during his MVP season and was a fan ever since.

[jason.1969]

If you're my age and grew up in L.A. there was only one option. It was the first baseman who hit .300, collected 200 hits, and drove in 100 runs seemingly every year--and most importantly was a Topps all-star every year.

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[scottzoe]

Fred Lynn and Jim Rice. Lynn may have the slight edge in that I'm a lefty as well and could copy his swing.