Who are your top 5 all round baseball players of all time?

Answer 1

5. Lou Gehrig -Standing inside Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig declared himself the “luckiest man on the face of the earth.” Remarkably humble and modest for a man of his stature, he was not used to the outpouring of public support showered upon him by 62,000 fans in attendance. It was on that day Lou Gehrig officially retired from Major League Baseball. It is probably one of most famous speaches in baseball if not in American History. The image of Gehrig a humbled man in front of his peers and fans will be remembered forever. Lou Gehrig said "Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.



Gehrig played seventeen years all in New York. He had 162 game averages of 37 HR, 149 RBI, and .340 BA. This does include three seasons (1923, 1924, 1939) in which Gehrig played less than 13 games. He is considered one the most prolific hitters to ever play the game. He won the Triple Crown in 1934 as well as winning the AL-MVP award in 1927 and 1936. He is a seven time All-Star and helped the Yankees win 6 World Series titles. Gehrig also holds the record for most grand slams in a career with 23. He set a record by playing in a consecutive streak of 2,130 professional baseball games throughout his career, despite 17 fractures in his hands and other minor injuries. Gehrig’s record stood until Cal Ripken, Jr. broke it in 1995. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. In light of his progressive illness, the usual two-year waiting period after a player retires was waived in Gehrig’s case.

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), is now known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is an incurable fatal neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness, resulting in paralysis. On June 2, 1941, Lou Gehrig succumbed to ALS and the country mourned. He is now honored by many and considered one of the best players to ever play and one of the finest men to represent the greatest game ever played, baseball.

4.Henry "Hank" Aaron -Hammerin" Hank Aaron is the all-time Home run record holder with 755 in his career. A career that spanned 23 season (21 with the Braves). The Atalanta Braves were still in Milwaukee and then were moved to Atlanta. He played his last two seasons back in Milwaukee with the Brewers. In a 162 game average of his career he would hit 37 HR, 113 RBI, and a .305 BA. The durability fort a player to accomplish such high numbers for suach a long period is only compounderd by the racism endured through this time period as well. Lesser men would have broken. The chase to beat the Babe heated up in the summer of 1973 and with it the mail. Aaron needed a secretary to sort it as he received more than an estimated 3,000 letters a day, more than any American outside of politics. Unfortunately, racsist initially did much of the writing.


The letters came from every state, but most were postmarked in northern cities. They were filled with hate; more hate than Aaron had ever imagined. "This," Aaron said later about the letters, "changed me." Aaron hit his 700th home run off of the Phillies', Ken Brett. The 1973 season ended with Aaron at 713 homers after hitting a remarkable 40 in just 392 at-bats. He was 39. Aaron broke baseball's all time RBI record in May of 75' and in July of 76' he hit his 755th and final home run.

Aaron was a 21 time All-Star, the 1970 Lou Gehrig award winner, and the NL- MVP in 1957. He also is the All-time RBI leader (2,297), All-time total bases leader (6,856), All-time extra-base hits leader (1,477) and was the first player to reach 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.

3.Willie Mays- Mays was a 20 time All-Starand is regarded as one of the finest players to ever play the game of baseball. He played in a time when whites weren't exactly ready for the best baseball player to be black. If you have ever heard the term "the catch" it is him. With his back to home plate, Mays caught the ball over his left shoulder, and "then whirled and threw, like some olden statue of a Greek javelin hurler, his head twisted away to the left as his right arm swept out and around ... And as he turned, or as he threw -- I could not tell which, the two motions were welded into one -- off came the cap, and then Mays himself continued to spin around after the gigantic effort of returning the ball whence it came, and he went down flat on his belly, and out of sight." The Catch helped the Giants win the World Series in four games, their first series win since 1933, and their last to date. The catch is widely known as one of baseballs finest plays of all time and one of the most memorable.

In 1952 the "Say-Hey-Kid" traded in his spikes for military boots after being drafted. The Giants lost Mays for most of 1952 and all of 1953. He returned to the team in 1954.

Mays has no shortage of awards for his storied career as well. He is also the first player to have 300 stolen bases and 300 home runs, he finished with 660 HR. His combination of speed, fielding and hitting put him in the top five of the all century team created in the late nineties.

For 22 seasons in baseball Mays had a 162 game average of 36 HR, 103 RBI, and a .302 BA. Mays was a 12 time Gold Glove winner, 20 time All-Star, 1951 Rookie of the year, 1954 Player of the year (after returning from the Korean War), two time All-Star MVP, 1971 Roberto Clemete Award winner, and two time NL-MVP. While he only won one World Series he apeared in four. He led the Majors from 1956-1959 in stolen bases. He was also in the top five in all of baseball every season he played in extra base hits. Mays said that Joe Dimaggio was the greatest living player, until he died in 1999. Now with Mays it's worth looking back at the 20-time All-Star, who is now, officially, the "greatest living baseball player" -- much better late than never.



2. Ted Williams -He is also simply known as "Teddy Ballgame". He is widely know as the pure hitter of all time. He served in two different wars during his career which also only heightens the lure of one of baseballs greatest players. In May of 1942 , Ted signed up for duty. He went to the naval recruiting station on Causeway Street in Boston where he met with Lieutenant Donahue. Lt. Donahue swore him in and signed Ted up for naval aviation. He didn’t have to report until the end of the 42’ season. He returned to baseball in 1946 and promptly hit 38 HR, 123 RBI ant batted .342 for the season. In 1952 he again was serving his country in the Korean War. He flew 39 missions before returning home of July 1953.

Ted Williams has some hardware as well, and you knew I was going to let you know what it was. It is quite a list of accomplishments. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1939 (according to his website) he is a 17 time All-Star, two time AL_MVP, two time Triple Crown winner and five time Major League Player of the year award winner. He had a 162 game average of 37 HR, 130 RBI, and a .344 average. He is the last player to hit .400 as well. He led the league in On base percentage as well.

Ted Williams was not close at all with the media. He was very uncomfortable around them. He felt they liked to discuss his personal life as much as his baseball performance. Insecure about his upbringing, stubborn because of the immense confidence in his beliefs, Williams made up his mind that the "knights of the keyboard" were against him and treated most of them accordingly, as he describes in his memoir, "My Turn at Bat." Williams also had an uneasy relationship with his fans as well. He was great one-on-one with fans. Williams felt at times a good deal of gratitude, for their passion and their knowledge of the game. On the other hand, Williams was temperamental, high-strung, and at times tactless. He gave generously to those in need, and demanded loyalty to those around him.

Ted Williams will be forever known as Teddy Ballgame and as one of the most iconic Personas in all of sports. He fought in two wars, never won a World Series, and still managed to have one of the most prolific careers in all of sports. Ted Williams retired from the game in 1960, and hit a home run in his final at-bat, on September 28, 1960, in front of only 10,454 fans at Fenway Park



finnaly number 1 gave this quites some though but here its is




1. George Herman "Babe" Ruth - The Babe is the first name in baseball. He is the name that all have heard. He became a Major Leaguer at the tender age of 19. He pitched and played outfield for the Red Sox for the next six years. Ruth made an immediate impact both on and off the field. Stories of his off-the-field eating and drinking escapades have become as legendary as his baseball accomplishments. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest hitters of all time, but he was an equally adept pitcher. In his first World Series game for Boston in 1916, Babe set a record that still stands today. Ruth took the mound in Game 4 against the National League Champion Brooklyn Robins. He got off to a rocky start in the first inning by giving up a quick run, but settled down to pitch 13 scoreless innings for the 2-1 win. The 14-inning gem stands as the longest complete game in World Series history.

During his 22-year professional career, Babe cemented his name as the most prolific home run hitter of his time. In 1927, he hit 60 home runs during a 154-game stretch. This record stood until 1961, when Roger Maris hit 61 homers in an expanded 162-game schedule. Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick decided Maris' record would enter the record books with an asterisk denoting the difference in the schedule. He may no longer be the career home run king, but his record .690 lifetime slugging percentage may never be topped. Writers attempted to capture the essence of his greatness by giving him nicknames like "The Great Bambino" and "The Sultan of Swat."


There is also the famous called shot. Perhaps the most famous moment in baseball history, and certainly of Babe's career, came during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. In 5th inning, after he had already hit one homer, Babe came up to bat. He ran the count to two balls and two strikes. Before Cubs pitcher Charlie Root hurled the next pitch, amid the heckling of Cubs fans, Babe pointed to the center field bleachers. Then he slammed what is believed to be the longest home run ever hit out of Wrigley Field, directly above the spot where he had pointed. This story has been as debated as often as it has been celebrated. Did he really call his shot, or was he simply pointing at the pitcher? The world may never know. However, to many fans this moment symbolizes the golden age of baseball. The Yankees went on to win the 1932 World Series, their third sweep in four years.

The Babe was also a quite the elder statesman of the game and was almost always pictured with bunches of kids all around him. He also promoted the game overseas as well. Which at the time was a lot harder than it is today. Babe spent his post-baseball years giving talks on the radio, orphanages and hospitals. He also served as a spokesperson for United States War Bonds during World War II. He was acknowledged for his legendary status as a player when he was among the first five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, along with Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson and Honus Wagner.

While it was nearly impossible to compare these players through all the different eras than can be arguments made all around as to who should be on this list. Mickey Mantle and Roberto Clemente should have maybe been on the list as well as Tris Speaker and many others. The were so many factors that made the comparison almost impractical. It is always imperative to remeber that some of the players didn't play intergrated baseball and todays players have strength and conditioning programs as well. Anyway here you have it, my list of the top tep players in baseball of all time.

Answer 2

1. Ty Cobb - Ty was a complete psycho! but he played the game of baseball like no other.
He ranks #1 all-time ba, #2 all-time hits, #2 all-time runs scored,
#4 all-time steals, #5 all-time rbi's. With these type of numbers he didn't need the long ball. ( Greatest 5 tool player )

2. George Herman Babe Ruth - He made the home run a spectacle of joy. #3 all-time hr's, #2 all-time rbi's, #4 all-time runs scored. Great pitching numbers as well. He could have had a lot better numbers had he taken better care of himself.

3. Hank Aaron - If you look up the word consistency in the dictionary you will see a picture of Hank's face. He did everything and he did it well. #1 all-time hr's, #1 all-time rbi's, #3 all-time hits, #3 all-time runs scored. solid as a rock.

4. Lou Gehrig - Babe's great shadow. Had Lou's career not ended at so early he would be #2 on this list. From 1926 to 1938 he averaged 153 rbi's a season, best ever over a 12 year period.
Even with his short career he's #3 all-time rbi's, #9 all-time runs scored, #15 all-time ba, #21 all-time home runs., and he played in 2130 game in a row. Oh'... what could have been.

5. Cy Young - #1 all-time 511 career wins will not be touched ever. Won 30 or more games 4 times in his career. Won 21+ games 15 out of 22 seasons in the majors. Pitched 400+ innings 4 years. Is #16 all-time in strike outs. Was so good, baseball named it's highest pitching honor after him.

Answer 3

Nolan Ryan "The Ryan Express" - Holds more pitching records than any pitcher in history.

Mickey Mantle "The Commerce Comet" - Best switch hitter in my opinion. Had bad knees but tremendous upper body strength. Still holds the record for the longest recorded home run off of Chuck Stobbs at Washington's Griffith Stadium at 565 ft in 1953.

Willie Mays - The "Say Hey" kid. Best centerfielder on defense the game has ever seen. Famous for the "Basket Catch".

Lou Gehrig "The Iron Horse" - One of the game's great first basemen. Retired from the game after being diagnosed with what is now ALS or Lou Gehring's disease. His retirement speech remains a landmark in baseball history.

Babe Ruth - Probably the greatest player of the game anybody has ever known or heard of. Had many nicknames, including "The Great Bambino".

Answer 4

As I understand the question... these are the best all-around athletes (the 5-tool guys) not necessarily the best baseball players of all-time. Still... a tough question because I know I'm gonna' forget a few:-) Not including pitchers (for example, Ron Guidry was an exceptional athlete/baseball talent). Here's my list (in no particular order):

Willie Mays
Roberto Clemente
Andre Dawson
Mickey Mantle
Vladimir Guerrero
.

Answer 5

Is hard to pick 5 because there are so many great players but for me: 1-Babe Ruth (he changed this game) 2- Ty Cobb- 3-Lou Gehrig(very underrated) 4- Willy Mays and to throw a pitcher on the mix 5- Nolan Ryan.
But again, is very unfair because there are so many great players from the past and present that is impossible to make a selection of just 5

Answer 6

If you're meaning "5" tool players: hit, hit for power, run, field, and throw:

1) Willie Mays (Best all all-around athlete in MLB history)

2) Roberto Clemente (Great arm, great average, .475 lifetime slugging average)

3) Mickey Mantle (without injuries, would have been the best all-around - bar none!)

4) Andre Dawson (438 HRs, 318 Stolen Bases, 157 lifetime outfield assists)

5) Rickey Henderson or Frank Robinson (Ricky for his speed / OPS - he did win a Gold Glove in 1981 and Frank for his pure power - he won a Gold Glove in 1958)

I like Mike Schmidt too, had 174 career stolen bases and 10 gold gloves. The others would be hard to top. Dawson should be in the hall-of-fame; his career is often over-looked; played for bad teams (Cubs and Expos) and was over-shadowed by alot of great players from the 1970's.

Answer 7

Babe Ruth obviously. He was like a superstar of today playing in the '20's-30's. He was a tough built player like today, who could crush the ball better than most, if not all of the players of old.

Ty Cobb. You pretty much have to have Ty Cobb on any list associated with the greatest players in baseball history. His ability to hit for such a high average is amazing. I believe he is something like a CAREER .372 average. Something like that. But when you think of how few players hit for that in a single season these days, it shows how talented of a hitter he was.

Albert Pujols - He will probably be recognized with many of these players when his career is over if he stays healthy for the rest of his playing days. He can hit for an amazing average, considering how many home runs he hits. He is a clutch hitter, and can single-handedly take over a game. Heck, he can even swipe 15+ bases as he showed us last season, and proves he is a winner after leading the Cards to the playoffs the least few years, and helping them to a world championship this past season.

Cal Ripken Jr. - The iron man of baseball. With that amazing consecutive games streak and the way he played during that streak is why he deserves to be on this list. Talk about an all-around player, this is one of them. His ability to hit for average was there. He had good power. He also had outstanding defensive abilities when he played 3rd base and shortstop. Another thing that is important is that he was likeable, and a leader in the clubhouse. Cal Ripken Jr. is definitely one of the greatest players of all-time.

Roger "The Rocket" Clemens - As much as I don't want to include him in this list, I am going to because he deserves the credit. A pitcher who could throw fire early in his career, a strikeout master. He gives his team a chance to win every time he takes the mound. The fact that he has played for the two most storied teams in baseball helps his status as well. But when you see him dominating pitchers at his age with all of these great young talented hitters, you know he is a competetor and loves to play the game, and play it well. He has nasty stuff and with his ability to win and continue pitching so well, for so long Clemens should be added to this list.

There are many other players worthy of being included in this list, but of the top of my head, this is what came to mind.

Answer 8

Babe Ruth the greatest hitter of all-time hit for average and power Plus a great pitcher
Willie Mays one of the best hitters, base-runners and a great fielder
Mike Schmidt the best third baseman ever to play the game
Derek Jeter a teammate from the word jump. He leads on an off the field with class
Roger Clemens the best pitcher I’ve ever seen

Answer 9

All around baseball players do everything well. In that context, my top 5 are:

Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
Roberto Clemente
Ken Griffey, Jr.
Jackie Robinson

Answer 10

I watched my first baseball game in 1965, so I'll base my choices on what I've seen in the last 41 years. Best all around player ever Willie Mays. Other top five: Roberto Clemente, best outfield throwing arm, George Brett, pure gumption, Pete Rose,sprinted to first base on routine ground ball outs, and Wade Boggs, best contact hitter I've ever seen and quick glove.

Answer 11

Babe Ruth, Henry Arron, Willie Mays, Lou Gerhig, Stan Musial. There are loads of other players who could make the top 5 obviously. I have picked no modern day players due to the fact that the mound was lowered to aid the hitters in 1969, the quality of starting pitching has been diluted due to expansion, and modern day hitters play in smaller ballparks in general to name but a few things that aid the modern day hitters. I have choosen no pitchers due to the fact that they have never played every day and never will.