Top 3 baseball players of the 20th century?

Answer 1

Babe Ruth
Josh Gibson
Ty Cobb- he was, well you know, but we are focusing on baseball, right?

Answer 2

I think the top 3 in the 20th century would have to be 1. Hank Aaron, 2. Babe Ruth, and 3. Jackie Robinson for all he's done for the game of baseball

Answer 3

Interesting question and everyone who answers this will back up their choices strongly. I am going to answer your question the way you asked it. The best players, I won't take into account what they may or may not have done off the field. Only what they did on it.
For me I think the best players of the 20th century all played very early.
Babe Ruth, while I wasn't a fan of his from the accounts I have read, you can't take away what he did in the game. He hit with power but also for average. You don't see that in today's game and haven't seen it for a long, long time.
Ty Cobb, he hit in the dead ball era. Most people today don't realize what kind of a feat that was to do this.
Honus Wagner, possibly the greatest player to ever play this game. He could do everything and like Cobb, he played most of his career in the dead ball era which was when scuffing the ball or placing a foreign substance on it was legal! That didn't change until 1919.
Great question

Answer 4

Up to 1884 pitchers were not allowed to throw overhand. Throwing underhand put far less strain on your elbow and shoulder and pitchers could pitch almost every day. Radbourn started 73 of Providence's 112 games that year. In 1884 the NL changed the rule to allow overhand pitching. Given that Radbourn had already been in the league for a few years, I suspect he still pitched more underhand at the time. However, he must have started to throw overhand and dealt with the extra wear and tear on his arm, as the following year his games and innings total dropped and never again came back to his 1883-84 level. Still, 60 wins is crazy. If a modern pitcher made 36 starts in a year and had the same winning percentage AND the same percentage of decisions (Radbourn got the decision in either 71 or 72 of his 75 appearances), we would have a 30 game winner.

Answer 5

Babe Ruth - The original home run king brought baseball out of the deadball era. Also one heck of a pitcher, check his WS pitching stats.

Willie Mays - Hands down the best five-tool player in MLB history.

Walter Johnson - Only pitcher with 400+ wins in 20th century. Also had 531 complete games (110 shoutouts) and is top ten all-time in K's with a career 2.17 ERA

Answer 6

Ruth - Revolutionized the game and set many records in half the time others took to rewrite them. The single most revolutionary athlete from this past century.

Aaron - RBI and homer totals are amazing; especially in an era when black players were still discriminated against.

Cobb - A terrible human being, but look at all those stolen bases and that INSANE lifetime average. I understand that in 1911 he struck out swinging only TWICE!? A fantastic ballplayer.

In no order. Walter Johnson probably belongs in there somewhere.

Answer 7

1) Babe Ruth - His numbers speak for themselves. A career top-10 guy in so many categories, and his power changed the game. He twice finished 35 homers ahead of the second-place finisher, and in 1920 he had more homers than any other team! Unbelievable hitter, and a great pitcher too.

2) Ty Cobb - I hate this guy with a passion - racist, homophobic, just a complete *** - but he was an amazing ballplayer.

3) Ted Williams - If he hadn't missed those three prime years due to World War II, he'd challenge Cobb for second on my list.

I know I've ignored some ***** League candidates (notably Josh Gibson), but I find it hard to evaluate them based on scant statistical evidence, most of which is shaky at best.

Answer 8

Babe Ruth
Hank Aaron
Ty Cobb

There are so many great players in baseball history. I chose these because of all they accomplished in the game and the great numbers. For example Babe Ruth's lifetime slugging average of .690 and a .342 lifetime average and 94 wins as a pitcher to go along with 714 homers is why I chose him first. Hank Aaron had great longevity producing records in homeruns and rbi's during his splendid career along with 3771 hits. Ty Cobb probably the meanest and most determined player ever had a .367 lifetime average. stole 892 bases with 4191 hits is the reason I have him at 3rd.

Answer 9

1. Jackie Robinson because he help make the game of baseball a sport of diversity.

2. Ty Cobb because he is the only Baseball Hall of Famer who has the most Hits

3. Babe Ruth because he help the New York Yankees become a successful baseball team.

Answer 10

Babe Ruth-Revolutionized the game and was a great pitcher early in his career.
Willie Mays -Speed,power,defense.Greatest CF of all time
and I have a toss up between Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams.
When people think about hitting;they usually think of Teddy Ballgame.Gehrig played every day and was somewhat in the shadow of the Babe even though he was a great in his own right.Better hitter and more consistent than Ripken in the the iron man contest

Answer 11

Whoever has Jeter in their top is a little full of themselves. Same with Griffey and Pujols (though Pujols could be on this list in another decade).

Babe Ruth
Hank Aaron
Ted Williams

Honorable mention to Ty Cobb and I'd even throw Roger Clemens in there for all his Cy Youngs and his success at such an old age. Bonds actually deserves a spot, but he's an ***.