Not the power of Willie Mays but everything else and perhaps the most desire of any professional athlete.
2007-10-29 15:00:01 · 12 answers · asked by Celestine C 2 in Sports ➔ Baseball
I actually saw Clemente play a number of times at Dodger stadium in the 60's, and I can tell you he was an unbelievable player. A five tool player and maybe the best defensive outfielder of all time. I loved to watch Clemente play and I was a huge fan of his, but to say he was the second greatest player of all time might be a stretch. I would have no problem with the top ten or fifteen but whatever the number he was a great player and an asset to the game of baseball.
2007-10-29 15:24:21 · answer #1 · answered by Frizzer 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Clemente was a great player but he was not the second greatest of all time. He doesn't crack the starting outfield, since I'd take Mays, Aaron, Ruth, Mantle, Williams and Bonds ahead of him.
Which is far from a criticism of Clemente, just being realistic.
If the contest was for the best man then Clemente would be #1.
2007-10-29 16:15:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You could make an argument for him in the top 20, but there's no way he's a top-two player.
Off the top of my head - Ruth, Mays, Foxx, Bonds, Williams, Gehrig, Mantle, Frank Robinson. All of those guys are better players than was Clemente. I'm not arguing that he wasn't full of desire, or a great guy, but he's not a guy who belongs in the argument about the greatest of all-time.
2007-10-29 15:05:33 · answer #3 · answered by Craig S 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Great player, had a gun of an arm, was a hustler, great man and a 4 time batting champion. Top 50 no doubt. there are always going to be better players than one of your favorite (unless its Babe Ruth), but if you want to put him there, its your prerogitive. You will always get arguments over it, but one thing about it....You picked a good one
2007-10-29 20:56:42 · answer #4 · answered by allenmontana 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was a great player whose career was cut short, but he wasn't even close to the second best, and maybe not even top 20. There were so many players better:
Ruth
Gehrig
Williams
DiMaggio
Mantle
Mays
Hornsby
Cobb
Schmidt
Greenberg
Wagner
Speaker
Joe Jackson
Ott
Aaron
A-Rod
and, pending steroid results:
Sosa
McGuire
Bonds
etc, etc.
2007-10-29 15:59:03 · answer #5 · answered by Bill 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't know about that because there are fantastic baseball players out there and roberto clemente was indeed talented!!
but
i think he had the greatest heart :)
2007-10-29 18:02:29 · answer #6 · answered by ♥ mimi ♥ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Somewhere in the bottom two-fifths of the Top 25 maybe. No lower than, oh, 35th.
But second? No. Couldn't pitch.
2007-10-29 16:06:45 · answer #7 · answered by Chipmaker Authentic 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Babe Ruth
Josh Gibson
Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
2007-10-29 15:05:17 · answer #8 · answered by josh_huth 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
He was great, but not that great.
Where he was greatest was as a human being. He was the last real hero baseball ever had.
2007-10-29 15:05:19 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
WRONG WRONG WRONG
Roberto Clemente was THE BEST player to ever step onto a baseball field. Hands down.
At least that's my opinion ;)
2007-10-29 15:03:35 · answer #10 · answered by eric54_20 4 · 1⤊ 4⤋