Who is your favorite retired baseball player of all time and why?

Question

You can choose anyone from the history of the game, dead or alive, as long as they are no longer active. (Obviously dead folks fit this criteria!) Please elaborate on why you liked and/or admired them. Was it their skills on the field? Their personality? Their accomplishments? Their competitive nature? Something else? Whatever it was that makes you like him.

Thanks in advance for your thoughtful responses!

Answer 1

I can think of several but I am going to go with someone that probably no one else would ever think of and that is retired starting pitcher, Charles Nagy of the Cleveland Indians. Why? Because Charlie was a winner on and off the baseball diamond. He won in double digits year after year and placed second in wins only to Pedro Martinez one season. He did take less money to stay in Cleveland and he never complained. When he lost a tough game or a crucial game you could see how it pained him but he did not complain. He had grit and he was a true competitor. Not only that, Charlie was a class act off of the field as well. I met him several times - he was always willing to sign autographs but the incident that I will always remember was getting his autograph, thanking him and Charlie saying, "No, thank you." How many major leaguers these days do that?? This year, Charlie was one of several retired Indians to be inducted into the Indians Hall of Fame at Jacobs Field. I made sure to be there - he is definitely one of Cleveland's biggest unsung heroes. Charlie - if this message ever gets to you somehow -thank you for all you did in an Indians uniform.

Answer 2

Walter Johnson. The mere thought of if this had man played for a winning team throughout his career is scary.

He won 417 playing for a "very bad" Senators team and was a true gentleman about it the entire time. A true class act.

This is a man who received a comment from Ty Cobb possibly the greatest hitter of all time who had never given a living sole the time of day let alone a compliment. Cobb stated that Johnson threw fire as Johnson struck him out. One of the very few pitchers ever to do so.

How good was Johnson? A batter once faced him and took strike one, he then watched strike two blaze by him and didn't have time to even flinch. With two strikes on him he preceded to leave the box and the umpire ask where are you going? The batter stated, back to the dugout, there's no need for me to swing at something I can't see.

Johnson's numbers put Cy Young's numbers to shame across the board and people praise Cy Young for being the greatest pitcher of all time just because of his 511 wins which is insane.

I truly believe that the best pitcher award in baseball has the wrong man's name on it. It should be called the Walter Johnson award.

Answer 3

Cal Ripken Jr.; his play was inspiring and he revolutionized the SS position. "Three things to rely on: Death, Taxes and CAL!" I was not from Baltimore, I grew up on the West Coast. I got a chance to go to a game in Baltimore with my uncle who was a season ticket holder (1997), he pulled some strings and got me a chance to meet Cal, he took a lot of time with me, I spent about two hours with him in the clubhouse before the game, he was introducing me around and just talking to me like a normal person. I love when you met your idol and he turns out to be a genuinely nice guy. I have met A LOT of players over the years (Living in Boston, I was a field consultant for the Red Sox and Pats in the late 90's early 2000's, met most of the players), I met the 93 A's and Giants as a reward from a High School baseball coach...none of my experience's outside of that were what I would consider great, a good friend of mine IDOLIZED Will "the thrill" Clark and when we met him at the Giants he was a jerk, he ended up shoving the kid (18 years old) into the batting cage and telling him "Outta my way little boy!" This guy was crushed so I was not hopeful after that when I met Cal, I was afraid that he would disappoint me like Will had disappointed my friend (oddly enough Matt Williams and Barry Bonds of ALL people were the nicest to us the day we were with them!). Cal is a class act!

Answer 4

For me it was Mickey Mantle. He was the greatest pure talent the game has ever known. If he had played without all of those terrible injuries there is no telling how many home runs he would have hit. At his peak, he was the fastest man in baseball. A great leader and teammate. He was always accessible to the media and was a great interview.

I was fortunate enough to have met Mantle on three different occasions. What stood out for me was that he remembered me. The conversation was light, as I was a kid, but it left an everlasting impression on me. He gave me the time and talked with me! He was my favorite player of all time and he just happened to be a Yankee. I've been a Yankee fan ever since.

Answer 5

Tony Conigliaro,Boston red sox,only MLB player I know that got hit in the face by a pitched baseball,and tried to make a valiant comeback try [ check out the cover Sports Illstraded june 22 1970]

Answer 6

Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs......He brought so much warmth to Wrigley Field......great player and always smiling.....famous for saying "Lets play two today"....and is affectionately known as Mr. Cub....he always found time to talk to everyone, including me when he was leaving the player's exit an hour after a game......a wonderful player and a goodwill ambassador for baseball....I will always remember #14,,,,,,yes he is still living....he is tied with Eddie Mathews of the old Milwaukee Breves with 512 Home Runs and won back to back NL MVP in 1958 and 1959....played shortstop but in later years third base and first base......the flag on the left field foul pole is white with a blue #14.....a great man and a tribute to baseball.

Answer 7

Dale Murphy. I grew up in Western NC and that was Braves country. In 1982 (the only year in that decade the Braves were any good) I was 9 years old and I became hooked on Murphy and the Braves. Dale Murphy is the reason I love baseball. He's also not a bad role model.

Answer 8

Mike Schmidt was my childhood idol. I collected all his baseball cards as a kid and loved to watch the Phillies play whenever I could. Schmidt was a nice guy on & off the field. He in my opinion is the greatest 3rd basemen of all time. I think I liked Schmidt because he went to Ohio U. in Athens Ohio which is like 30 miles from where I live. I hope too see him managing a team some day.

Answer 9

Roger Maris was my boyhood idol - a great player who always gave his all and helped his team win. He appeared in more world series in the 1960s than any other player. I had a lot of respect for him since he took so much unjustified abuse from the fans and press. He was a great family man and a model husband and father. He was a simple and reticent man who was crucified by the New York media for his blunt and honest responses to their asinine and relentless questions.

Answer 10

Billy Williams and Ernie Banks. As a kid growing up 100 miles from Chicago, we got all the Cub games on WGN. Everybody was a Cub fan and those two were the best players. Now they are Chicago sports icons.