Of these common first names who are the best in Reds baseball history?

[icehole3]

Thomas, John, James, Michael, Joseph :)

[Crumbley]

Jamiroquai

[icehole3]

Jamiroquai

I love weird names, especially kids with car names. :)

[Moosie52]

Should have thrown Peter in there.

[bob jones]

Keefe Cato

[chicoruiz]

The best "Thomas" is a tough call, and the pool of "Michael"s is pretty thin. Otherwise, seems pretty straightforward.


But how about the best "William"?

[redsmetz]

OK, I'll play.

I've been pondering the name Tom and players for the Reds. I'm hardpressed to think of many significant ones, but I'm going to choose Tom Seaver just barely over Tom Browning. Browning had the longer career with the Reds, but I think Seaver's time with the Reds was, overall, better than Brownings. But this is a close call.

The only others that jumped out at me of any significance were Tommy Helms and Tommy Harper, but they're years really weren't anything to write home about. Looking at Helms' ROY Award, no knock against Tommy, but that was probably the most lackluster year for Rookies ever.

I can't help but think you might be up to something tricky, like a player who wasn't known by one of these names, but whose first name was one of them. That said, of course, that could disqualify Tom Terrific since his first name was George.

[cumberlandreds]

John has to be John Bench.

Joe would have to be Morgan and an honorable mention to Joe Nuxhall.

[redsmetz]

The best "Thomas" is a tough call, and the pool of "Michael"s is pretty thin. Otherwise, seems pretty straightforward.


But how about the best "William"?

I think you have to go back to the earliest days of the franchise to the pitcher Will White [http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/whitewi01.shtml]

His stats are other-worldly. In 1879, he pitched 680 innings in an 81 game season. From 1882 to 1884, he went 117-52, going 40-12; 43-22 and 34-18. He essentially was the primary pitcher for the club.

He's in the Reds HOF, but falls short in the national HOF, although several of his comparables are in.

[medford]

John has to be John Bench.

Joe would have to be Morgan and an honorable mention to Joe Nuxhall.

Joe would have to be Morgan for now, but Joe Votto has to be in the rearview mirror.

[George Anderson]

The best "Thomas" is a tough call, and the pool of "Michael"s is pretty thin.

It is pretty bad when the best Mike you can come up with is Mike O'Berry.

[HokieRed]

On William, White may have been "otherworldly," but it's worth remembering that William was "Bucky" Walters' first name. 198-160 lifetime, 3.30 ERA over 3104+ innings, most all of it for the Reds. 27-10 in 1939, 22-10 in 1940, 23-8 in 1944.

[cumberlandreds]

It is pretty bad when the best Mike you can come up with is Mike O'Berry.

I think Mike Lum was better. :)

[chicoruiz]

It is pretty bad when the best Mike you can come up with is Mike O'Berry.

FWIW, the only "Mike" in the Reds Hall of Fame is the now pretty-much-forgotten Mike McCormick.

Beyond that, there's Mike Jackson, Mike Kelly...I have the feeling I'm missing somebody...

[RichRed]

Joe would have to be Morgan for now, but Joe Votto has to be in the rearview mirror.

Votto's the best Joseph; Morgan's the best Joe (given name: Joe Leonard Morgan).

Pretty sure Daniels is the best Kalvoski.

[westofyou]

Thomas, John, James, Michael, Joseph :)

Tom Seaver
John "Bid" McPhee (second to Bench)
James "Bug" Holliday
Mike Donlin
Joe Morgan

[WrongVerb]

Only one season, but Mike Cameron?

[redsmetz]

Tom Seaver
John "Bid" McPhee (second to Bench)
James "Bug" Holliday
Mike Donlin
Joe Morgan

Nothing for William?

[westofyou]

Nothing for William?

William "Bucky" Walters

[cumberlandreds]

Nothing for William?

William "Billy" Bates had a good World Series in 1990.

William "Bill" Bonham had some success with the Reds in the late 70's and early 80's.

[bob jones]

tom carroll excellent pitcher

[bob jones]

john noriega was an ace

[marcshoe]

But Seaver was a George!

So were the Griffeys, and Sparky, of course. And Foster.

[cumberlandreds]

tom carroll excellent pitcher

Tom Hall was better. :)

[marcshoe]

Jack Billingham.

[George Anderson]

Nothing for William?

How about Joseph William Nolan.

I think i get double points on that one.

[bob jones]

the blade was sharp but Tom Foley and Tom Runnels disagree

[westofyou]

But Seaver was a George!

So were the Griffeys, and Sparky, of course. And Foster.

And Gus and Buddy Bell were Davids

[HokieRed]

FWIW, the only "Mike" in the Reds Hall of Fame is the now pretty-much-forgotten Mike McCormick.

Beyond that, there's Mike Jackson, Mike Kelly...I have the feeling I'm missing somebody...

Frank McCormick is in the Reds HOF. We had a Mike McCormick as an outfielder briefly in the 40's but the better known Mike McCormick was a pitcher who, IIRC, never played for the Reds but was with the Giants and other clubs.

[bob jones]

Mike McQueen and Mike Caldwell say hello

[Big Klu]

Thomas, John, James, Michael, Joseph :)

Seaver, Bench, Maloney, ?????, Morgan


As was mentioned earlier, the pool for Michael is pretty shallow. In fact, Mike Leake might even be able to stake a claim before long.

[chicoruiz]

Frank McCormick is in the Reds HOF. We had a Mike McCormick as an outfielder briefly in the 40's but the better known Mike McCormick was a pitcher who, IIRC, never played for the Reds but was with the Giants and other clubs.

Actually, Mike McCormick IS in the Reds HOF. I think it's weird too, since he really only had two good years, but there you go. I guess he got some luster by being on the 1940 world championship team.

MIke Donlin is probably the best "Mike" to play for the Reds, but he didn't really play that long for them either. Leake has a real shot.

[Roy Tucker]

The Mikes I thought of were Cameron, Leake, and Lacoss aka Buffy.

[RichRed]

How quickly we forget the immortal Mike Lincoln and Mike Costanzo.

[HokieRed]

Actually, Mike McCormick IS in the Reds HOF. I think it's weird too, since he really only had two good years, but there you go. I guess he got some luster by being on the 1940 world championship team.

MIke Donlin is probably the best "Mike" to play for the Reds, but he didn't really play that long for them either. Leake has a real shot.

I stand corrected. Surely Frank McCormick is also in[?]

[HokieRed]

Johnny Temple deserves mention.

[cumberlandreds]

How quickly we forget the immortal Mike Lincoln and Mike Costanzo.

I almost had until you brought them up.

[bob jones]

please dont forget Mike de la HOz

[HokieRed]

Jim O'Toole