Baseball's Mount Rushmore

[Rex Argos]

A writer for ESPN.com has an interesting article that discusses the most influential/significant college basketball players. I'm wondering if baseball had its own Mt. Rushmore, who would you put up there and why. You can name your favorites, or those who you think are somehow significant. Here's mine:

#1 Jackie Robinson


Great athlete. Not only a great baseball player, but an outstanding football and track performer as well. Oh yeah, and he played a small role in the civil rights movement.

#2 Sandy Koufax


The definition of excellence. Dominated (briefly), but also knew when to walk away. In a way, he's like a celebrity who died young. In your mind, he never went through the painful decline that most of our heroes suffer.

#3 John Bench


Redefined the catcher's position in every way. Great athlete. Even though he's a HOF'er, it seems that injuries kept him from even greater accomplishments.

#4 Eric Davis


In his youth, he was so much fun to watch. I have no doubt that injuries kept him out of the HOF. Despite this, his ability to overcome all of his setbacks makes him even more special in my opinion.

Who is on your Mt. Rushmore?

[Cyclone792]

Babe Ruth and Branch Rickey are two definites.

EDIT: Thought more about the other two, and in preliminary thinking I've chosen Ted Williams and Hank Aaron.

The above list is subject to change, and probably will change, as there needs to be some influential 19th century member among the four, but I'm not yet sure who to pick.

[Falls City Beer]

Eddie Gaedel

[Rex Argos]

Don't you think Eddie comes up a bit short?

[Highlifeman21]

Babe Ruth

Josh Gibson

Ted Williams

Walter Johnson

[klw]

Ruth, Mays, Walter Johnson, and Theodore Roosevelt

[westofyou]

Eddie Gaedel
Of note the uniform Eddie wore was the bat boys uniform... that bat boy was Bill DeWitt Jr. Current owner of the Cards and former owner of the Stingers and builder of US Bank Arena.

If it's baseballs Mt Rushmore can we build it on sacred land too?

Rickey/Ruth/Aaron/Fidrych

Rickey for the changes he brought to the game, Ruth for the changes he brought to the game, Aaron as the represenitive of the era of change and for his longevity and excellance, Mark Fidrych to remind us of fun and the fleeting moment of success and fame in the game.

[Falls City Beer]

Alright, I'll play seriously.

Aaron, Ruth.

Okay, there aren't two other figures who can match those two. Everything else is such a severe dropoff, it seems kind of pointless.

[westofyou]

Everything else is such a severe dropoff, it seems kind of pointless.Branch Rickey probably did more for the game than any 10 men combined.

[Falls City Beer]

Branch Rickey probably did more for the game than any 10 men combined.

I guess I was operating under the assumption that we were looking for players.

[cincyinco]

Alright, I'll play seriously.

Aaron, Ruth.

Okay, there aren't two other figures who can match those two. Everything else is such a severe dropoff, it seems kind of pointless.

I disagree. Lou Gehrig, the Iron Horse, the luckiest man on the face of the earth.. :(

Hey may not be there becuase of his numbers, but his story... for me its always been a big part of my getting to know baseball... its legendary in its own right.

[Raisor]

Ruth, Hank, Jackie, and Branch Ricky sounds about right. If you can throw a 5th then Kennesaw Landis, just because I like the idea of a guy named after a mountain being on the side of a mountain.

[Joseph]

Babe, Hank, Pete, Cy

[Unassisted]

J. Robinson, Ted Williams, Walter Johnson and a blank space to give modern-day players something to aspire to. :)

[nycredsfan]

Branch Rickey probably did more for the game than any 10 men combined.


Speaking of Branch Rickey, I just noticed that they are releasing a revised edition of a biography on him that came out nearly 25 years ago. I haven't read the original, but I am looking forward to the release of this one. Here is the amazon link. I hope this is not considered spam.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786426438/sr=1-2/qid=1145924509/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-0621561-8204861?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books

[captainmorgan07]

aaron, rose,neikro since he's from my hometown and junior

[RedsBaron]

Babe Ruth. He remains the greatest player ever IMO, and he, more than any other player, revolutionized the game.
Branch Rickey. He built two dynasties, more or less invented the farm system, and helped break the color line.
Jackie Robinson. As the player who broke the color line, he is perhaps the most significant athlete in American history. He was incidentally a very great player.
The fourth face is the tough one for me. Walter Johnson, perhaps the greatest pitcher ever? Ty Cobb, who despite his racism dominated the game for more than a decade? Joe DiMaggio, an American icon to whom a nation "turned its lonely eyes to" (credit to Paul Simon)? Willie Mays, perhaps the greatest all around player ever? Hank Aaron, who broke Ruth's career HR mark with class and grace?
What the hey...put Ted Williams on the rock. As someone said, Teddy Ballgame was who John Wayne wanted to be when he grew up.

[BaseballBum]

1. Ruth
2. Robinson
3. W. Johnson
4. Aaron

I would have included Ted Williams, but his head is already on display.

[westofyou]

Speaking of Branch Rickey, I just noticed that they are releasing a revised edition of a biography on him that came out nearly 25 years ago. I haven't read the original, but I am looking forward to the release of this one. Here is the amazon link. I hope this is not considered spam.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786426438/sr=1-2/qid=1145924509/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-0621561-8204861?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books
That's cool, I've been pondering buying that from a dealer, the one by Mann is the bore, dry and hardly groundbreaking.

[cumberlandreds]

Here's my Mt. Rushmore:

Babe Ruth He changed the game more than any other player. After being dead for nearly 60 years his name is still synonimous with baseball.

Jackie Robinson He sacrificed more for his race and baseball than anyone could imagine.

Branch Rickey He changed the game in more ways than anyone else. As others have said he basically invented the farm system and he made way for blacks to be included in the big leagues.

The fourth is very tough. Multitude of great players to choose: DiMaggio,Mantle,Williams,Musial,Mays,Aaron,Young and Johnson. I think for the well rounded Rushmore I would include a pitcher and that would be Walter Johnson even though Cy Young had more wins. Everything I have read about him wa that he was the most dominant pitcher of all time. Had he pitched on the better teams of his time he may have surpassed Cy Young in wins.

[RichRed]

Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron

Kind of surprised more people don't have Mays listed.

[klw]

Hey isn't Peter Gammons already on Mount Rushmore?

[E. Davis 44]

for players in my lifetime, my baseball rushmore would be:
Griffey Jr., Clemens, Ripken Jr., and E. Davis

for my all time Rushmore:
Aaron, Ruth, Bench, and Dimaggio

for my Rushmore of biggest choads in baseball, they would be:
Bonds, LaRussa, Edmonds, and Canseco

[Rex Argos]

Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron

Kind of surprised more people don't have Mays listed.

I thought about including Mays, but I didn't really see him play--1973 doesn't qualify. Davis seems the most "Mays-like", so I chose him instead.

[redsmetz]

This is a toughie, who to be among the pantheon of gods for baseball. I appreciate the info about who should be there and would be in agreement overall. A fourth? From the beginning, Harry Wright, the pioneering originator of it all - sort of the George Washington of baseball.

[RBA]

for my Rushmore of biggest choads in baseball, they would be:
Bonds, LaRussa, Edmonds, and Canseco


Is there a big enought mountain to hold those heads??

[UGADaddy]

Eric Davis?? Haha! Why not Larkin, Sabo, and Benzinger to go with him?

Seriously:
1. Ruth (obviously)
2. Robinson (obviously)
3/4. Mays/Williams/Aaron??

[HBP]

My Rushmore would be:

Ruth
Mays
Jr.
ED

Without ED and Jr. I never would have cared about or played baseball. My only goal as a kid was to collect Eric Davis and Ken Griffey Jr. cards.

[danwl]

Reds Rushmore:

Big Klu, Johnny Bench, Frank Robinson, Joe Oliver (ok, just kidding, Joe Morgan, but gotta give the guy his due)

Baseball Rushmore:

Christy Mathewson (yes, I suppose he could be on Reds Rushmore too), Jackie Robinson, the Babe, DiMaggio

[westofyou]

Reds Rushmore:

Big Klu, Johnny Bench, Frank Robinson, Joe Oliver (ok, just kidding, Joe Morgan, but gotta give the guy his due)

Gary Herrman
Edd Roush
Pete
Larkin

[redsfanmia]

[QUOTE=danwl]Reds Rushmore:

Big Klu, Johnny Bench, Frank Robinson, Joe Oliver (ok, just kidding, Joe Morgan, but gotta give the guy his due)

You cant have a Reds Rushmore without Pete. How about Marty B?

[RedsBaron]

Reds Rushmore:

Big Klu, Johnny Bench, Frank Robinson, Joe Oliver (ok, just kidding, Joe Morgan, but gotta give the guy his due)


Frank Robinson, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan

[redsfanmia]

Joe Nuxhall, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Barry Larkin.

[Nugget]

Its amazing that other than Robinson (an a mention of Cy Young and Sandy Koufax) almost all the representatives on the Rushmore are hitter.

Definitely Cy Young should make it. Ty Cobb who represents a different kind of player. Then take your pick from Aaron, Ruth, etc. and then probably an administrator.

[Cedric]

You could put four Yankees up there and they would all fit. Pretty amazing. Hell, you could probably put 6 or 7 Yankees up there.

[Mario-Rijo]

Wow very interesting question. I am definitley in the Ruth camp there is no greater sports legend in the history of games. I can't disagree with Jackie Robinson on any level but if I add Jackie I don't think I can add Branch Rickey. And now that I think about it I won't add Rickey, because It's ultimately the players who make the game. So here's what I can come up with right now.


1.) Babe Ruth

2.) Jackie Robinson

3.) Cy Young

4.) Ted Williams

Very Honorable Mentions:

Willie Mays
Mickey Mantle
Henry Aaron
Lou Gehrig
Sandy Koufax
Bob Gibson

Close but no cigar:
Joe Dimaggio
Stan Musial
Nolan Ryan
Saduharu Oh
Pete Rose
Honus Wagner

Reds Mt. Rushmore:

Pete Rose
Johnny Bench
Joe Morgan
Sparky Anderson

I wanted to add Tom Seaver, Johnny Vander Meer & Barry Larkin but quite frankly Sparky deserved to be on there!

[MaineRed]

I'm going only with players.

Lou Gehrig. Babe Ruth's 60 HR season is known by everyone. Gehrig won the MVP that year. If that isn't enough, the .340 average, the 493 HR, the 2000 RBI and the streak are.

Babe Ruth. From a players standpoint, he has done more for baseball than anyone. A no brainer.

Jackie Robinson. I have no idea what he went through or what life was like in those times. But I have read enough to know that what he did was very important. He's up there.

Pete Rose. For hustle and hits. The all time leader in both.

Gehrig, Ruth, Rose, Robinson. Thats my Mt Rushmore. I didn't have any pitchers as I don't think any impacted the game to the level of the guys I chose.

[RedsBaron]

Lou Gehrig. Babe Ruth's 60 HR season is known by everyone. Gehrig won the MVP that year.
In 1927, the AL had an idiotic rule that any player who had already won an MVP award was no longer eligible for the award. Ruth had previously been named MVP in 1923, was ineligible for the award in 1927, and received no votes. Ruth hit .356 with 60 HRs and 164 RBI in 1927; Gehrig hit .373 with 47 HRs and 175 RBI.
The following season, the Yankees again won the AL title, with Ruth and Gehrig tying for the AL RBI title and Ruth leading in HRs, but neither Ruth, who hit .323 with 54 HRs and 142 RBI, nor Gehrig, who hit .374 with 27 HRs and 142 RBI, was eligible for the MVP award. Mickey Cochrane of the A's was named MVP; he hit .293 with 10 HRs and all of 57 RBI.

[Aceking]

Ok, next question... who would be on the RedsZone Mt. Rushmore?

I'm leaning toward:

Jimmy Anderson
Tony Womack
Dan O'Brien

Can't think of a 4th off hand. Anderson could probably fill 2 spots.

[SteelSD]

Baseball's Mount Rushmore:

Babe Ruth
Branch Rickey
Rick Reichardt
Marvin Miller

[Rex Argos]

Baseball's Mount Rushmore:


Rick Reichardt


Most similar to Mark Whiten--owner of a big night in Riverfront.

[KronoRed]

Baseball's Mount Rushmore:

Babe Ruth
Branch Rickey
Rick Reichardt
Marvin Miller
I agree with Steel.

[SteelSD]

I agree with Steel.

I already told you that I'm not going to keep paying you five bucks every time you post that.

[PickOff]

Mount Baseball is about icons. Icons even to those that aren't big baseball fans:

Babe Ruth
Jackie Robinson
Henry Aaron
Nolan Ryan

[KronoRed]

I already told you that I'm not going to keep paying you five bucks every time you post that.
Fine! I'll go back to Raisor, he pays 3 at least :angry:

[RedsBaron]

Mount Baseball is about icons. Icons even to those that aren't big baseball fans:

Babe Ruth
Jackie Robinson
Henry Aaron
Nolan Ryan
The first three guys are icons, and I expect will still be regarded as icons decades from now, but I really question Ryan's long term icon status. He was unquestionably spectacular with 7 no-hitters and 5000+ K's, but he wasn't as good a pitcher as Clemens or Randy Johnson or Seaver, to name some of his contemporaries, to say nothing of guys such as Grove or Walter Johnson or Mathewson.

[PickOff]

The first three guys are icons, and I expect will still be regarded as icons decades from now, but I really question Ryan's long term icon status. He was unquestionably spectacular with 7 no-hitters and 5000+ K's, but he wasn't as good a pitcher as Clemens or Randy Johnson or Seaver, to name some of his contemporaries, to say nothing of guys such as Grove or Walter Johnson or Mathewson.

Well, I was trying to pick a pitcher that would stand the test of time and Ryan's strikeout record, longevity, and ironman persona fit the bill best in my mind. He doesn't stack up with some of the greats you mentioned, but they aren't American icons either. The only other possibility might be Cy Young IMO.

[westofyou]

He doesn't stack up with some of the greats you mentioned, but they aren't American icons either. For the 1st part of the last century Christy Mathewson was the american ideal, Frank Merriwell was based on him, nobody was held in higher esteem than Matty.

[NatiRedGals]

Steroid Mountain
http://img290.imageshack.us/img290/4146/163ml.gif (http://imageshack.us)

Barry Bonds, Alex Sanchez, Sammy Sosa

[RedsBaron]

For the 1st part of the last century Christy Mathewson was the american ideal, Frank Merriwell was based on him, nobody was held in higher esteem than Matty.
Very true. Matty and John McGraw were baseball's original odd couple.