Reds Mount Rushmore

[Raisor]

Larkin, Bench, Morgan, and Sparky

[Trajinous]

Pete Rose doesn't belong. He is a black mark on the franchise.

Johnny Bench and Barry Larkin are easy ones. After that, it gets tougher with a whole slew of guys who had 10 or so year stretches with the Reds that were outstanding.

Haha, so I guess Ty Cobb is a black mark for the Tigers? Just because some players are awful people, doesn't mean their on-field accomplishments are erased/ignored.

[scott91575]

If Mount Rushmore was constructed today it probably would not have the same four Presidents. While Washington and Lincoln's rankings at the very top of the presidential heap are secure, most rankings I have seen in recent decades do not put Jefferson and especially Teddy Roosevelt in the top four. They are still highly ranked but not in the Fab Four of Presidents.
I mention that by way of an explanation as to why I am not including Joey Votto in my Reds Mount Rushmore. I suspect he may finish his Reds career as the greatest Red ever but it is too early to pick him, in mid-career.
It should also be noted that in professional baseball's centennial in 1969 Edd Roush was selected as the greatest Red of all time--but I am not taking him either.
My Reds Mount Rushmore is Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Frank Robinson and Barry Larkin. Rose and Bench are unquestionable picks. But for Bill DeWitt 's trade, Robinson would also be an unquestionable pick, and Larkin rounds out the group. If Joe Morgan had played his entire career as a Red, then he might join the group.

Actually, if you take an aggregate ratings of presidents like they do on Wiki (16 different rankings), the top 5 are...

1) Lincoln
2) FDR
3) Washington
4) Jefferson
5) Teddy Roosevelt

At the time it was being made, FDR was either not president yet or still in the middle of his presidency. Other presidents near them in rank are Woodrow Wilson (had not been out of office long when the project started), Truman (not president yet), Eisenhower (again, not in office yet), and Andrew Jackson (a very controversial president).

So, even if it was done today, only FDR was be used instead of Teddy, and it's actually pretty relevant to your Votto inclusion. FDR was president for most of Mt Rushmore's construction.

[bigfunguy]

If they did Mt. Rushmore today, PCness would dictate inclusion of Obama...but I digress.

Wright (the founder of the first Cincinnati Redlegs)
Bench
Rose
Larkin

[RedEye]

If they did Mt. Rushmore today, PCness would dictate inclusion of Obama...but I digress.

Not only PCness. His accomplishments would as well. But I digress.

[westofyou]

Lets stay on topic

Players

Roush
Bench
Rose
Larkin

All HOF players

Execs

Crosley
Herrmann
Howsam
Giles

Managers

Wright
McKetchie
Sparky
TBD

[Raisor]

Haha, so I guess Ty Cobb is a black mark for the Tigers? Just because some players are awful people, doesn't mean their on-field accomplishments are erased/ignored.

Why would the decision be based only on their on field achievements?

[westofyou]

Why would the decision be based only on their on field achievements?

Because it's about baseball

IIRC Ty Cobb was never suspended ( for long) or blackballed, even survived the gambling accusation, managed the Tigers for years, was one of the first 5 HOF players and pretty much led a very clean and connected to baseball post career.

Compared to Rose Cobb looks pretty good (even without a sharp fedora and surgically enhanced arm candy)

BTW the Tigers would be

Cobb
Kaline
Greenberg
Gehringer

[PickOff]

Bench
Rose
Larkin

These guys are no brainers to me.

The fourth is tough. As far as an enduring legacy and contribution to the franchise, I have to go with Joe Nuxhall as the fourth.

I would be very happy with those four. Wait a decade and Votto could usurp Nuxhall due to his performance on the field. Especially if he wins another MVP.

[webbbj]

Rose
Bench
Morgan
Larkin

[dougdirt]

IMO, if there's no Rose, then don't bother having a Reds Mount Rushmore.

History will ultimately judge Rose (the player) kinder than many here on RZ do.

What he did on the field of play, and the numbers he put up, were 2nd to none in Reds history.

For some of younger folks, go back and take a look at his 1968 and '69 seasons, and remember those were accomplished during a strong pitching plus era.

In my opinion, if you put Rose up there you might as well not do it. How many players are on the permanently ineligible list? Pete is one of a very few. He cheated this city, this team and all of baseball out of a whole lot of things because he was too darn selfish and thought he was bigger than the rules of the game.

[dougdirt]

I'm surprised so many in this thread have omitted Morgan. Dude is easily 1 of the best 2B of all time.

Probably due to the fact that less than 50% of his career was spent as a Red.

[texasdave]

Lets stay on topic

Players

Roush
Bench
Rose
Larkin

All HOF players

Execs

Crosley
Herrmann
Howsam
Giles

Managers

Wright
McKetchie
Sparky
TBD

How close is Jocketty in your opinion?

[dougdirt]

Haha, so I guess Ty Cobb is a black mark for the Tigers? Just because some players are awful people, doesn't mean their on-field accomplishments are erased/ignored.

Is Ty Cobb on the ineligible list for baseball? Pete is. And yes, when you build a monument, being an awful person certainly should bear a lot of weight.

[westofyou]

How close is Jocketty in your opinion?

Gotta get some rings