Baseball's Mount Rushmore - RedsZone.com - Cincinnati Reds Fans' Home for Baseball Discussion

Rex Argos · 04-24-2006, 05:23 PM

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 RobinsonGreat 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 KoufaxThe 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 DavisIn 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 · 04-24-2006, 05:28 PM

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 · 04-24-2006, 05:30 PM

Eddie Gaedel

Rex Argos · 04-24-2006, 05:31 PM

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

Highlifeman21 · 04-24-2006, 05:31 PM

Babe Ruth

Josh Gibson

Ted Williams

Walter Johnson

klw · 04-24-2006, 05:35 PM

Ruth, Mays, Walter Johnson, and Theodore Roosevelt

westofyou · 04-24-2006, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

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 · 04-24-2006, 05:48 PM

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 · 04-24-2006, 05:49 PM

Quote:

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 · 04-24-2006, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westofyou

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 · 04-24-2006, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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 · 04-24-2006, 07:27 PM

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 · 04-24-2006, 07:37 PM

Babe, Hank, Pete, Cy

Unassisted · 04-24-2006, 08:09 PM

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

nycredsfan · 04-24-2006, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westofyou

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/078...g=UTF8&s=books

04-24-2006, 05:31 PM	#5
Highlifeman21 Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bristol, just around the corner from ESPN Posts: 8,694	Re: Baseball's Mount Rushmore Babe Ruth Josh Gibson Ted Williams Walter Johnson

04-24-2006, 05:35 PM	#6
klw Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New England Posts: 4,305	Re: Baseball's Mount Rushmore Ruth, Mays, Walter Johnson, and Theodore Roosevelt

04-24-2006, 05:48 PM	#8
Falls City Beer Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 24,098	Re: Baseball's Mount Rushmore 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.

04-24-2006, 07:27 PM	#12
Raisor Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 12,681	Re: Baseball's Mount Rushmore 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. __________________ "But I do know Joey's sister indirectly (or foster sister) and I have heard stories of Joey being into shopping, designer wear, fancy coffees, and pedicures."

04-24-2006, 07:37 PM	#13
Joseph Tired of talk. Win! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 8,122	Re: Baseball's Mount Rushmore Babe, Hank, Pete, Cy __________________ Championships for MY teams in my lifetime: Cincinnati Reds - 75, 76, 90 Chicago Blackhawks - 10 University of Kentucky - 78, 96, 98, 12 Cincinnati Bengals - None Chicago Bulls - 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98

04-24-2006, 05:23 PM	#1
Rex Argos Ex-Tree Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Evansville Posts: 230	Baseball's Mount Rushmore 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 RobinsonGreat 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 KoufaxThe 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 DavisIn 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? __________________ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi

04-24-2006, 05:28 PM	#2
Cyclone792 Playoffs Join Date: May 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 6,233	Re: Baseball's Mount Rushmore 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. __________________ *Barry Larkin - HOF, 2012* *Put an end to the Lost Decade.* Last edited by Cyclone792; 04-24-2006 at 05:37 PM.

04-24-2006, 05:30 PM	#3
Falls City Beer Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 24,098	Re: Baseball's Mount Rushmore Eddie Gaedel

04-24-2006, 05:31 PM	#4
Rex Argos Ex-Tree Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Evansville Posts: 230	Re: Baseball's Mount Rushmore Don't you think Eddie comes up a bit short? __________________ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi

04-24-2006, 08:09 PM	#14
Unassisted RZ Chamber of Commerce Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 13,223	Re: Baseball's Mount Rushmore J. Robinson, Ted Williams, Walter Johnson and a blank space to give modern-day players something to aspire to.

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