Picking baseball's Mount Rushmore
Hank Aaron poses for a photo before a game in in County Stadium in Milwaukee in 1961. (Photo by The Rucker Archive/Icon Sportswire)
May 5th, 2020
As we await baseball's return, it is a good time to reminisce about some of the greatest MLB players to take the field.
Here are our selections for baseball’s Mount Rushmore.
Jackie Robinson
Though he wasn’t the first African-American to play in the MLB, Robinson was directly responsible for the abandonment of the "gentlemen’s agreement" that kept black players out of the majors.
Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey set the wheels in motion to break the color barrier, when he scouted the Negro leagues in 1945. He found Robinson, a man who possessed not only the skills to be successful in the majors (and dispel any notion Robinson was part of a publicity stunt to sell tickets to African-American fans), but the character to endure the racist treatment he would receive.
Today we celebrate the legacy of Jackie Robinson. #Jackie42 pic.twitter.com/PnrrhqjY9n
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 15, 2020
Robinson won Rookie of the Year in 1947 and followed with an National League MVP in 1949. He was also part of the Dodgers’ first World Series win in 1955. Robinson’s No. 42 was retired throughout baseball on April 15, 1997, the 50th anniversary of his major-league debut.
Babe Ruth
Few names in baseball history are spoken with more reverence.
"The Sultan of Swat" is baseball’s all-time leader in OPS (1.164) and OPS+ (206). His single-season home run record (60) stood for more than 30 years. Ruth’s 714 home runs rank third all-time.
"Babe Ruth will never be gone, he's still here...he's always here."#MLB #Baseball #Legend #BabeRuthDay pic.twitter.com/YawG1nQDwd
— Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile) April 27, 2020
He was also part of the Yankees’ first World Series victory (1923), and arguably the greatest team in baseball history, the 1927 Yankees.
Hank Aaron
Hank Aaron’s consistency and longevity made him one of baseball’s greatest players.
On this date in 1974: Hank Aaron hit No. 715 to pass Babe Ruth for No. 1 on the all-time home run list. pic.twitter.com/AUd7wbGaIB
— ESPN (@espn) April 8, 2018
He is the all-time leader in total bases (6,856) and RBIs (2,297), and his home run total (755) is still regarded by many as the true MLB record. An All-Star in 21 of his 23 big-league seasons, Aaron led the NL in home runs and RBIs four times and won the batting title in 1959. He was a perennial MVP candidate, though his only MVP win came in 1957.
Cy Young
An MLB Mount Rushmore would be incomplete without a starting pitcher, and there is no better choice than the namesake of the award that recognizes the best pitcher in both leagues.
On this day in 1904, Cy Young of the Boston Americans throws the first perfect game in baseball history. The Americans were playing against the Philadelphia Athletics, and the crowd numbered 10,267. pic.twitter.com/nLEFPEYpK8
— Reference.com (@Get_Reference) May 5, 2020
"Cyclone" is the all-time leader in wins (511), innings pitched (7,356), and complete games (749). He earned the pitching Triple Crown in 1901 (wins, strikeouts, and ERA) by posting 31 wins, 158 Ks, and a 1.62 ERA.
Young’s uncanny command of the strike zone enabled him to lead the majors in walks per nine innings nine straight times, from 1893 to 1901.
ADVERTISEMENT
