(I just realized that yerfatma's post on Clemens introduced the new site....mea culpa) Arkansas is Cardinals territory - until a couple of years ago the minor league team in Little Rock was associated with the Cards, and they have a both TV and radio affiliates throughout the state. I became baseball aware ca. 1985 - when I bought my first pack of Topps and watched the heartbreaking world series. It was only natural to idolize Ozzie Smith. I loved that he played awesome defense, slapped singles, and stole bases. I can't remember one particular moment, but the acrobatic highlights on TWIB are the first thing that come to mind. I have a billion Ozzie baseball cards and one of those old Starting Lineup figurines.
I'm so proud of my favorite players from childhood - Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden. Don't know why I loved those two so much. Growing up in Minneapolis, I could have went to Kirby, but for some reason, Darryl and Dwight were my guys. Maybe it was the $2 I won in a school bus bet after the 1986 World Series, but I'm thinking it had more to do with Nintendo baseball!
Haromon killebrew, Sandy Koufax, MIckey mantle, Tony Oliva are my top four favorite players. Bert Blylevin later became a favorite of mine becaue he has a great pitcher but he was an even better jokester!
This "new site" has archives that go back to summer 2003. My first favorite ballplayer as a kid was Bo Jackson. He knew. I think somewhere in a closet I might still have my assiduously-collected KC Royals cards.
Gotta go with Robbie Alomar and Joltin' Joe Carter - I was 13 and 14 when the Jays finally won it. Dave Stieb was the pitcher I loved.
Jimmy Key was the one for me. Miss you, ninety-two.
George Brett and Hal McRae. Yea I was a Royals fan in the 70's. I still hate chris champliss
Ozzie Smith was the greatest player for me when I was growing up. Man, what a player.
Jim Rice, Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn, Thurman Munson.
Favorite: Alan Trammell - always played second fiddle to Ripken jr. in the A.L. - I think Trammell deserved a few more all-star starts and Ripken stole his MVP a time or two also, oh well, he was still my favorite, and I have nothing against Ripken either.
goddam's favorite player was rickey. it was the snatch catch and the stance rickey took when leading off base that sealed the deal. dave came in close at second. it took a while until goddam appreciated the greatness of donnie baseball.
T-Rex: Kent Hrbek. For lifting one of the Braves right off first base if nothing else. And getting away with it, with a cheek full of chew, looking like a totally badass plumber. What a role model.
Best sign at a baseball game, circa 1989 - Hey Hrbek, Buy A Vowel.
Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett, Reggie Jackson...of course those guys... But for some reason I though U.L. Washington was cool, how he always had that damn toothpick in his mouth and the announcers would say: "kids, don't bat with a toothpick in your mouth..." I laugh at it even now.
Reggie, Goose, Thurman. Hell, anyone in pinstripes. *ducks and covers*
Dave Steib was the man. home team + great pitcher + coming close to a no-hitter and being denied so often = someone to cheer for The fact that he was surly with the press and generally thought of as a S.O.B. really didn't matter to me. When he got that no-hitter, it was my favourite baseball moment of all-time...until 1992 and 1993.
Steve Carlton - a little before my time, but I did get to see him pitch relief for the Twins in 7th grade.
Al Kaline. Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame person.
Jim Rice was my all-time favorite from childhood, but my other guy is Scott Fletcher. He only played two seasons (one strike-shortened) for two awful Sox teams, but I remember him as the one guy who left everything on the field. Sort of a proto-Bill Mueller. Others: Tim Naehring, Dwight Evans, Jeff Gray, Greg A. Harris. Dark secret: when Ricky Henderson and Dave Winfield were there together, the Yankees were my second-favorite team (because of those two). Hell, I was 8 or something.
Will Clark.
Kirby Puckett. Robin Yount.
yerfatma, I watched Rickey play several games when he was just coming up in the minors, back in about 1979, for the Ogden A's. You knew even then that he was going to be a star.
Pele
Nolan Ryan, first and foremost. As somebody who became a huge Red Sox fan once he reached high school, allow me to reveal a secret shame and confess that I really liked Bucky Dent in Elementary School. Do I have to give my Red Sox Nation card back now?
Oh, man... this thread inspired me to dig up these two pieces and waste an hour and a half replaying those Series in my head. You guys owe me.
Dark secret... the Yankees were my second-favorite team (because of those two). Hell, I was 8 or something. that's ok, in '86 i rooted for the sox because i hated all the bandwagon mets fans at school. i was 11, what did i know?
ah yes Kent Hrbk--the baseball player in a softball players body. Went hunting like at 5 am of a world series game. I knew that I was missing somebody from my top 5
Some of my secondary guys I used to always look out for: Ron LeFlore, Gary Pettis, Paul Blair, Chris Sabo, Willie McGee, Freddie Patek, Enrique Romo (hometown guy), and Lance Parrish.
1. Hank Aaron (Still got my autographed photo from '73. It's hanging on my office wall) 2. Al Kaline 3. Mark Fidrych
My God, I was a HUGE Ron Cey fan when I was younger. Ron and I were both stuck with the same shuffling dopey running style, and therefore were stuck with the same nickname -- The Penguin. Neither of us were spectacularly talented and we both managed to get extremely dirty and the job done. In later life, Rex Hudler and John Kruk are very close seconds.
The Hawk. Every time I went to the Big O I looked for the special red seat in the nose-bleeds where Dawson socked one in the 80s... Andre for the Hall!
tony gwynn and bernie williams. I dont care how much you hate the yankees you got to love bernie
I'm thrilled to see yaz at the top. Seeing him still gives me goosebumps.
Nolan Ryan..hands down.The guy threw aspirins most of his career,..7 no hitters,and a country ass whoopin on Robin Ventura.
Mike Schmidt as a kid and Tony Gwynn as an adult.2 classy players who played their whole career on their original team.
Gary Carter. It was all about, first, the color of the uniform. And then, the best or most visible player on the team with the best-colored uniform. Duh. (Which explains why anyone who loved Tony Gwynn growing up simply had bad taste. Heh.)
Mine was YAZ, hands down.The summer of '67,the Triple Crown,making it to the World Series, he carried the team on his back!!
