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The history of baseball is riddled with some of the greatest athletes of all time. These “greatest” athletes, which stem back to the very early days of baseball (remember: baseball’s first game was in 1846!) and reach the present day, have attained world records, made heart-stopping plays, and are now world renowned for their impressive gameplay.
We all know or have at the very least heard utterances of the “greatest baseball players of all time,” like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, and so on. But, what is truly so astounding about these Baseball Hall of Famers?
That’s precisely what we aim to tackle here today. Regardless of if these players used Rawlings baseball bats, Louisville Slugger bats, or pieces of driftwood, they were truly remarkable and helped in shaping baseball into what we know it to be today. But, what did these players do that was so impressive, so much so that we continue to be in awe of them? Let’s take a look at just five of the greats and what they did to really “WOW” the world.
Disclaimer: these incredible athletes are in no particular order, so try not to disparage us in this article (for that reason, at least!).
1.Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth has been arguably titled the greatest baseball player of all time. The Great Bambino played Major League baseball from 1914 to 1935, a whopping 22 years, beginning with the Boston Red Sox but mostly playing with the New York Yankees. He was both a left-handed pitcher (for the Sox) and an outfielder (for the Yankees).
In 1919, he broke the league’s most home runs hit in a season record that was 27 home runs with 29 home runs. The following season, he obliterated his own record with a whopping 54 home runs– and no one else in the league even reached 20.
He ended his career with a batting average of .342, 714 home runs, 506 doubles, 2,174 runs, 2,873 hits, and 2,214 RBI. His pitching career, albeit short, was also phenomenal. Between 1916 and 1917, he pitched 650 innings with an overall 1.88 ERA.
2.Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle is yet another nearly miraculous baseball player. The Mick played center field, right field, and first base for the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968. One of the many reasons why he is so well known is because he was one of the greatest all-around players but especially one of the best switch hitters in the game– ever.
At the end of his career, he had an astounding batting average of .557, 2,415 hits, 536 home runs, and 1509 RBIs. Let’s not forget his stolen base percentage, which was the highest in history when he retired (he was safe 3 out of 4 times he stole!). Plus, he was and remains the only player in history that hit 150 home runs from both sides of the plate!
3.Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds has been celebrated for being one of the best all-around players in baseball history. He played 22 seasons, which was split between the Pirates and the Giants, from 1986 to 2007. For his offensive game, he shocked all in 2001 in particular where he broke two records: one for the most home run records in a career (762) and in a single season (73).
For all this impressive play, he won the MVP award seven times– and no other player has won the award more than thrice. He ended his career with 762 home runs, 2,935 hits, 1,996 RBIs, and a batting average of .298.
4.Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig played alongside Babe Ruth on the New York Yankees, hitting in the fourth batting spot, which was why he chose to wear the number 4. Gehrig is well known for his resilience, which was portrayed chiefly by his playing 2,130 consecutive games at first baseman.
He played 17 seasons overall, but his numbers were truly mesmerizing for such a “short” career: .340 batting average, 1,995 RBIs, 1,888 runs, and 493 home runs.
5.Ted Williams
Ted Williams, more specifically Theodore Samuel Williams, was a left fielder for the Boston Red Sox from 1929 to 1960. He would have had a longer career, but it was interrupted by military service and he missed the seasons 1943-45 and most of 1952 to 1953. However, during his 19 years in the MLB, he was an All-Star for 19 seasons and truly made an unequivocal impact.
It’s really no wonder as to why, though. He is well-known now to be the last MLB athlete to hit a .400 batting average (in 1941). During his career, he also hit 521 home runs, had a batting average of .344, and had 1,839 RBIs. At his final at-bat on September 28th, 1960, he even hit a home run.
Honorable Mentions
Ty Cobb Honus Wagner
Hank Aaron Greg Maddux
Joe DiMaggio Randy Johnson
Alex Rodriguez Mike Trout
Willie Mays Rickey Henderson
Roger Clemons Tom Seaver
Stan Musial Pedro Martinez
Walter Johnson Cy Young
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Browse all of our products today, including our Rawlings baseball bats, batting gloves, training gear, and other equipment, and you’ll be one step closer to being on our next list of baseball’s greatest!
