Interesting email today from a writer friend in Pittsburgh. He wanted me to pick my all-time Home Run Derby team. Eight players.
Here’s what I gave him:
Babe Ruth: A no brainer.
Lou Gehrig: Going head to head with the Babe would be a treat.
Mickey Mantle: He invented the tape measure homer.
Willie Mays: Mickey and Willie, c’mon, who wouldn’t want to see that.
Hank Aaron: Another no brainer.
Ted Williams: The self-proclaimed, “greatest hitter who ever lived.’’ Of course.
Frank Robinson: A personal favorite.
Josh Gibson: He’s a mystery.
And the winner? The Babe, of course. The greatest showman in the history of the sport would have thrived in a Home Run Derby. I have a feeling he could have hit them at will.
Would be interested in your Crazy Eight
4 Comments
I’m going to break it down to guys in my lifetime of watching baseball (1985 to now) and guys from before that
Albert Pujols
Jim Thome
David Ortiz
Ryan Howard
Ken Griffey Jr. (especially when he was with the Mariners)
Darryl Strawberry (with the Mets and in his two stints with the
Yankees)
Mike Piazza (especially in his first three years with the Mets)
Alex Rodriguez
Before 1985
Babe Ruth
Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
Mickey Mantle
Reggie Jackson (just from seeing the highlights of those three he hit in the 78 series)
Ted Williams
Mike Schmidt (i put him here because most of his homers were before 1985)
Ernie Banks
Thanks Larry … I like both your lists. I noticed neither of us wanted to see the juicer Bonds.
John
if i had to add a ninth to the pre-1985 team, i might add ralph kiner. speaking of him, how’s he doing?
Great choice … He’s in good health, but the travel is hard. He’ll work on home Friday’s periodically through the season.
John