Sandy Koufax.Because I attended a lot of Dodger games he pitched in at Chavez Ravine.while growing up.Saw Koufax pitch perfect game against Chicago Cubs.

Elston Howard. He was the ultimate utility player.

Roger Maris was my boyhood idol - a great player who always gave his all and helped his team win. He appeared in more world series in the 1960s than any other player. I had a lot of respect for him since he took so much unjustified abuse from the fans and press. He was a great family man and a model husband and father. He was a simple and reticent man who was crucified by the New York media for his blunt and honest responses to their asinine and relentless questions.

Dale Murphy. I grew up in Western NC and that was Braves country. In 1982 (the only year in that decade the Braves were any good) I was 9 years old and I became hooked on Murphy and the Braves. Dale Murphy is the reason I love baseball. He’s also not a bad role model.

Mickey Mantle. Greatest switch hitter ever. He had more charisma than any other player ever. He could fetch ‘em in center field and hit ‘em out of anywhere. Very first baseball card I ever saw.

Tony Conigliaro,Boston red sox,only MLB player I know that got hit in the face by a pitched baseball,and tried to make a valiant comeback try [ check out the cover Sports Illstraded june 22 1970]

I’ll take the new-comer to the retired list: Craig Biggio.

What can you say? He’s one classy ballplayer. Fun to watch. A kind, giving person off the field. Just seems to give 110% to everything.

Miss ya already Bidge!

WARREN SPAHN

Great pitcher–War hero–Decent regular guy

A class act all the way

Ryne Sandberg of the Cubs… a class guy…

Walter Johnson. The mere thought of if this had man played for a winning team throughout his career is scary.

He won 417 playing for a very bad Senators team and was a true gentleman about it the entire time. A true class act.

This is a man who received a comment from Ty Cobb possibly the greatest hitter of all time who had never given a living sole the time of day let alone a compliment. Cobb stated that Johnson threw fire as Johnson struck him out. One of the very few pitchers ever to do so.

How good was Johnson? A batter once faced him and took strike one, he then watched strike two blaze by him and didn’t have time to even flinch. With two strikes on him he preceded to leave the box and the umpire ask where are you going? The batter stated, back to the dugout, there’s no need for me to swing at something I can’t see.

Johnson’s numbers put Cy Young’s numbers to shame across the board and people praise Cy Young for being the greatest pitcher of all time just because of his 511 wins which is insane.

I truly believe that the best pitcher award in baseball has the wrong man’s name on it. It should be called the Walter Johnson award.