Greatest baseball movies

1. Field of Dreams (1989)
2. The Natural (1984)
3. Bull Durham (1988)
4. Pride of the Yankees (1942)
5. The Sandlot (1993)
6. Eight Men Out (1988)
7. A League of Their Own (1992)
8. The Winning Team (1952)
9.  Major League (1989)
10. Bad News Bears (1976)

Best first baseman in history by team (American League)

Baltimore Orioles: Eddie Murray (1977-88)

Boston Red Sox: Jimmie Foxx (1936-42)

New York Yankees: Lou Gehrig (1923-39)

Tampa Bay Rays: Carlos Pena (2007-12)

Toronto Blue Jays: Carlos Delgado (1993-2004)

Chicago White Sox: Paul Konerko (1999-2014)

Cleveland Indians: Jim Thome (1991-2002; 2011)

Detroit Tigers: Hank Greenberg (1930-46)

Kansas City Royals: Mike Sweeney (1995-2007)

Minnesota Twins: Kent Hrbek (1981-94)

Houston Astros: Jeff Bagwell (1991-2005)

LA Angels: Wally Joyner (1986-91; 2001)

Oakland A's: Jimmie Foxx (via Philadelphia) (1925-35)

Seattle Mariners: Alvin Davis (1984-91)

Texas Rangers: Rafael Palmeiro (1989-93; 1999-2003)

Stan Musial: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1969

Born: November 21, 1920

1936: Played semi-pro ball

1938: Signed by St Louis Cardinals as a pitcher

1938-41: Minor Leagues

Debut: September 17, 1941 (Cardinals)

1942: Cards win World Series

1943: Batting Champ (.357)

1943: MVP

1943: Cards lose World Series

1944: Cards win World Series

1945-6: World War II service

1946: Declined offer to play in Mexican League

1946: Earned his nickname “The Man” from Brooklyn fans

1946: Batting Champ (.365)

1946: MVP

1946: TSN Player of the Year

1946: Cards win World Series

1947: Played season with appendicitis

1948: Missed Triple Crown by one rained out home run

1948: Batting Champ (.376)

1948: MVP

1950: 30-game hit streak

1951: TSN Player of the Year

1952: Pitched in a game for only time in Major League Career

1950-52: Batting Champ (.346, .355 and .336)

1954: Hit five home runs in a double header

1955: Hit GW HR in All Star Game

1956: Set NL record for extra base hits

1957: Consecutive game streak ends at 895 with fractured shoulder bone

1957: Batting Champ (.351)

1957: Lou Gehrig Award

1958: 3000^th hit

1959: First player with 400 HR and 3000 hits

1962: Oldest player ever (41) with a 3 HR game

1963: Retired as NL’s all-time hit leader (since broken)

1963-6: VP of Cardinals

1964-7: LBJ’s fitness advisor

1964: Cards win World Series

1967: Card’s GM (stepped down in less than a year rather than be desk bound)

1967: Cards win World Series

1968: Cards lose World Series

1969: Elected to HOF

1999: All Century Team

2007: Earned Navy Memorial’s Lone Sailor Award

2011: Presidential Medal of Freedom

2013: Died

Accomplishments:

3x World Champion

3x MVP

2x ML Player of the Year

24x All Star

1957 Lou Gehrig Award winner

7x Batting Champ

All Century Team

NL All Time Hit Leader at retirement

30 Game Hit Streak

895 consecutive game streak

.331

3630 Hits

475 HR

1951 RBI

1599 walks-696 Strikeouts

725 doubles

177 triples

1949 Runs

.417 OBP

.559 Slugging

.976 OPS

6134 TB

Led league in games: 5x

Led league in runs: 5x

100+ runs: 11x

Led league in hits: 6x

200+ hits: 6x

Led league in doubles: 8x

30+ doubles: 16x

40+ doubles: 9x

50+ doubles: 3x

Led league in triples: 5x

10+ triples: 8x

15+ triples: 3x

20+ triples: 2x

20+ HR: 10x

30+ HR: 6x

Led league in RBI: 2x

100+ RBI: 10x

Led league in walks (105): 1953

100+ walks: 3x

Hit .300+: 17x

Hit .350+: 5x

.400 OBP: 14x

Led league in OBP: 6x

Led league in slugging: 6x

.500 slugging: 16x

.600 slugging: 6x

.702 slugging (1948)

Led league in OPS: 7x

1.01OPS: 8x

Led league in TB: 6x

300 TB: 12x

429 TB (1948)

Led league in IBB: 2x

Postseason: .256, 1 HR, 8 RBI, .742 OPS (4 World Series)

Joe McCarthy Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1957

Born: April 21, 1887

1907-21: Minor League career

1916: Signed by Brooklyn Tip-Tops of the Federal League, but never played

1913, 1919-25: Minor League Manager

1926: Hired by Cubs

1926-30: Managed Chicago Cubs (442-321 record)

1929: Won Pennant, but lost World Series

1930: Fired by Cubs

1931-46: Managed New York Yankees (1460-867 with 8 pennants)

1932: Got revenge by beating the Cubs in the World Series

1936-39: Yanks win World Series

1936: Manager of the Year

1938: Manager of the Year

1939: Lou Gehrig retires

1941,43: Yanks win World Series

1942: Yanks lose World Series

1943: Manager of the Year

1946:: Resigns as Yankee manager after conflict with Larry MacPhail

1948-50: Managed Red Sox (223-145)

1957: Elected to Hall of Fame

1969: Voted third greatest manager of all time

1978: Died

Accomplishments:

7x World Champion

3x Manager of the Year

Yankees All Time wins leader (1460)

Highest win percentage by a manager (.615)

Highest postseason win percentage by a manager (.698)

2125-1333 record

9 pennants

100 win seasons: 6

90+ win seasons: 15

 

Bill Dickey: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1954

Born: June 6, 1907

1925: Began professional career

Debut: August 15, 1928 (Yankees)

1928: Yankees win World Series

1929: Becomes starting catcher

1932: Suspended 30 games for breaking Carl Reynolds jaw with a punch

1932: Yankees win World Series

1933: Played in first All Star Game

1936: Highest batting average (.362) for a catcher until Joe Mauer (2009)

1936-1939: Yankees win World Series

1941: Set record with 13^th season of 100 or more games at catcher

1941: Yankees win World Series

1942: Shoulder injury

1942: Appeared in Pride of the Yankees as himself.

1942: Yankees lose World Series

1943: Hit series clinching HR in World Series

1944-5: World War II Service

1946: Became player-manager (57-48)

1946: Released by Yankees

1947-8: Minor league manager

1949-60: Yankee coach

1949: Appeared in The Stratton Story as himself

1949-1953: Yankees win World Series

1954: Elected to Hall of Fame

1955: Yankees lose World Series

1956: Yankees win World Series

1957: Yankees lose World Series

1958: Yankees win World Series

1960: Yankees lose World Series

1972: Yankees retire #8

1988: Yankees place plaque in Monument Park

1999: Nominee for All Century Team

Accomplishments:

14x World Champion

11x All Star

.313

202 HR

1209 RBI

930 Runs

1969 Hits

343 doubles

678 walks-289 strikeouts

.868 OPS

.382 OBP

.486 slugging

Hit 30+ doubles: 2x

10 triples (1931)

20+ Home Runs (4x)

100+ RBI: 4x

Hit .300: 10x

Hit .362 (1936)

.400+ OBP: 4x

.500 slugging: 4x

.617 slugging (1936)

1.045 OPS (1936)

302 TB (1937)

3062 TB

Postseason: .255, 5 HR, 24 RBI, .709 OPS (8 World Series)

As a manager: 57-48 (.543)

Thurman Munson: Timeline

Born: June 7, 1947

1965-67: Attended Kent State (teammate of Steve Stone)

1967: Played in Cape Cod League

1968: Drafted by the New York Yankees

Debut: August 8, 1969 (Yankees)

1970: Won Rookie of the Year (.302 average)

1971: Committed only 1 error all season and that occurred after he was knocked out

1973: Fight with Fisk

1976: Named Yankee Captain (first since Lou Gehrig)

1976: AL MVP

1976: Yankees won pennant and lost the WS to the Reds (Munson hit .529)

1976: Controversy over Sparky Anderson’s comments about embarrassing Munson by comparing him the Johnny Bench.

1977: Hit .308 with 100 RBIs making him the first catcher to do so for three consecutive years since Bill Dickey.

1977: Bronx Zoo: Feud with Reggie Jackson

1977: Yankees win World Series (Munson hit .320 with one home run and three RBI)

1978: Yanks come back from 14 games down to win the AL East in Game 163

1978: Yankees win World Series (Munson hit .320 with 7 RBI)

Died: August 1, 1979 (plane crash)

August 2: Yanks honor Munson in pregame ceremony

August 6: Entire team attends funeral; Bobby Mercer delivers eulogy

August 6, 1979: The Thurman Munson Game: Bobby Mercer drives in all five runs in New York’s 5-4 victory over Baltimore.

1980: Plaque honoring Munson is dedicated (his number was retired immediately after his death)

Accomplishments:
First Yankee Captain since Lou Gehrig

2x World Champion

1970 ROY

1976 AL MVP

7x All Star

3x Gold Glove

1 error in 1971

.292 career hitter

Hit .300+: 5x (11 seasons)

1558 career hits

Led league 151 singles (1975)

113 career home runs

20 HR (1973)

701 RBI

100+ RBI: 3x

.357 career postseason hitter with 3 HR and 22 RBI (30 games)

Lou Gehrig: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1939

Lou Gehrig

Born: June 19, 1903

1920: Received national attention for his playing ability with a grand slam that left Wrigley Field.

1921-23: Columbia University

Major League Debut: June 15, 1923 (New York Yankees)

1923: Yankees win World Series

June 1, 1925: Gehrig begins consecutive game streak

1926: Yankees win World Series (Gehrig hit .348)

1927: Gehrig has greatest season ever for a first baseman (.373, 47, 175, 52 doubles, 1.240 OPS, and 447 total bases)

1927: Gehrig wins MVP

1927: Yankees win 110 games and the World Series (Lou hit .308)

1928: Yanks repeat

1928: In the World Series: Gehrig hits .545 with 4 homers and 9 RBI in a sweep

1931: Sets AL RBI mark with 184

1932: Hit 4 homers in a game and just missed a fifth on a great play by Al Simmons

1932: Yanks win World Series

1932: In the World Series, Gehrig hits .529 with 3 homers and 8 RBI in a sweep

1934: Gehrig wins Triple Crown (.363, 49, 165)

1935: Named Captain

1936: Gehrig wins MVP/Yanks win the World Series

1937-39: Yanks win the World Series

1938: Gehrig began experiencing physical changes which worsened in the 1939 season.

1938: Starred in the movie, Rawhide

April 30, 1939: Gehrig ends consecutive game streak at 2130

May 2, 1939: Gehrig benches himself.

1939: Diagnosed with ALS

July 4, 1939: Lou Gehrig Day at Yankee Stadium. He delivers baseball’s “Gettysburg Address” and is the first player to have his uniform number retired.

1939: Elected to the Hall of Fame on a special ballot

1940: Began working as New York City Parole Commissioner

1941: Resigns from his job due to his health

Death: June 2, 1941

1942: Pride of the Yankees starring Gary Cooper is released

1955: Lou Gehrig Memorial Award Introduced

1989: USPS honored Gehrig with a postage stamp

1999: Voted to All Century Team

Accomplishments:
2130 Consecutive Games

23 Grand Slams (Major League Record)

1934 Triple Crown

1934 Batting Champion

.340 average

493 Home Runs

1995 RBI

2x MVP

7x All Star

7x World Champion

Four Homer Game

NY Yankee Captain

2164 games

Led league in games played: 7x

Led League in Runs: 4x

1888 Runs

100+ runs: 13x

2721 Hits

200+ hits: 8x

534 doubles

Led league in doubles: 2x

Led league in triples in 1926 (20)

30+ homers: 10x

40+ homers: 5x

Led League in Homers: 3x

100+ RBI: 13x

Led league in RBI: 5x

Most RBI in AL History: 184 (1931)

1508 walks

Led league in walks: 3x

100+ walks: 11x

Hit .300: 12x

.447 OBP

.400+ OBP: 13x

.632 slugging

Led league in slugging: 2x

.500+ slugging: 14x

.600+ slugging: 9x

.700+ slugging: 3x

1.080 OPS

.900+ OPS: 13x

1.000+ OPS: 11x

Led league in Total Bases: 4x

400+ total bases: 5x

World Series: .361, 10 homers, 35 RBI, 1.208 OPS

First Athlete to appear on Wheaties box

Babe Ruth: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1936

Boston Red Sox (1914-1919)

New York Yankees (1920-1934)

Boston Braves (1935)

Born: February 6, 1895

1902: Sent St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, where he learned baseball and became a qualified tailor.

1914: Signed with minor league Baltimore Orioles. His teammates dubbed him "Babe" because of his youthful looks (he was 19).

1914: The Orioles sold Ruth to the Boston Red Sox after the A's and Reds passed.

MLB Debut: July 14, 1914

1914: Ruth appeared in 5 games and spent most of the season in the minors.

1915: Earned a spot on the Red Sox as a starting pitcher. He won 18 games. He also hit his first home run.

1915: Red Sox win the World Series. Ruth does not pitch and goes 0-for-1.

1916: Ruth wins 23 games and leads the league in shutouts and ERA. His 9 shutouts were a record for AL left handed pitchers (since matched).

1916: July 11: Starts both games of a doubleheader. Also, he beat Walter Johnson four times in 1916.

1916: Red Sox win World Series. Ruth throws a 14-inning complete game victory in Game 2.

1917: Ruth walked the lead-off hitter on a June 23 game. He threw a tantrum, punched the umpire, and his relief, Ernie Shore retired every batter he faced after the runner was thrown out trying to steal.

1917: Ruth suspended for 10 games for hitting an umpire.

1918: Ruth begins to transition to the outfield and leads the league with 11 home runs.

1918: Red Sox win the World Series (Ruth goes 2-0)

1919: Ruth sets a new home run record with 29.

1919: Sold to the Yankees

1920s

1920: Ruth finishes transition to the outfield and rewrites the record books. In 1920, he hit 54 homers.

1921: 378, 59 HR, 171 RBI. If today's rules regarding foul balls existed, Ruth would have hit 104 home runs. He set the MLB record for Total Bases, Extra Base Hits, and Times on Base, which still stand. He also becomes the All Time Home Run champ (passed by Henry Aaron).

1921-1922: Yanks win Pennant but lose World Series to Giants (Ruth hit .313 and .118 in the two series with 1 homer).

1922: Ruth leapt into the stands to confront a heckler, is suspended, and stripped of the captaincy.

1923: Yankee Stadium opens; Ruth hits the first home run. It is dubbed "The House that Ruth Built" because of the gate he drew.

1923: Wins MVP (rules prevented multiple winners)

1923: Yanks win their first world title. Ruth hits .368 with 3 homers.

1924: Ruth is seriously injured in a collision with a wall. Still, he just misses the Triple Crown by 8 RBI.

1925: The Bellyache heard 'round the world: Ruth suffers a season long ailment and the Yanks experience their last losing season until 1965.

1926: Ruth rebounds to form (.372, 47, 146) and the Yanks win the pennant

1926 World Series: Game 4: Ruth hits 3 homers in a single game (matched by Reggie in 1977).

1926 World Series: Game 7: With NY trailing 3-2 with 2 out in the 9th, Ruth is thrown out trying to steal ending the series. Cardinals win the World Series.

1927: Yanks win 110 games. Ruth hits 60 (17 in September).  Lou Gehrig hits 47.

1927: Yanks sweep World Series

1928: Ruth only hits 54 homers and the Yanks sweep the World Series.

1929: Assigned uniform #3

1930s

1930: The Babe pitches a complete game victory as a stunt.

1930: Ruth demands $80,000 and quips he had a better year than the president (Herbert Hoover)

1932: Yanks win pennant.

1932: Ruth calls his shot in the World Series. Yanks win Series in 4 (Babe hits .333 with 2 homers and 6 RBI)

1933: Hit first All Star Game home run

1934: Hits 700th homer

1934: Barnstorms the Far East with other star players.

1934: Turns down offer to manage minor league club. The Babe wants to manage the Yanks. NY sells Ruth to the Boston Braves in 1935.

1935: May 25: Hits the final three homers of his career.

1935: Retires

1936: Elected to Hall of Fame

1938: Coaches for the Dodgers

1939: Appears at Lou Gehrig Day

1940s and beyond:

1942: Yanks retire his #3

1942: Appears in charity exhibition against Walter Johnson

1947: Served as Director of the American Legion Youth Baseball Program

1947: Yanks hold "Babe Ruth Day"

1948: Attends 25th anniversary festivities for Yankee Stadium

1948: Babe dies

1999: All Century Team

2008: Ruth's daughter throws out first pitch in the final game at Yankee Stadium.

Accomplishments:

7x World Champion (1915-16, 1918, 1923, 1927-28, 1932)

1923 AL MVP

1924 Batting Title

.342 Career Hitter

2x All Star

SI's Greatest Player of the 20th century

714 Home Runs (#2 all time)

Led League HR: 12x

50+ HR: 4x (60 in 1927)

2174 Runs Scored (Led League 8x)

2873 Hits

506 doubles

2213 RBI (#2 All Time)

Led League in RBI: 6x

150+ RBI: 6x

2062 Walks (Led League 11x)

.474 OBP (Led League 10x)

.690 SLG (#1 All Time)

Led League in SLG: 13x

OPS: 1.164 (#1 All Time)

Led League in OPS: 13x

94-46 Win-Loss Record

.671 Win %

2.28 ERA (Led League 1916)

17 Shutouts (Led League 1916)

Postseason Pitching: 3-0 record; 0.87 ERA

Postseason Hitting: .326, 15 HR, 33 RBI, 1.211 OPS

Top 10 First Basemen of All Time

Lou Gehrig #1. The rest are not in any order...

Albert Pujols

Lou Gehrig

Hank Greenberg

Jimmie Foxx

Harmon Killebrew

Willie McCovey

Johnny Mize

Eddie Murray

Bill Terry

George Sisler

Top 10 New York Yankees Moments

Ruth christens Yankee Stadium (April 18, 1923): Babe Ruth opened Yankee Stadium with the ballpark’s first home run. Yanks win 4-1.


Ruth’s called shot (October 1, 1932 World Series Game 3): The Cubs were riding Ruth when he allegedly called his shot in the fifth inning. Video footage of the event definitely shows Ruth exchanging words with the Cub bench. However, there is no definitive evidence of Ruth calling the home run.

Lou Gehrig’s speech (July 4, 1939): The Yankees declared July 4, 1939 “Lou Gehrig Day” at Yankee Stadium. The doomed player addressed a crowd of 62,000 fans and proclaimed his belief that he was “the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”

Joe DiMaggio’s 56 Game Hitting Streak (1941): It began on May 15 and did not end until July 17. DiMaggio got a hit in every single game for two months. That’s insane.

Billy Martin’s catch (October 7, 1952 World Series Game 7): In Game 7 of the 1952 World Series, Billy Martin made an amazing catch which saved the game and the series for the Yankees. Jackie Robinson hit a two-out seventh inning popup which the wind took. Martin desperately raced to make the catch with the bases loaded. The Dodgers failed to score and the Yanks won the game 4-2.

Don Larsen is perfect (October 8, 1956 Game 5): Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in World Series history after getting rocked in Game 2. It is the greatest game pitched in postseason history.

Roger Maris hits 61 (1961): Even though it seemed the world was against him, and he lost his hair, Roger Maris did the unthinkable and beat Babe Ruth’s home run record. Some people never forgave Maris for dethroning the Babe. Most people warmed to Maris however and his status has since been elevated because of the allegation of steroid use in the late 90s and early 00s.

Chris Chambliss walk-off (October 14, 1976 Game 5 ALCS): Chambliss sent the Yankees to their first World Series since 1964 with a walk off homer off Kansas City’s Mark Littell.

Reggie! Reggie! Reggie! (October 18, 1977 World Series Game 6): Reggie hits three homers on three pitches to sink LA’s championship hopes. What people don’t remember is Reggie hit a homer in his last at bat in Game 5. So, he hit four straight homers on four straight pitches.

Mr. November (October 31-November 1, 2001 World Series Game 4): Derek Jeter became Mr. November with a 10th inning walk off homer to tie the World Series at two games each.