Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #89: Spec Sanders

Spec Sanders

Teams

New York Yankees (1946-1948)

New York Yanks (1950)

Playoffs

Appearances - 2 (1946,1947)

Conf Champ Games - 2 (1946,1947)

Champ Games - 2 (1946,1947)

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

Pro Bowl - 1 (1950)

All-Pro First Team - 2 (1946,1947)

All-Time Ranks

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1946,1947, #4-1948)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1946,1947, #3-1948)

Yards per Rush (#2-1946,1947, #9-1948)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1946,1947, #5-1948)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1946,1947, #8-1948)

Receiving Touchdowns (#10-1946)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1946,1947, #10-1948)

Yards per Touch (#3-1946, #8-1947)

Spec Sanders only rushed for 365 yards in his junior year at Texas, but it was enough for the Washington Redskins to draft him 6th overall in the 1942 NFL Draft. He instead decided to join the Navy to fight in World War II, then returned to Texas to finish his degree. In 1946, at the age of 28, he signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees of the AAFC.

Sanders played nearly every position with the Yankees. He was primarily a tailback, but he also played defensive back, punter, and quarterback. In his first season, he led the league in nearly every rushing category, with 709 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns, and 968 scrimmage yards, while leading the Yankees to the championship game, where they fell to the Cleveland Browns 14-9, with Sanders scoring the only touchdown for the losing team.

The next year was one of the greatest seasons ever for a running back. Sanders set league records for rushing yards and touchdowns, with 1432 and 18, neither of which would be surpassed for over a decade. He also set a single-game record with 250 yards in a game, even though he was pulled midway through the third quarter of a blowout. They returned to the championship game, but lost to the Browns again, despite Sanders rushing for 40 yards, passing for 89 and gaining 32 yards on a kick return.

Sanders suffered a knee injury the next season which made him less effective, and he decided to retire after the season. After one season away from the game, he came out of retirement to play for the newly formed New York Yanks of the NFL, but played only safety and punter that year to protect his knees. He set an NFL record that year with 13 interceptions, a number that has only been reached 2 times since. He retired for good after that season.

Sanders had the shortest career of anyone on this list, playing only 4 total seasons, with only 3 as a running back, but he was so great, especially in the 1947 season, that he still made the list of the greatest players of all time anyway.

Top 106 Baseball Players: Breakdown

Because I can't help myself when it comes to statistics, I decided to break down the 106 players from my countdown by when they played, what position they played, and where they played.

By Decade

These are broken down by primary decade played:

1880's: 3
1890's: 3
1900's: 7
1910's: 8
1920's: 5
1930's: 13
1940's: 7
1950's: 5
1960's: 10
1970's: 8
1980's: 6
1990's: 15
2000's: 13
2010's: 3

There was quite a spike around the turn of the millennium, even if you don't count the cheaters.

By Position

These are broken down by position played in the most games:

Pitcher - 40
First Base - 14
Left Field - 11
Right Field - 11
Center Field - 10
Second Base - 7
Third Base - 4
Catcher - 3
Shortstop - 3
Designated Hitter - 3

By Team

These are broken down by primary team, with total players who appeared with that team in parentheses:

New York Yankees - 16 (29)
Philadelphia/Oakland Athletics - 10 (18)
Boston Red Sox - 9 (18)
Saint Louis Cardinals - 8 (17)
New York/San Francisco Giants - 8 (12)
Detroit Tigers - 7 (13)
Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers - 5 (12)
Boston/Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves - 5 (7)
Philadelphia Phillies - 4 (12)
Saint Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles - 3 (14)
New York Mets - 3 (13)
Cleveland Indians - 3 (10)
Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins - 3 (7)
Cincinnati Reds - 3 (7)
Chicago Cubs - 2 (8)
Chicago White Sox - 2 (8)
California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels - 2 (5)
Houston Astros - 1 (10)
Texas Rangers - 1 (6)
Toronto Blue Jays - 1 (6)
Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals - 1 (6)
San Diego Padres - 1 (5)
Pittsburgh Pirates - 1 (5)
Seattle Mariners - 1 (4)
Milwaukee Brewers - 1 (4)
Kansas City Royals - 1 (3)
Florida/Miami Marlins - 1 (2)
Arizona Diamondbacks - 1 (2)
Colorado Rockies - 1 (1)
Tampa Bay Rays - 0 (1)

The only team that didn't have a player represented in the top 106 was Tampa Bay, but they at least had the twilight years of Wade Boggs. The other 3 most recent expansion teams also had fewer representatives than most, while the Yankees obviously dominated.

Thanks to everybody who followed this countdown and commented (mostly through Facebook). I hope you enjoyed it, and I can't wait to unveil my next set of all-time rankings.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #1 - Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth is the greatest baseball player of all time, and it isn't even close. Even if you remove all of his pitching performances from his statistics, he is still the greatest of all time by a considerable margin.

Ruth joined the Red Sox in 1914, but was hardly used as a rookie. He started out as a pitcher, and in his third season he led the league in ERA and shutouts, and also led the Red Sox to the World Series, where he had the best pitching performance of anyone that year, pitching a 14-inning complete game that Boston won 2-1 over Brooklyn.

After the 1917 season, he grew tired of only playing once or twice a week, and asked to be used in the outfield more often. He was used occasionally in that role in 1918, but because the Red Sox were in the pennant race, they wanted to use him more as a pitcher. He did tie for the league lead with 11 home runs that year, and he also ended up with his second title.

With the Red Sox out of the running pretty early in 1919, they allowed him more time in the outfield, and he took full advantage, breaking the previous home run record by hitting 29, 2 more than the old record. With the owner short on cash after the season, and recognizing the value he was sitting on, Ruth was sold to the Yankees for $100,000.

In his first season in New York, he obliterated his own record, hitting 54 home runs to nearly double his record from the previous season, and he finished far ahead of the next-highest total of 19 that year. He also led the league in runs scored, RBI's, walks, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, making him easily the best player in the league.

The next year was his best overall. He broke the home run record again, this time upping it to 59, far ahead of the 24 of his nearest competitor. He also led the league with 177 runs, 168 RBI, and 145 walks, and batted .378 for the season. He also took over the career home run lead that season when he hit #139, and he would extend that record nearly 600 more times over the course of his career.

Ruth was suspended for the first 6 weeks of the 1922 season for playing exhibition games following the World Series, which was not allowed at the time. The rule was changed before the season ended, but it was enough to prevent Ruth from winning the home run title for one of the few times in his career.

When he returned in 1924, he played like a man on a mission, leading the league in all of his regular categories while batting a career high .393 and leading the Yankees to the World Series for the third year in a row against the New York Giants, with which they shared a stadium. He had a great series, batting .368 with 3 homers and 8 walks, and finally defeated the Giants on their third attempt.

Ruth missed much of the 1925 season due to a mysterious belly problem, probably the result of overindulgence in alcohol and hot dogs. He came back strong in 1926, having another Ruthian season, and led them back to the World Series, where he had his best postseason series, hitting 4 home runs and walking 11 times, but the Yankees lost to the Cardinals in 7.

In 1927 he broke his home run record one more time, reaching 60, a number that would not be touched for 34 seasons. He also had another good postseason, batting .400 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI in the World Series as the Yankees swept Pittsburgh. They repeated the feat in 1928, with Ruth hitting .625 with 3 home runs in a sweep of the Cardinals.

He spent a few more seasons as the best player in baseball, leading the league in home runs 3 more times, making it a total of 12 seasons in his career. He also led the league in RBI's 5 times in his career, runs 6 times, and walks 11 times. He retired as the all-time leader in home runs, RBI's, walks, and slugging percentage, and is still in the top 3 in each of those categories, and still leads in slugging. There has never been a player who dominated in the way he did, and he did it for over a decade, so there is no doubt at all that he is the greatest player of all time, and may be forever.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #2 - Lou Gehrig

Lou Gehrig

Lou Gehrig was a great all-around player who rarely missed a game before he was forced into an early retirement by the disease that was named for him and took his life soon afterward.

Gehrig first joined the Yankees in 1923, as a 19-year-old, and was used sparingly as a pinch hitter in his first two years, and wasn't included on the postseason roster when they won the 1923 World Series. Midway through the 1925 season, first baseman Wally Pipp sat out with a headache, allowing Gehrig to start the game, and he didn't sit out another game until 1939.

He had his breakout season in 1927, the year in which the Yankees' lineup was known as Murderer's Row. He batted directly behind Babe Ruth in the lineup for most of his career, but still managed to lead the league in RBI's 5 times, including that season. He broke Ruth's record by knocking in 175 RBI's that season, fell two short of Ruth's record for extra-base hits, and 10 short of his record for total bases. Though Ruth set the record with 60 home runs that year, Gehrig was awarded the league's MVP.

Gehrig had won his first World Series in 1927, but he had his best World Series in 1928, when he hit .545 with 4 home runs and 9 RBI in a 4-game sweep of the Cardinals. He would finish his career with 6 total championships, spread out from 1927 to 1938, his final full season.

From 1930 to 1932, Gehrig had a total of 509 RBI, which is a higher total than any other player had in their 3 best career seasons. That included 185 in 1931, which is the highest in AL history and the second-highest of all time. He also tied with Babe Ruth for the home run title for the first time in his career, and he was the MVP runner-up in both 1931 and 1932.

In 1932, he became the first player ever to hit 4 home runs in a game, and nearly had a fifth that was pulled back from over the fence by an outfielder. He and Ruth were able to lead the Yankees back to the World Series that year after a 3-year absence, and Gehrig was again the driving force behind a sweep, this time against the Cubs. He hit .529 with 3 home runs and 8 RBI in the series as he took home his third ring.

That was Ruth's last great season, and Gehrig took over as the team's biggest star for the next several years. In 1934 he won the Triple Crown with 49 home runs, 166 RBI, and an average of .363, and led the league in total bases. In each of the next 3 seasons, he led the league in walks, and won a second MVP in 1936 when he also led the league in home runs and runs scored.

Between 1926 and 1938, Gehrig did not miss a single game, and also surpassed both 100 runs scored and 100 RBI in each season. He started to feel tired midway through the 1938 season, and when he was unable to hit with any power or cover first base through the first few games of 1939, he voluntarily removed himself from the lineup after playing 2130 straight games, and he would never play again.

He was diagnosed with ALS in June, and a ceremony was held to honor him between games of a doubleheader on July 4th, during which he gave his famous farewell speech and was honored by being the first player ever to have his number retired by any team. After the season ended, a special election was held to induct him into the Hall of Fame before his death, and he was the youngest elected until Sandy Koufax.

In addition to the impressive RBI records listed above, he also holds the record for most times reaching 400 total bases in a season, and is one of only 2 players to hit 40 doubles and 40 homers in the same season 3 times, along with Albert Pujols. He holds the record by scoring the game-winning run in 8 different World Series games, and is definitely one of the all-time great men in baseball history, as well as one of the greatest players ever.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #6 - Randy Johnson

Randy Johnson

Randy Johnson was one of the greatest power pitchers in history, and played a huge part in the only championship in Diamondbacks history.

Johnson began his career with Montreal in 1988, but after struggling to find his control, he was traded to the Mariners in 1989. During his first 3 seasons in Seattle, he led the league in walks allowed, a dubious distinction for a pitcher, and not generally a sign of future greatness.

Late in the 1992 season, he sought out Nolan Ryan to ask for advice, and Ryan helped him find the flaw in his delivery, and his entire career changed. He had led the league in both strikeouts and walks in 1992, but he would never lead the league in walks again, while finishing as the strikeout leader 8 more times.

In 1993 he became the top pitcher in the game, almost overnight, leading the league with 308 strikeouts, the first of many times he would reach 300. He was on pace for another 300-strikeout season in 1994 before the season ended early due to a strike.

He took his game to another level in 1995, and was finally recognized with his first Cy Young. He fell just short of 300 strikeouts, but still led the league, and also led the league in ERA at 2.48 and had an 18-2 record, good for the second-best win percentage in history. In his first career playoff series that year, he won two games against the Yankees, striking out 16 in 10 innings, including 3 innings in relief in the deciding Game 5.

A back injury limited him to 8 starts in 1996, but he came back to form in 1997 with 291 strikeouts, but requested a trade in 1998 when the Mariners refused to offer him an extension, and he got his wish minutes before the trade deadline, being dealt to the Astros. He had a 10-1 record in Houston, with a 1.28 ERA. He had the most strikeouts of any player in the league, though it didn't count as leading the league because it was split between the two leagues.

After his short stint in Houston, he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who had just finished their first season. In his first 4 seasons in Arizona, he had 4 of the best pitching seasons in history, surpassing 300 strikeouts each time, setting an all-time record with 5 seasons in a row. He also won the Cy Young in all 4 seasons, tying Greg Maddux's record for consecutive Cy Young awards.

Johnson was incredible in the 2001 postseason, striking out 19 with a 1.13 ERA in 2 wins against the Braves in the NLCS, then pitching even better in the World Series. He struck out 19 against the Yankees as well, with an ERA of 1.04, while winning Games 2 and 6, then getting another win in relief in Game 7 as the Diamondbacks won their first and only championship, and he was named co-MVP of the Series, along with Curt Schilling.

In 2002 he won the pitching Triple Crown, winning 24 games, striking out 334, and recording an ERA of 2.32, which made him an easy choice for his 5th Cy Young, the second-most of any player in history. He missed most of the following season with various injuries, ending his streak of great seasons.

He had one more great season still in the tank, though, and he pulled it out in 2004, when he was 40 years old. He won the strikeout title yet again, became the oldest pitcher ever to throw a perfect game, and became the 4th pitcher ever to reach 4000 strikeouts. He finished as the Cy Young runner-up, the third time he had just fallen short of the award.

Over the final 5 years of his career, he reached some impressive milestones, including the 300 win mark, and passing Roger Clemens to take over 2nd place on the career strikeout list, behind his mentor, Nolan Ryan. He pitched his final game at age 46, and was elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

In addition to the record for consecutive 300-strikeout seasons and consecutive Cy Youngs, Johnson also holds the record for most strikeouts per 9 innings, with 10.61. He also holds the record for most strikeouts in a game by a lefty, with 20, and has 5 of the top 11 strikeout seasons in history. He was a very deserving World Series MVP in 2001, and one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #10 - Roger Clemens*

Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens was a great pitcher over a very long period, and won more Cy Young awards than any other pitcher in history, but his career has been tainted by allegations of steroid use.

Clemens was called up to the Red Sox in 1984, and after pitching sparingly but well in his first two seasons, he jumped straight to superstar status in 1986. That year he led the league with a 2.48 ERA and 24 wins, with only 4 losses, and won both the Cy Young and the MVP. He also set the record for most strikeouts in a 9-inning game, when he sat down 20 batters in an April game, a number that has been matched twice since (3 if you count Randy Johnson's game that went to extra innings without him pitching).

The Red Sox reached the World Series that year, but Clemens did not pitch well enough to get Boston their first title in decades. He led the league in wins, complete games, and shutouts in 1987, and won another Cy Young as well. Though he still pitched just as well in 1988, he failed to win the Cy Young when his record fell to 18-12, though he did win his first strikeout crown that year.

From 1990 to 1992 he led the league in shutouts and ERA, and finished in the top 3 of the Cy Young voting each season, winning the award for the third time in 1991 when he took home the strikeout title as well. He struggled for the next four years, though he did win another strikeout crown in 1996, but it appeared that his best years were behind him, and when Boston did not offer him the contract he wanted, he signed with Toronto as a free agent.

He pitched 2 seasons for the Blue Jays, winning the pitching Triple Crown and the Cy Young award each time, but he grew tired of Toronto's mediocrity, and asked to be traded to a contender. He got his wish before the 1999 season, when he was traded to the Yankees, who had just won the World Series.

His numbers took an immediate nosedive when he reached New York, but he got his wish in the postseason, as he was a member of the championship team for the first time. He was better in 2000, especially in the playoffs. In his appearance in the ALCS, he pitched a complete-game one-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts against Seattle, then pitched 8 innings without giving up a run against the Mets in the World Series, earning him his second ring.

In 2001 he got off to a great start, becoming the first pitcher ever to start a season 20-1 and was awarded his 6th Cy Young award after the season. He pitched well through the postseason as well, and he held the Diamondbacks in check through 6 innings of Game 7 before Mariano Rivera blew a postseason save for the first time in his career, costing them the title.

Clemens pitched 2 more seasons for the Yankees, announcing before the 2003 season that it would be his last. During that season, he reached 300 career wins and 4000 strikeouts, doing both in the same game. Before the 2004 season started, he changed his mind on retiring, signing on with the Astros for a season, and he ended up with an 18-4 record and a 7th Cy Young, more than any other player in history, and he also became the oldest ever to win one at age 42.

He changed his mind about retirement again before the 2005 season, signing the largest contract ever for a pitcher, and had one of his best season, setting a career low in ERA at 1.87, but due to terrible run support his record was only 13-8. In April he pitched three straight shutouts that his team ended up losing 1-0 in extra innings.

Two months into his third retirement, he returned to the Astros again and pitched a decent season, then did the same thing the following year, pitching one final partial season with the Yankees before retiring from the Major Leagues for good, though he has pitched in the minors a few times since.

The biggest controversy of his career is the alleged use of steroids, which followed him for years. He was named in Jose Canseco's book on steroid use in baseball, as well as the Mitchell Report, and was indicted for lying to Congress about his use of steroids, though he was never convicted, and has never failed a drug test. The feeling among most fans and media members is that he probably did use PED's, and that has prevented him from being elected to the Hall of Fame, even though his career is first-ballot worthy.

In addition to the record 7 Cy Youngs, Clemens is one of 3 pitchers in the live-ball era to reach 350 wins, along with Greg Maddux and Warren Spahn, and is #9 among all pitchers in history in wins. He is also #3 in career strikeouts, behind Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. Even with the probable steroid use, there is no doubt that Clemens is one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #14 - Mickey Mantle

Mickey Mantle

Mickey Mantle was the greatest switch-hitter in history, and was a major part of the Yankees dynasty that dominated the 1950's.

Mantle joined the Yankees as a rookie in 1951, which was Joe DiMaggio's final season. In that year's World Series, Mantle and DiMaggio both went after a fly ball, with Mantle swerving at the last minute to avoid a collision and tripping over a drain pipe, which caused him to tear his ACL, an injury for which surgery was impossible at the time. He played the rest of his career on that injured knee.

He showed improvement the next season after being shifted to center field to replace DiMaggio, and had a great World Series, batting .345 with 2 home runs as the Yankees beat the Dodgers in 7 games. He took home his third World Series title in his third season, a pretty good way to start a career.

He became a superstar in 1956, when he became the only switch-hitter in history to win the Triple Crown, batting .353 with 52 home runs and 130 RBI, each of which led both leagues, making him the most recent player to lead both leagues in all 3 categories. He won the MVP that season, then hit 3 home runs in the World Series as he became a champion for the 4th time.

He won another MVP the next season, hitting a career-high .365, though he lost out to Ted Williams in the batting race, but he also led the league with 146 walks. In 1960 he led the league in home runs for the 4th time, then had a great World Series again, batting .400 with 3 home runs and 11 RBI, but the Yankees fell to the Pirates in 7 games that year.

The 1961 season was a big one for Mantle and the Yankees, as he and teammate Roger Maris were locked in a race to beat Babe Ruth's single-season home run record, but a late-season hip injury cause Mantle to fall behind and finish with 54 as he watched his teammate break the record.

He won his third MVP in 1962, after leading the league in walks, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, even after missing nearly 40 games due to injuries. He had his last great season in 1964, when he finished as the MVP runner-up, then hit another 3 home runs in the World Series, though they lost to the Cardinals that season.

Mantle played in 12 World Series during his career, coming away with 7 championships, and holds several career World Series records, including home runs, walks, runs scored, RBI's, and total bases. When he retired, he was #3 in career home runs, though he has fallen to #18 over the past 50 years. He is still #8 all-time in walks, and one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #15 - Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra was the greatest catcher of all time, and the greatest winner in the history of baseball, winning the championship in more than half of the seasons he played.

He signed with the Yankees, in 1943, but his debut was postponed due to service in the Navy during World War II, where he was involved in the D-Day invasion. He made his debut late in the 1946 season, and in 1947 reached his first World Series, where he became the first pinch hitter ever to hit a home run in the World Series, and earned his first title.

He had his best season in 1950, when he hit .322 with 116 runs, 194 hits, and 30 doubles, all career highs, along with 28 home runs, 124 RBI, and only 12 strikeouts. He finished #3 in the MVP voting that year, but took home the trophy for the first time in 1951, along with his 4th championship in the postseason.

He remained the mainstay of the Yankees team through the decade, winning 2 more MVP awards in 1954 and 1955, making him one of the few players in history to have 3 MVP awards. After winning 6 championships in his first 8 seasons, he experienced his first World Series loss in 1955, when the Dodgers won in 7 games despite Berra's .417 average.

Berra and the Yankees were able to get redemption in the 1956 World Series, this time beating the Dodgers in 7, with Berra batting .360 with 3 home runs and 10 RBI, which is one of the greatest Series performances by a position player in history.

Berra continued on with the Yankees until 1963, when he retired to become the team's manager, though he was fired after losing in the World Series. He is the holder of many World Series records, including games played, at-bats, hits, singles, doubles, total Series played (14), and championships won (10).

Berra is probably the greatest player to never lead the league in any category, but he was the greatest winner in the history of the sport. Part of his greatness could be attributed to playing for the Yankees, but part of the Yankees' greatness needs to be attributed to having Berra behind the plate. With those 3 MVP's, 10 championships, and tons of World Series records, there is no doubt that Berra is one of the best players of all time.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #20 - Rickey Henderson

Rickey Henderson

Rickey Henderson was the greatest leadoff hitter in the history of baseball, and he is the owner of numerous all-time and single-season records.

Rickey first played for the Athletics in 1979, and in his second season, he was already setting records, breaking Ty Cobb's AL record by stealing 100 bases, becoming just the third player ever to reach that number. Two years later, he broke Lou Brock's Major League record by stealing 130. He had 84 steals by the All-Star break, a number no other player has reached in a full season since, let alone the actual record. He also had at least 100 runs, steals, and walks in 1980, 1982, and 1983, and he is the only player in the modern era to ever achieve that even once.

He was traded to the Yankees after the 1984 season, and his first season in New York was the best of his career. He led the league with 146 runs and 80 steals, and the runs scored were the most by any player since 1950, and he was the first player since 1939 to have more runs scored than games played.

In 1989, he was traded back to the A's at midseason, and he led them to the playoffs after leading the league with 113 runs, 77 steals, and 126 walks. He was very proud to have become Nolan Ryan's 5000th strikeout victim during that season as well. He was named the ALCS MVP after setting a postseason record with 8 steals in a 5-game series, while also batting .400 with 7 walks and 2 home runs. He then hit .474 in a World Series sweep of the Giants as he earned his first title.

The next season he led the league in runs, stolen bases, and on-base percentage, and finished second to George Brett in batting average, and finally won an MVP award, though he deserved a few earlier in his career. The A's returned to the World Series, but this time were victims of a sweep against the Reds, though Henderson batted .333 for the series.

In 1991 he broke the career record that is most associated with him when he passed Lou Brock to become the all-time leader in stolen bases. By the time he finished his career, he had a total of 1406, more than 50% above Brock's second-place total.

He was traded to the Blue Jays near the end of the 1993 season, but struggled after breaking his hand just a few games into his time in Toronto. The Blue Jays did reach the World Series that year, and Henderson scored on the final play of the series to win his second title, though he did little else to contribute to the win.

He was a nomad for the rest of his career, never spending more than 2 consecutive seasons with the same team again, and he had 2 more stints with the Athletics, even leading the league in steals and walks with them in 1998. In 2001, while playing with San Diego, he broke a couple more career marks, Ty Cobb's career runs record and Babe Ruth's walk record. He is still the leader in runs and unintentional walks, though Barry Bonds has more total walks. With all the records he holds, and his amazing performance in his first World Series run, he definitely needs to be remembered as one of the greatest players of all time.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #22 - Whitey Ford

Whitey Ford

Whitey Ford was the greatest pitcher for the greatest dynasty in baseball history, pitching in the World Series in most of the seasons in his career and setting numerous World Series records along the way.

Ford first pitched for the Yankees in 1950, accumulating a 9-1 record and finishing as the runner-up in the Rookie of the Year voting. Ford pitched the decisive game 4 of the World Series that year against Philadelphia, pitching all but the final out without giving up an earned run as they took home a repeat championship.

He spent the next two years with the military in Korea, then returned to the team in 1953 having missed out on 2 championships along the way. He had an 18-6 record that year and won another championship, making it 5 in a row for the Yankees, a record that no team has reached since.

Ford was used sparingly by Casey Stengel throughout the 1950's, with the manager hoping to keep his arm well-rested for the playoffs each year. He was the top pitcher in the league in 1958, recording a 2.01 ERA and 7 shutouts, both best in the league, but didn't receive a single MVP or Cy Young vote for some reason.

Ford holds the record for most consecutive Game 1 World Series starts, with 4, a feat he accomplished twice in his career. The exception came in 1960, when he was held out until game 3, which turned out to cost the Yankees the title. He pitched complete game shutouts in games 3 and 6, but was unavailable to pitch in relief in game 7 and they lost the Series to Pittsburgh, costing Stengel his job.

With a new manager the next year, Ford became a superstar, reaching 200 strikeouts for the first time and recording 25 wins to go with only 4 losses. He received the Cy Young Award after the season, then kept it going in the World Series, pitching 14 shutout innings while giving up only 6 hits, which earned him the World Series MVP award as well.

After 4 more seasons and another championship, his shoulder gave out, and he was forced to retire. He is still the Yankees' all-time leader in pitching wins, and his .690 win percentage is the highest of any pitcher since 1900 with at least 150 wins. The Yankees win percentage in games he did not pitch during his career was .576, so his high percentage cannot be attributed to the team he played for.

He also had a career ERA of 2.75, second-lowest of any pitcher in the live-ball era, trailing only Clayton Kershaw currently. He recorded 10 victories in the World Series, more than any other pitcher ever, and pitched 33 consecutive scoreless World Series innings, another record that remains untouched, though Mariano Rivera has bested it as a postseason record. Though his career ended up being somewhat short, he was the best pitcher on the Yankees during their most dominant run, completely dominated in the World Series two years in a row, and belongs in this place among the best players to ever take the field.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #27 - Joe DiMaggio

Joe DiMaggio

Joe DiMaggio is one of the most iconic baseball players of all time, and though his career was one of the shortest among the players on this list, he was among the best players in the league for his entire career.

As a rookie in 1936, DiMaggio led the league in triples and set a Yankees rookie record by hitting 29 home runs, a record which stood until last season, when Aaron Judge eclipsed it. He also hit .323, then topped it with a .346 average in the World Series, bringing home a championship as a rookie.

His second season was his best, as he led the league with 151 runs scored, 46 home runs, 418 total bases, and a .673 slugging percentage, but he finished as the MVP runner-up to Charlie Gehringer. The Yankees capped off that season with another championship, making him 2 for 2 to start his career.

Two years later, he finally earned his first MVP after earning his first batting title with a .381 average, and that season ended with yet another World Series title, his 4th in 4 seasons as a pro. He repeated as batting champ in 1940, but the Yankees failed to reach the World Series for the first time in his career, making the season a bit of a disappointment.

1941 is the season that made him a legend. He won the MVP after winning the RBI title, but what really put him over the top was his 56-game hitting streak, which beat the modern record of 41 and the all-time record of 44. The only player to reach 40 since then was Pete Rose, who reached 44, so no player before or since has come close to his record.

Before the 1943 season, DiMaggio enlisted in the Army, causing him to miss the next 3 seasons, though he never saw combat due to his fame, instead being assigned to play on military all-star teams to entertain the troops, even after requesting a combat role because he was embarrassed by the ease of his service.

He was awarded his 3rd MVP in 1947, despite having one of his worst statistical seasons, then finished as runner-up in 1948 after leading the league in homers and RBI. He ended up playing a total of 13 seasons, reaching the World Series 10 times, and winning 9 championship rings, which puts him behind only Yogi Berra in history.

The shortness of DiMaggio's career kept him from rising higher in these rankings, but no one can say that he isn't one of the all-time greats. In addition to all those championships, he owns 3 MVP's and 2 batting titles, and what is probably the most unbreakable record in baseball. It is unfortunate that he had to miss 3 years in the prime of his career due to war, but he is definitely one of the greatest ever to take the field.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #40 - Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera is easily the greatest closer in the history of baseball, and he is one of the greatest postseason players ever, period.

Rivera didn't reach the Majors until he was 25 years old, and he was not an immediate success. He began as a starter, but struggled, with an ERA of 5.51 in 1995, his rookie season, before he was moved to middle reliever. That was the role he played throughout 1996, when he finished with a 2.09 ERA and the #3 spot in the Cy Young voting, and a star was born.

In each of the next 3 seasons, he posted an ERA below 2.00, which is very rare, and in 1999 he led the league with 45 saves. He had helped the Yankees win the World Series in 1996 as a middle reliever, then pitched over 13 innings in 1998 without giving up a single run in 1998. He repeated the feat in 1999, pitching over 12 scoreless innings as he was awarded the World Series MVP.

He actually gave up a couple runs in the 2000 World Series, but the Yankees were still able to win their 3rd straight championship. After leading the league in saves in 2001 for the second time in his career, the Yankees went into the playoffs as heavy favorites, but lost in the World Series after Rivera blew a World Series save for the first time in his career.

Rivera pitched for another 12 seasons, picking up another save title, an ALCS MVP, and another championship, and other than the 2012 season, which he mostly missed due to an ACL injury, he was a great closer. He pitched in 32 postseason series in his career, and only gave up more than one earned run once in all those series.

Rivera is the holder of many records. He is the all-time saves leader, with 652, and is also the leader in most seasons with 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 50 saves. He pitched in more games than any other right-handed pitcher in history, and his 2.21 career ERA is the lowest of any player since 1920. He also holds the record for most seasons with an era lower than 2.00.

He also holds many career postseason records, including ERA (0.70), saves, consecutive saves, consecutive scoreless innings, and games pitched. Perhaps even more impressive is that he had more saves in his consecutive save streak of 23 than any other pitcher had total in his career. Dennis Eckersley and Trevor Hoffman, widely recognized as two of the greatest closers ever, both recognize Rivera as the definite #1, so there is no doubt that he deserves a spot on this list of the greatest players of all time.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #42 - Alex Rodriguez*

Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez was a superstar almost from the day that he reached the Majors, setting many record for being the youngest to reach a milestone, but his verified use of steroids put a black mark on a career that would have been great without them.

Rodriguez was the #1 pick in the 1993 Draft, and made his Major League debut with the Mariners the following season while still 18 years old, making him the youngest player in the league. He split time between the majors and minors for his first two years, before becoming the full-time starting shortstop for good in 1996.

His first full season with the Mariners was a great one. He led the league with 141 runs, 54 doubles, 379 total bases, and a .358 average, making him the 3rd-youngest ever to win a batting title. He came in second in the MVP voting as well, quite the accomplishment for a 21 year old.

In 1998, he led the league with 213 hits, and also became the third member of the 40-40 club, having reached 40 in both home runs and stolen bases, joining Jose Canseco and Barry Bonds, a couple of players that he would end up having another thing in common with later in his career.

He would exceed 40 home runs for each of the next two seasons with Seattle, also surpassing 130 runs and RBI in 2000, which earned him a 3rd place finish in the MVP voting. He was a free agent after that season, and decided to leave Seattle for Texas, where he was offered the largest contract in pro sports history.

In 2001, he led the league in runs, home runs, and total bases, and reached 50 home runs for the first time in his career. He also reached 200 hits that season, becoming the first player in nearly 70 years to have 50 homers and 200 hits in a season.

The following season, he raised his performance again, this time knocking 57 home runs and leading the league with 142 RBI. His home runs were the most by an AL player since Roger Maris hit 61 in 1961. He finished as the MVP runner-up again that year, his third top-3 finish without winning the award.

His numbers dropped off slightly in 2003, but he still led the league with 47 home runs and 124 runs scored, and it was enough to finally earn him an MVP award, becoming just the second player in history to win the award on a last-place team. He also led the league in slugging for the first time, which would become common for him.

He was traded to the Yankees after the season, becoming just the 2nd reigning MVP in history to be traded. He switched to third base in New York, because Derek Jeter was the starting shortstop, and in his second year with the team he had nearly the same stat line he had in 2003, which earned him his 2nd MVP award.

His best season came in 2007, when he led the league in homers for the 5th time, with 54, and also led the league with career highs in runs (143) and RBI (156). He also reached 500 home runs that season, becoming the youngest to reach that milestone, just as he had been with 400, 300, and 200. He won his 3rd MVP that season.

After that season, he opted out of his contract in order to sign a new deal that broke his previous record as the largest in history, but his performance dropped off a bit on the new deal. He had the reputation for not playing well in the playoffs, only having played well in the 2000 playoffs up to that point, but in 2009, he finally put it together in the postseason, batting over .300 with 6 home runs and 18 RBI over 3 rounds as the Yankees won the World Series, earning Rodriguez his first and only championship.

Exactly 3 years after his 500th home runs, Rodriguez hit his 600th, becoming the 7th player to reach that milestone, and the youngest as well. During the 2013 season, it was announced that Rodriguez was being suspended for using PED's, but he was allowed to continue playing during the appeal process. He eventually admitted to cheating and was suspended for the entire 2014 season. He did return for two more seasons afterward, but was not very effective.

Rodriguez is near the top of many prestigious leaderboards, including #8 in runs scored, #6 in total bases, #4 in home runs, and #3 in RBI's. He was regularly one of the top all-around regular season players, and was the best player for the Yankees on their 2009 World Series championship team, though that was one of his only good postseason performances. He may have cheated to improve some of those numbers, and there's no way to tell how much of a difference it made or how long it went on, but there is no doubt that he is still one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #47 - Red Ruffing

Red Ruffing

Red Ruffing was one of the best pitchers for the Yankees during their dynasty of the 1930's, and his repeated strong performance in the World Series is what really propelled him into his spot on this list.

Ruffing started his career in 1924 with the Red Sox, but he was not a very good pitcher during his 6.5 seasons in Boston, compiling a 39-96 record and a 4.61 ERA, while twice leading the league in both losses and runs allowed.

Ruffing was traded to the Yankees early in the 1930 season, because the Yankees new manager believed that he could change Ruffing's delivery to make him a good pitcher, and he was correct. By 1932, Ruffing led the league in strikeouts, while posting a 3.09 ERA and an 18-7 record. That year the Yankees reached the World Series, where Ruffing set the tone with 10 strikeouts in a Game 1 win in an eventual sweep of the Cubs.

The Yankees had a streak of 4 straight World Series titles from 1936 to 1939, with Ruffing winning at least 20 regular season games each season. In those final 3 Series, Ruffing pitched 4 games, all complete, with 23 strikeouts and only 5 runs allowed while winning all 4 starts. While those teams were stacked with stars, Ruffing was a huge part of each of those championships.

The Yankees missed the World Series in 1940, but returned in 1941, and Ruffing was very good again, giving up just one run in a Game 1 win over the Dodgers. He won Game 1 again in 1942 against the Cardinals, but the Yankees lost the next 3, and he was unable to stop their momentum in game 5 as the Yankees finally went down.

Ruffing was drafted into the Army before the 1943 season, despite being 37 years old and missing 4 toes from a childhood farming accident. He was released from the military when he turned 40, and returned to the Yankees, but played sparingly over the next few years before retiring.

Ruffing was not a dominant regular season pitcher, but he was a solid starter for a full decade, and set the tone for 5 World Series wins with Game 1 victories. When he retired, he held the Yankee record for most wins, and still is the top Yankee winner among right-handed pitchers. Ruffing was elected to the Hall of Fame in his final year of eligibility, and it was deserved after his contributions to 6 champs, and that is why he is here among the greatest players of all time.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #49 - Gary Sheffield

Gary Sheffield

Gary Sheffield was a great player for 8 different teams over the course of 22 seasons, and the reason for so many changes in scenery appears to have been his bad habit of bashing his management and teammates.

Sheffield first played in the Majors in 1988, when he was called up by the Milwaukee Brewers during the final month of the season. He hit a home run in his first at-bat, but overall did not play very well in his first couple seasons. His average improved to .294 in 1990, but he ended the season with a .194 average and a ticket out of town due to his claims of racism by the manager in moving him to third base.

He was traded to the Padres before the 1992 season, and contended for the Triple Crown, falling short by 2 home runs and 9 RBI, but he did win the batting title, making him the only Padre not named Tony Gwynn to achieve that. He also had the opportunity to bat against his uncle, Dwight Gooden, in a game that May, quite a rare occurrence.

He didn't start off very well the next season, and was traded to the Marlins midway through the season. He missed a lot of time over the next two seasons, but when he was healthy again in 1996, he had one of his best seasons, with 42 home runs, 120 RBI, and 142 walks. The next year, Florida advanced clear to the World Series, with Sheffield walking 20 times in 16 postseason games and knocking in 5 runs in the Marlins' championship round.

He was traded to the Dodgers early the next season because the Marlins knew they couldn't afford a contract extension. With LA, he had 3 straight very solid seasons, getting at least 100 RBI, 90 walks, and 30 runs each year while always batting over .300. After just over 3 years with the team, he began publicly criticizing the team's management, and was traded to Atlanta before the 2002 season.

In 2003 with the Braves, he had his best overall season, setting career highs with a .330 average, 126 runs, 190 hits, 37 doubles, and 132 RBI, to go along with 39 home runs. He was easily the best player in the league that year, but only came in #3 in the MVP voting, most likely because he was not well-liked.

He signed with the Yankees after that season, and had two more All-Star level seasons where he was also on the MVP radar, but a wrist injury cut his 2006 season short, and he was traded to the Tigers after the season. He would spend two seasons as the team's DH before they decided to move on. He signed with the Mets, where he was able to hit his 500th home run, and he also became the third player ever to hit a home run as a teen and a 40-year old, after Ty Cobb and Rusty Staub.

Sheffield has been on the Hall of Fame ballot for 4 years, but is nowhere near the number of votes needed for election, and many feel that his personality is hurting his chances, despite his solid career numbers. He was the best player on a World Series champion, and the best player in the league one year, and hit 500 homers, which is still quite rare. Whether he makes it or not, he still definitely belongs on this list of the greatest baseball players of all time.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #51 - Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran is the most recent retiree on this list, having left the game after finally winning the World Series last year, a fitting close to a great 20-year career.

Beltran joined the Kansas City Royals near the end of the 1998 season, so he was still officially a rookie in 1999, when he batted .293 with 108 RBI to win the Rookie of the Year award. He missed a good chunk of the following season, and slumped so badly he lost his starting job, but won it back before the 2001 season.

During his entire career, Beltran only led the league in a category once, games played in 2002, when he didn't miss a game. Even though he wasn't dominant in the regular season, he was one of the better players in the league for several years, and he always played well in the playoffs, earning him the nickname Senor Octubre.

He was traded to the Houston Astros halfway through the 2004 season, where he was able to have his first and best playoff performance. Though the Astros failed to reach the World Series, Beltran tied Barry Bonds' playoff record with 8 home runs in a single postseason, which was incredible for only playing 12 games. He hit home runs in 5 straight games, a postseason record at the time, and hit a gamewinner in Game 4 of the NLCS.

Beltran signed with the Mets following that season, which is where he would spend the most time in his career. He had his best year there in 2006, setting career highs in runs, home runs, walks, and RBI, and he finished #4 in the MVP voting, his highest career finish. In that year's NLCS, he was great again, batting .296 with 3 home runs, but it wasn't enough to reach the World Series yet again.

He was traded again just before his contract expired, this time to San Francisco, and again he was a short-term rental. He left to sign with the Cardinals after the season, and in 2013 was finally able to reach the World Series, only to lose to the Red Sox in 6 games, even after he robbed David Ortiz of a grand slam in game 1.

He left for the Yankees immediately after losing the World Series, but only played one postseason game in 2.5 years there, before being traded again just before his contract expired, joining the Rangers for the end of the 2016 season, but Texas came up short in the playoffs, so Beltran decided to go back to Houston for one final shot at a title.

He played mostly as a DH in 2017, and had the lowest batting average of his career, but the Astros were great, making it clear to the World Series. Beltran did not play much in the playoffs, getting only 3 hits in the 2 early playoff series, then batting 0 for 3 in the World Series, but he was able to go out a champion, even if he wasn't really a contributor.

Beltran was a very good all-around player, one of 5 in history to reach 400 home runs and 300 steals, and one of only 4 who also reached 2500 hits and 1000 walks, along with Willie Mays, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez. Beltran was always better in the playoffs, playing well enough that he should have won a couple of titles in his prime, but there is still no doubt that he belongs with the greatest players of all time.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #54 - Bernie Williams

Bernie Williams

Bernie Williams was the centerfielder for the most recent Yankee dynasty, and his consistent performance in the playoffs each year was a big part of the reason for their success.

Bernie first reached the Yankees in 1991, but it took a few years before he became a solid player, and the Yankees made several failed attempts to trade him during those early years, and they were later grateful they hadn't gone through.

He played in his first postseason series in 1995 against Seattle, and while they lost in 5 games, he hit .429 with 7 walks and 8 runs, a sure sign of what was to come. In 1996 he reached 100 runs and 100 RBI for the first time each, and he tore it up in the playoffs, batting .471 through the first two rounds and taking home the ALCS MVP. He only recorded 4 hits in the World Series, but he did earn his first championship ring that year.

Williams had his best overall season in 1998, when he led the league in batting with a .339 average, and the Yankees won another World Series after setting an AL record for wins during the regular season. That year he became the first player ever to win a batting title, World Series, and Gold Glove in the same season.

During the three straight championship seasons from 1998 to 2000, Williams always played well in the AL playoffs, but struggled at the plate in the World Series. He helped the Yankees get there each year, which was important, then his teammates helped bring it home, and he ended up with 4 rings in 5 years for it.

The Yankees made the playoffs in 12 straight seasons during Bernie's prime, which helped him to become one of the all-time playoff leaders in many categories. He is the all-time leader in playoff RBI's, and #2 in hits, doubles, homers, runs, and total bases.

During the middle of his career, Williams reached .300 batting in 8 straight seasons. He reached 100 runs scored 8 times as well, and reached 200 hits twice. After 16 years with the Yankees, he was let go, and he decided to call it a career rather than play elsewhere. Even though he was not considered a superstar at any point in his career, he was a very important part of the Yankees latest dynasty, and one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #62 - Johnny Mize

Johnny Mize

Johnny Mize was a great power hitter before and after World War II who was also great at getting on base and avoiding strikeouts, and he ended up with a handful of championship rings at the end of his career.

Mize reached the Majors in 1936 with the Saint Louis Cardinals, and he became an All-Star in his second season after batting .364 with 204 hits and 113 RBI. The following season, he led the league in triples and total bases, which was just a glimpse of the power to come.

He led the NL in batting average and home runs in 1939, and home runs and RBI the following season, each time falling one category short of the Triple Crown, and also just one spot away from being awarded the MVP. His numbers dipped slightly the next year, and he was traded to the Giants, who needed a replacement at first base due to military service.

Mize led the league in RBI in his first season in New York, then joined the military himself following the season, taking a 3-year hiatus to serve his country. Upon his return in 1946, he broke his toe, which caused him to fall one home run short of leading the league for a third time.

He had his best overall season in 1947, when he had fully recovered from injury. He led the league with 51 homers, 137 runs, and 138 RBI, and only struck out 42 times. That fact made him the only player in history to hit over 50 home runs in a season with fewer than 50 strikeouts, and it still hasn't been repeated in the 70 years since. Somehow, he still was only #3 in the MVP voting that year.

He led the league in home runs again in 1948, but his batting average dipped below .300 for the first time in his career, and the Giants traded him across town to the Yankees midway through the following season, where he would finish out his career.

He was a part-time player during his 4.5 seasons with the Yankees, but he did earn 5 championship rings during that time. In 1952, his 4th straight season in the World Series, he was the team's star, batting .400 with 6 RBI and 3 home runs as the Yankees beat the Dodgers in 7 games.

Mize still holds the Major League record for most 3-homer games with 6, which has since been tied by Sammy Sosa, but as was said above, he had a knack for hitting a lot of long balls without striking out like most sluggers, and he was able to make a huge contribution to a World Series title at the tail end of his career, which was enough to earn him a spot on the list of all time greats.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #63 - Mike Mussina

Mike Mussina

Mike Mussina may not seem like the type of superstar you would expect to see on this list, and he was rarely a league leader during his career and never won a Cy Young, but he was a very good pitcher for a very long time, and he did everything he could to get his team to win a World Series, though he never succeeded at that.

Mussina was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles out of high school, but decided to attend college at Stanford instead, after which he was again drafted by the Orioles, this time in the first round. After just over a year in the minors, he was brought up to the big league club, and he wouldn't go back.

In 1992, his first full season with the Orioles, he led the league in win percentage, with a record of 18-5, and came in 4th in the Cy Young voting. He would finish in the top 5 three more times in the next 4 seasons, including the 1995 season, when he led the league with 19 wins and 4 shutouts.

The 1997 season was his best with Baltimore, with a career high 218 strikeouts and a 3.20 ERA, his lowest since 1992, and the Orioles made the playoffs for the second straight year. He was very good in the ALDS, outdueling Randy Johnson twice while giving up only 3 runs in 14 innings as Baltimore swept. In the ALCS, he was even better, giving up only 4 hits and 1 run over 15 innings while striking out 25 batters, which was the ALCS record at the time, but the Orioles failed to score a run in either game, and they lost the series.

After a few more seasons with Baltimore, Mussina left to join the 3-time defending champion Yankees as a free agent, hoping to get a championship ring. His first season in New York was his best, with a 3.15 ERA and 214 strikeouts, and the Yankees did reach the World Series, but they lost to Arizona in 7 games.

He pitched 7 more seasons for the Yankees, reaching the playoffs in the next 6, but never did get that championship ring. In 2008, he finally reached the 20-win plateau for the first time in his career, becoming the oldest pitcher ever to do it for the first time, and he also became the first pitcher in over 40 years to retire immediately after a 20-win season.

Mussina came very close to recording a perfect game on 5 different occasions, with 4 different games of just one man allowed on base, three of which were perfect until at least the 8th inning. He has been on the Hall of Fame ballot for 5 years, and has been inching closer to election. There are currently only 2 eligible pitchers who have at least 100 more wins than losses that are not in the Hall, Mussina and Roger Clemens.

Mussina holds the AL record for most consecutive seasons with at least 11 wins, with 17, so even though he was never dominant, he was always very good and very steady and reliable. He was amazing in the 1997 postseason, but couldn't overcome the lack of run support, and played well in several postseason appearances late in his career with the Yankees. He may not seem like the obvious choice, but Mussina belongs on this list of the greatest players of all time.

Top 106 Baseball Players: #64 - Dazzy Vance

Dazzy Vance

The majority of players on this list had their best years in their 20's, but that was not the case for Dazzy Vance, who only pitched 33 innings over 11 games before turning 30, then transformed into a superstar overnight when he turned 30.

Vance originally played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1915, then was sold to the Yankees after his first game, where he appeared in 8 games during his first season before being sent down to the minors. They discovered an arm injury the next year, and he spent years rehabbing, making 2 more appearances in 1918 for the Yankees before being sent to the minors again.

In 1921, while pitching in New Orleans in the minors, he said that he was suddenly able to pitch hard again, and the next year he joined the Brooklyn Robins (soon to be renamed the Dodgers), where he became an instant success.

In his first official Major League season, he led the league in strikeouts and shutouts as a 31-year-old rookie, and he ended up leading the league in strikeouts in each of his first 7 seasons. He put everything together in 1924, when he had one of the greatest pitching seasons ever, winning the Triple Crown with 28 wins, a 2.16 ERA, and 262 strikeouts, which was more than the next two pitchers in the league combined. He also led the league with 30 complete games, and was given the MVP award for his efforts.

He was never quite that good again, but very few ever have been, but he had another couple of years topping the league in ERA and shutouts, along with the 7 straight strikeout titles. Vance left Brooklyn for St. Louis in 1933, and the following season he got his only taste of the World Series, when he faced 7 batters and gave up one run at age 43, and he ended up with a championship ring, despite being a small contributor.

Even though Vance basically didn't even pitch in the Majors until his 30's, he still holds the record for consecutive seasons leading the league in strikeouts, and put up one of the greatest pitching seasons of all time. He was easily the best pitcher in the league for 5 seasons, and his absolute dominance more than makes up for the short overall career and lack of postseason success, and he deserves this spot on the all-time list.