Who Is the Greatest of All Time in Baseball?

A discussion of the various candidates for the title of greatest baseball player of all time.

Introduction

The greatest player of all time in baseball is a hotly contested title. However, there are a few players who stand out as the clear leaders in the race for this coveted title. Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron are considered to be the top three greatest players of all time. Each of these players has made an indelible mark on the game of baseball and have set records that may never be broken.

The Case for Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time. He was an incredible hitter and helped to change the game of baseball. He also had a great personality and was very popular with the fans. Let’s take a closer look at why Babe Ruth is considered the greatest of all time.

Ruth’s Unmatched Power

It’s hard to overstate how dominant Babe Ruth was as a hitter. He hit 714 career home runs, which is still the all-time record. He also had a career batting average of .342, which is very good even by today’s standards.

Ruth was especially feared in the clutch, as he hit .326 with runners in scoring position. He also hit .330 in what are now considered “late and close” situations – when the score is within one run in the seventh inning or later.

In addition to his raw power, Ruth was also an excellent fielder. He played 1,304 games in the outfield and finished his career with a fielding percentage of .980. He had a strong arm as well, as evidenced by his 16 outfield assists in 1920 – a single-season record for right fielders that stood for almost 40 years.

Ruth’s Record-Setting Home Run Totals

In a sport like baseball that is so statistics driven, it is hard to make a case for any player as the greatest of all time who did not put up some incredibly gaudy numbers. Fortunately for Babe Ruth, he not only put up some of the greatest batting numbers in the history of the game, but he did so in an era when home runs were a lot harder to come by than they are today.

In his career, Ruth hit 714 home runs, which was a Major League record for nearly 40 years until it was broken by Hank Aaron in 1974. But Ruth’s record was even more impressive than just the sheer number of homers he hit. When you compare his home run totals to the league average for home runs hit during his career, Ruth blows everyone else out of the water.

In his best season, 1927, Ruth hit 60 home runs while the rest of the league combined to hit just 1,565 home runs. That means that Ruth accounted for nearly 4% of all the home runs hit in Major League Baseball that year! To put that into perspective, no player has topped 4% of their league’s home run total since 2001 and no one has even topped 3% since 1993. In other words, what Babe Ruth did in 1927 is something that we haven’t seen from any other player in nearly 80 years and may never see again.

Ruth’s Superior Batting Average

One of the most enduring myths about baseball is that Babe Ruth was a great hitter but a lousy fielder. The reality is that Ruth was an excellent fielder who also happened to be one of the greatest hitters of all time.

Ruth’s batting average was .342, which is better than the career averages of such hall-of-famers as Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Stan Musial. He also had a higher slugging percentage than those players, as well as a higher on-base percentage. In fact, only two players in the history of baseball have a higher batting average than Ruth: Ty Cobb and Ted Williams.

And yet, despite his superior hitting statistics, Ruth is often overshadowed by players like Mantle and Williams who are considered superior fielders. This is simply because fielding statistics are not as widely available as hitting statistics, and therefore not as widely publicized.

But make no mistake: Babe Ruth was one of the greatest hitters of all time, and his fielding prowess should not be underestimated.

The Case for Willie Mays

Willie Mays is often considered the greatest baseball player of all time. He played for 22 seasons, finishing his career with 660 home runs, 3,283 hits, and a batting average of .302. He was a 12-time All-Star and won two World Series titles. He was also the first player to hit four home runs in a single game. Let’s take a look at why Willie Mays is the greatest of all time in baseball.

Mays’ Five-Tool Ability

Mays could do it all on a baseball diamond. He hit for average and power, he was an excellent fielder, he had a strong arm, and he was fast on the basepaths. This combination of skills led to him being nicknamed “The Say Hey Kid.”

Mays was an exceptional hitter. In his 22-year career, he posted a batting average of .302. He also hit 660 home runs, which is good for fifth all-time. Not only could Mays hit for power, but he also had a great eye at the plate and was willing to take a walk. His career on-base percentage was . 384, which is 28th all-time.

In the field, Mays was a superstar. He won 12 Gold Glove awards, which is the most of any center fielder in history. His ability to cover so much ground in center field led many to call him the “second coming of Babe Ruth.” Not only could Mays field, but he also had a strong arm. He racked up 802 assists in his career, which is good for second all-time among outfielders.

On the basepaths, Mays was electric. He stole 338 bases in his career and was caught just 119 times. His baserunning helped him score 2,062 runs in his career, which is good for ninth all-time.

Willie Mays is often considered the greatest baseball player of all time. His five-tool ability helped him dominate on both offense and defense and led to him having a tremendous impact on the game of baseball.

Mays’ Postseason Success

One of the greatest players of all time, Willie Mays was not only an excellent hitter and fielder, but he also had great success in the postseason. In his 22 years in the majors, Mays played in 36 postseason games, including 24 World Series games. He hit .288 with six home runs and 19 RBI in those World Series games. His teams won four World Series titles during his career.

Mays’ most famous postseason moment came in game one of the 1954 World Series when he made a spectacular catch of a Vic Wertz drive to deep center field at the Polo Grounds. The catch, which has come to be known simply as “The Catch,” helped the Giants win that game and eventually the series. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest catches in baseball history.

Mays’ Defensive Prowess

Above all else, Mays was an extraordinary fielder. He had the ability to play any of the three outfield positions with equal aplomb. In his prime, his range was unparalleled. He had a knack for getting to balls that other outfielders simply couldn’t get to. His arm was also one of the strongest in baseball history, able to throw out runners from deep in the outfield.

Mays’ defensive prowess was on display in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series. In the bottom of the 8th inning, with the score tied 2-2, Mays made what is widely considered to be one of the greatest catches in baseball history. With runners on first and second and Vic Wertz at the plate, Wertz hit a deep drive to center field. Mays raced back to the warning track, reached over his head, and made a spectacular catch before crashing into the outfield fence. The catch prevented extra bases and likely saved two runs from scoring. The Giants went on to win the game in 10 innings, and eventually won the Series in four games.

The Case for Hank Aaron

When it comes to the debate of who the greatest baseball player of all time is, there are many names that come to mind. Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Barry Bonds are just a few of the legends that come to mind. However, there is one player who stands out above the rest, and that is Hank Aaron.

Aaron’s Consistent Hitting

Aaron was the first player to eclipsed Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record, and he did so with consistent hitting throughout his long career. In contrast to Ruth, who retired with a batting average of just .342, Aaron finished his career with a .305 average. He also had more hits (3,771), RBIs (2,297), and total bases (6,856) than Ruth.

Aaron’s Home Run Record

On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron became baseball’s all-time home run leader, hitting his 715th career homer off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing. The moment was a watershed for both the game and for American society at large. Here was an African American slugger, in the prime of his career, breaking the most vaunted record in baseball — one that had been held for more than three decades by the sport’s most revered player, Babe Ruth.

In the years since Aaron’s historic home run, his place in the game has only become more secure. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest players of all time, and his home run record has come to be seen as one of the most unassailable achievements in sports. With 755 homers to his credit, Aaron is currently more than 40 homers ahead of Baseball’s second all-time leader, Barry Bonds.

So why is Hank Aaron still underrated? In part, it may be because he played in an era when several other great sluggers were also crushing the ball. In 1973, the year before he broke Ruth’s record, Aaron hit 40 homers; that same year, Willie Mays hit 28 homers (at age 42), Frank Robinson hit 30 homers (at age 36), and Johnny Bench hit 45 homers (at age 25). All four men were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

It may also be becauseAaron played for much of his career on mediocre teams. His best years came with the Milwaukee Braves, who were consistently good but never great during Aaron’s tenure with the club. The Braves did win a World Series title in 1957 — Aaron’s rookie year — but they were swept in four games by the New York Yankees. (It should be noted that Ruth never won a World Series as a player; his legendary “Called Shot” came during the 1932 World Series, which was won by the Yankees.)

Finally, it may be because Hank Aaron simply wasn’t as flamboyant as some of his peers. He didn’t have Mays’ grace or Bench’s power; he didn’t have Robinson’s fiery competitiveness or Ruth’s larger-than-life personality. He was just a great hitter who went about his business with quiet dignity.

In an era when so much attention is focused on persona over performance, it’s easy to see how Hank Aaron could be underrated. But make no mistake: He is one of the greatest players in baseball history — and deservedly so.

Aaron’s All-Around Ability

When considering the greatest player of all time in baseball, there are a number of factors to weigh. Certainly, raw numbers play a role, as do postseason performances and awards won. But one other important factor to consider is a player’s all-around ability. And in that regard, Hank Aaron is second to none.

Aaron was not just a great hitter, but a great outfielder as well. In fact, he won three Gold Glove Awards during his career. He also was an excellent baserunner, stealing 240 bases over his career. And while he didn’t hit for a high average, he more than made up for it with his power, hitting 755 home runs over his career.

In short, Aaron was the total package as a baseball player. He could do it all on the field, and did so at a high level for many years. When considering the greatest player of all time, that kind of ability deserves strong consideration.

The Case for Barry Bonds

When discussing the greatest of all time in baseball, the conversation usually starts and ends with Babe Ruth. Ruth was a great player, no doubt, but his accomplishments must be put into context. He played in an era when pitchers dominated the sport and the game was far different than it is today. When considering the greatest of all time, we must also consider Barry Bonds.

Bonds’ Unmatched Power

In his 22-year career, Bonds hit 762 home runs, which is more than any other player in baseball history. He also has the most career walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688). He is the only player in baseball history with more than 700 home runs and 2,500 walks.

Bonds’ On-Base Percentage

Barry Bonds is not only the greatest hitter of all time, but he’s also one of the most controversial. In 2007, he set the all-time record for home runs in a season with 73. He also has the most career home runs (762) and walks (2,558). But because he played during the “steroid era,” many people believe his accomplishments are tainted.

Bonds’ on-base percentage (OBP) is a stat that measures how often a batter reaches base. It’s calculated by adding together a player’s hits and walks, and then dividing by their total number of plate appearances. Bonds’ OBP is an astonishing .609, which means that he reached base more than 60% of the time he stepped up to bat! For comparison, the average OBP in Major League Baseball is around .330. To put it simply, Barry Bonds was one of the best hitters in the history of baseball.

Bonds’ Overall Hitting Ability

Barry Bonds is considered by many to be the greatest hitter of all time. He has a career batting average of .298, with 762 home runs and 2,558 RBIs. He also has a career on-base percentage of .444 and a slugging percentage of .607.

Conclusion

We can never really know who the true greatest of all time is in baseball. We can make assumptions based on the stats, but we cannot forget the human element. The statistics can tell us a story, but they do not always reflect the whole story. There are intangibles that cannot be measured by numbers that can make a player great.