Who was the greatest First Baseman in baseball history? I don't have an answer to that question (but I do have my suspicions). However, I may be able to shed light on who actual baseball players believe was the greatest First Baseman. Or rather, whom they would choose to play First Base if they had to win one game.
That was a question put to former Major League players in the 1986, Nick Acocella and Donald Dewey edited book, The "All-Stars" All-Star Baseball Book. The editors asked that players only select those whom they played with or against. This rule was not always followed. Players argued that they could evaluate talent from different eras. However, by and large, most players did select contemporaries. Players from the 1920's through the 1980's participated.
The book also included the selections of some older players who predeceased the publication of the book. These lists were compiled from articles and interviews with players over the years. Thus, Ty Cobb is included, even though he died in 1961.
Bill James has spoken logically about peak value and career value when evaluating ball players. In essence, the questions asked by the authors appears to involve peak value. If you could have someone at their best, for one game, who would it be?
My goal was to determine who the players of the 20's and '30 selected as the First Baseman of choice, since that era was rich with the likes of Gehrig, Foxx and Terry. My suspicion was that Gehrig would easily dominate the choices.
Sixty-four players from the '20's and '30's responded to the questionairre and the results are as follows:
Lou Gehrig - selected by 27
Bill Terry - selected by 19
George Sisler - selected by 8
Jimmy Foxx - selected by 3
Dolf Camilli - selected by 2
Johnny Mize - selected by 1
Joe Judge - selected by 1
Three players made either/or selections:
Gehrig or Greenberg;
Terry or Gehrig;
Fox or Gehrig.
Surprisingly, Gehrig was not a nearly unanimous decision. However, this makes a certain amount of sense. All of the 19 players that selected Bill Terry played predominantly in the National League. Thus, Terry was who they saw day in and day out. In addition, they may have been following the rules of the choice closely: choosing only a player they had played against. Their only exposure to Gehrig would have been during the World Series, if at all.
Gehrig was not only the top choice of American Leaguers, he also received eight votes from those who played predominantely in the National League. Very impressive.
Sisler was a surprise. His career came to an end before the long-ball era really took off. Still, he received 8 votes, all from American League players.
Foxx receieved the endorsement of three players. This makes a certain amount of sense. Foxx was a direct contemporary of Gehrig. Both played in the '20's and '30's, in the American League. Gehrig is clearly the better player.
Dolf Camili was another interesting choice. A fine player, an MVP winner, but not the same caliber as Gehrig or Foxx.
Joe Judge was selected by a teammate, Ossie Bluege. Bluege was an outstanding glove man at Third for the Washington Senators. Judge was a fine player for many years. Again, not the caliber of Gehrig, Terry, Fox or Sisler.
A more interesting question might be; Who chose whom to play First Base. There are some interesting findings.
Gehrig was the choice of:
* denotes Hall of Famer
Harlon Clift
Bill Dickey*
Bobby Doerr*
Charlie Gehringer*
Babe Herman
Bill Herman*
Ken Keltner
Johnny Mize *
Red Ruffing*
An impressive array of talent endorsed Lou Gehrig as their First Baseman. I've left a curious choice to the last. Carl Hubbell, the Hall of Fame pitcher for the New York Giants also chose Gehrig over teammate Bill Terry. Perhaps there was bad blood between Terry and Hubbell. Perhaps Hubbell gave an honest answer. Perhaps Gehrig was so impressive that friendship took a back seat to Hubbell's evaluation.
Terry has a number of impressive backers;
Cookie Lavagetto
Travis Jackson*
Al Lopez*
Woody English
Burleigh Grimes*
Wally Burger
Dolph Camilli
Still, Gehrig's lineup seems more accomplished.
Of more interest, are those who chose George Sisler.
Ty Cobb*
Mickey Cochrane*
Ted Lyons
Also, at some earlier point, Rogers Hornsby chose Sisler to be on his team.
Not shabby for a guy whose career was cut short.
As an aside, Walter Johnson and Babe Ruth were asked for their all-star team, although not for the Acocella book. Ruth and Johnson both chose....Hal Chase, a supposedly fabulous glove man and notorious crook.
So that is where actual ball players stand when selecting the greatest First Baseman from the '20's and '30's. It should be noted that, while these men were contemporaries, the selections were not made until the 1980's. One wonders if their ultimate selections matched up with their opinions when they played. Time and legend can effect such evaluations. Perhaps Gehrig was not regarded with the same awe then as he is now. For the Acocella book, Hank Greenberg selected Jimmy Foxx. According to the authors, Greenberg had been asked a similar question years before and at that time he selected Gehrig. Perhaps, just perhaps, the temptation to select someone other than the presumed greatest played a part in that switch.
If I had to win one game, I don't necessarily see any benefit in choosing Gehrig over Sisler. If there is one, it's marginal. Sisler, at his peak, was an outstanding hitter (2 .400+ seasons) with some pop in his bat and tremendous speed. He was considered the finest fielding First Baseman of his time. Sisler walked more than he struck out and he did not do either too often. Would Gehrig's power and walks be more valuable over the course of a season? Undoubtedly. In one game, I'm not so sure.
In any event, all the First Basemen named here were, at the very least, fine players.
Additionally, two players, whose only crime was their skin color, should not be left out. Cool Poppa Bell, a speedy, switchitting centerfielder in the Negro Leaugues from 1922-1946 selected Hall of Famer Oscar Charleston. Bell has also been elected to the Hall of Fame. Buck Leonard (the Gehrig of the Negro Leagues) was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972. Leonard selected Johnny Washington of the Baltimore Elite Giants.
* This information was compiled from the Acocella & Dewey book and the 1985 edition of Bill James' Historical Baseball Abstract.
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