1. 16B JULY 14, 2008 NEWSOK.COMSPORTS MONDAY THE OKLAHOMAN
N
o matter how we do the math,
Oklahoma has a rich history in
major league baseball.
Six members of the Baseball
Hall of Fame were born in Oklahoma:
Johnny Bench, Mickey Mantle, Bullet
Joe Rogan, Willie Stargell, Lloyd Waner
and Paul Waner.
Five other ballplayers enshrined in
Cooperstown were Oklahoma residents:
Dizzy Dean, Carl Hubbell, Ferguson
Jenkins, Warren Spahn and Willie Wells.
And those numbers don’t include the
thousands of outstanding ballplayers who
have played for college and pro teams in
Oklahoma.
Eighteen members of the Baseball
Hall of Fame were players, managers,
coaches or owners for minor league
teams in Oklahoma.
Counting everyone above, we could
say that 25 Baseball Hall of Famers are
“from” Oklahoma.
But in picking our list of Oklahoma’s
50 Greatest Baseball Players we decided
to include only those men who were born
in Oklahoma or lived in the state — not
including those who lived here only
when they were college or minor league
players.
We have included here, however, our
list of the Top 20 Baseball Players from
Oklahoma colleges as well as the 18 Hall
of Famers who toiled for minor league
teams in the state.
Our Top 50 list includes two players
currently playing in the major leagues:
outfielder Matt Holliday, ranked 24th,
and pitcher Braden Looper, who is No.
43.
Both figure to rise in the ratings, espe-
cially the 27-year-old Holliday. Now in his
fifth major league season, he already has
117 home runs, 446 runs batted in and a
.322 batting average in 2,414 at bats.
Those numbers are remarkably simi-
lar to Mickey Mantle’s first five sea-
sons: 121 homers, 445 RBIs and .298
average in 2,411 at bats. And he won
the Triple Crown in his sixth season.
Finally, just for fun, we’ve selected a
No. 1 Baseball Quote, courtesy of the
most popular Oklahoman of ’em all:
“America became a great nation
under baseball,” Will Rogers said,
“and began to decline the moment it
took up a lot of poor substitutes.”
State has a rich major league history
1. Mickey Mantle, of, Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: “On two legs, Mickey Mantle
would have been the greatest ballplayer
who ever lived,” said Hall of Fame second
baseman Nellie Fox.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Spavinaw,
raised in Commerce.
2. Warren Spahn, p, Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: “Home plate is 17 inches
wide, but I ignore the middle 12. I pitch to
the 2½ inches on each side,” he said.
Oklahoma connection: Lived in Hart-
shorne, died in Broken Arrow.
3. Johnny Bench, c, Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: “I don’t want to embarrass
any other catcher by comparing him with
Johnny Bench,” manager Sparky Anderson
said.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Oklahoma
City, raised in Binger.
4. Carl Hubbell, p, Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: “Are you trying to insult
Hubbell, coming up here with a bat?” catch-
er Gabby Hartnett told a batter.
Oklahoma connection: Raised in Meeker.
5. Paul “Big Poison” Waner, of,
Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: “They can run like scalded
cats,” a rival manager said of the Waner
brothers.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Harrah.
6. Willie Stargell, 1b,
Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: “He
doesn’t just hit pitch-
ers; he takes away their
dignity,” Don Sutton
said of Stargell.
Oklahoma connec-
tion: Born in Earlsboro.
7. Dizzy Dean, p, Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: “Son, what kind of pitch
would you like to miss?” Ol’ Diz once asked
a batter from the pitcher’s mound.
Oklahoma connection: Lived in Spauld-
ing.
8. Ferguson Jenkins, p,
Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: Had six straight
20-win seasons en route to
284 wins in 19 seasons.
Oklahoma connection: Lived
in Guthrie.
9. Bullet Joe Rogan, p,
Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: “The greatest pitcher that
ever threw a ball,” said Negro League team-
mate Tank Carr.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Oklahoma
City.
10. Iron Man Joe McGinnity, p,
Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: He won 246
games in 10 seasons and had
a 2.66 career ERA.
Oklahoma connection: Lived
in McAlester and Krebs.
11. Bobby Murcer, of
Note/quote: “You decide
you’ll wait for your pitch.
Then, as the ball starts
toward the plate, you think
about your stance; and
then you think about your
swing; and then you realize
the ball that went past you
for a strike was your pitch,” he said.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Oklahoma
City, lived in Edmond.
12. Willie Wells, ss, Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: “In the field he could do
everything Ozzie Smith did... and he was a
much better hitter than Ozzie,” said Hall of
Famer Monte Irvin.
Oklahoma connection: Lived in Oklaho-
ma City.
13. Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner, of,
Baseball Hall of Famer
Note/quote: “A fan in Ebbets Field is
supposed to have complained, ‘Every time
you look up those Waner boys are on base.
It’s always the little poison on third and the
big poison on foist,” wrote sportswriter Red
Smith.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Harrah,
died in Oklahoma City.
14. Carl Mays, p
Note/quote: Best known as the sub-
marine pitcher who beaned and killed Ray
Chapman, but he also had 207 wins and
2.92 career ERA.
Oklahoma connection: Lived in King-
fisher.
15. Allie Reynolds, p
Note/quote: Yankees
manager Casey Stengel
said “Super Chief” was
“the best pitcher at start-
ing and relieving I’ve ever
managed...He’s two pitch-
ers rolled into one.”
Oklahoma connection: Born in Bethany,
died in Oklahoma City.
16. Joe Carter, of
Note/quote: His exuberance was conta-
gious after he hit a walk-off, three-run
homer to win the 1993 World Series.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Oklahoma
City.
17. Darrell Porter, c
Note/quote: In 1979
he became only the sec-
ond catcher to have 100
or more RBIs, runs and
walks in a season.
Oklahoma connection:
Lived in Oklahoma City
and Broken Arrow.
18. Bob Johnson, of
Note/quote: “Indian Bob” was a seven-
time American League All-Star who had nine
20-homer and eight 100-RBI seasons.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Pryor.
19. Alvin Dark, ss-mgr
Note/quote: “Every player should be
accorded the privilege of at least one sea-
son with the Chicago Cubs. That’s baseball
as it should be played, in God’s own sun-
shine. And that’s really living,” he said.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Co-
manche.
20. Harlond Clift, 3b
Note/quote: Maybe the most underrated
third baseman in big league history. The first
3B to hit 30 homers and first to start 50
double plays in a season.
Oklahoma connection: Born in El Reno.
21. Mickey Tettleton, c-dh
Note/quote: Patient, power-hitting catcher
and DH ranks among the most famous ath-
letes from Southeast High School, with
Bobby Murcer and Darrell Porter.
Oklahoma connection: Born and raised in
Oklahoma City, lives in Norman, also lived in
Pauls Valley.
22. Harry Brecheen, p
Note/quote: Nicknamed
“The Cat” for his fielding
prowess, he also was the
first lefty to win three World
Series games. His career
Series ERA: 0.85.
Oklahoma connection:
Born in Broken Bow, lived in Ada and
Purcell, died in Bethany.
23. Johnny Callison, of
Note/quote: He had the only hit in the
White Sox’ 11-run seventh inning against
Kansas City. The A’s walked 10, hit three
batters and had three errors in the inning.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Qualls.
24. Matt Holliday, of
Note/quote: On NL All-Star team for third
straight year. In only his fifth season in the
majors, he has Mickey Mantle-like numbers.
Oklahoma connection: Born and raised in
Stillwater.
25. Pepper Martin, of-3b
Note/quote: “A chunky, unshaven hobo
who ran the bases like a berserk locomotive,
slept in the raw, and swore at pitchers in his
sleep” is how author Lee Allen described
Martin, aka The Wild Horse of the Osage.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Temple,
died in McAlester, where he was director of
the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.
26. Newt “Colt” Allen, 2b:
Note/quote: “The best second base-
man I played with (in the Negro Leagues),”
said Hall of Fame shortstop Willie Wells.
Oklahoma connection: Lived in Oklaho-
ma City.
27. Paul Blair, of
Note/quote: One of the best center
fielders in the game, earning eight Gold
Gloves from 1964-80 and especially good
in the postseason.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Cushing.
28. Bill Russell, ss
Note/quote: Part of of the Dodgers’
superb infield of Steve Garvey, Davey
Lopes, Russell and Ron Cey that went to
four World Series in eight years.
Oklahoma connection: Lived in Tulsa.
29. Johnny Ray, 2b
Note/quote: He led the National
League in putouts and assists in his roo-
kie season, 1982. He led the league in
doubles the next two years and was an AL
All-Star in ’88.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Chou-
teau.
30. Steve Rogers, p
Note/quote: A University of Tulsa gradu-
ate in petroleum engineering, he struck
for 158 big league wins, mostly for bad
Montreal teams.
Oklahoma connection: Lived in Tulsa.
31. Jim Gentile, 1b
Note/quote: “Dia-
mond Jim” had one of
the best seasons ever
in 1961, with 46 home-
rs (including five grand
slams) and 141 RBIs.
But that was the year
Mantle and Maris bat-
tled for Babe Ruth’s
home run record.
Oklahoma connection: Lives in
Edmond.
32. Dale Mitchell, of
Note/quote: Mitchell
may be best remembered
for what he did least:
strike out, as the final
batter in Don Larsen’s
perfect game in the 1956
World Series. Game film
indicated the ball was
outside. Mitchell fanned
only 119 times in 3,984 big league at bats.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Colony,
lived in Cloud Chief and Oklahoma City, died
in Tulsa.
33. Lindy McDaniel, p
Note/quote: After beginning his career as
a starter he became a premier reliever, lead-
ing the NL in saves three times. He retired
32 consecutive batters in August 1968.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Hollis.
34. Eddie Fisher, p
Note/quote: If there had been an Amer-
ican League Cy Young Award in 1965, he
would’ve won it. The knuckleballer set an
American League record for career and sin-
gle season relief appearances.
Oklahoma connection: Lives in Altus.
35. Hank Thompson, 3b-of
Note/quote: The third black major leaguer
(after Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby), the
first black man to play in both the American
and National Leagues, and the first black
batter to face a black pitcher (Don New-
combe) in the majors.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Oklahoma
City.
36. Clete Boyer, 3b
Note/quote: One of a record seven broth-
ers to play pro baseball. Was on par defen-
sively with brother Ken Boyer and Brooks
Robinson.
Of Mickey Mantle he said, “He is the only
baseball player I know who is a bigger hero
to his teammates than he is to the fans.”
Oklahoma connection: Lived in
Quapaw.
37. Jerry Adair, 2b
Note/quote: A terrific fielder who went
from Oklahoma State to the major leagues
in 1958. He set big league fielding records.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Sand
Springs, died in Tulsa.
38. U.L. Washington, ss-2b
Note/quote: Maybe best known for play-
ing with a toothpick in his mouth, he was a
success story out of the old Royals Baseball
Academy.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Stringtown.
39. Roy Johnson, of
Note/quote: The strong-armed older
brother of “Indian Bob” Johnson, was an
American League leader in doubles, triples
and outfield assists.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Pryor.
40. Ival Goodman, of
Note/quote: One of Cincinnati’s best
hitters before The Big Red Machine era. Hit
a club-record 30 homers and twice led the
NL in triples.
Oklahoma connection: Lived in Oklahoma
City and Poteau.
41. Jesse Barnes, p
Note/quote: “Nubby” led the NL with 25
win in 1919, won 20 in 1920, won two World
Series games in 1921 and pitched a no-
hitter in 1922.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Perkins.
42. Jim Brewer, p
Note/quote: After Warren Spahn taught
him to throw a screwball he averaged 19
saves from 1968-73. Had 2.70 career ERA.
Oklahoma connection: Lived in Porter and
Broken Arrow.
43. Braden Looper, p
Note/quote: In his second year in the St.
Louis starting rotation after being a reliever
in his first eight major league seasons.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Weather-
ford, raised in Mangum.
44. Frank Linzy, p
Note/quote: A sinkerball pitcher, he had
career-high 21 saves as a 1965 rookie and
an NL-best 14 relief wins four years later.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Fort Gib-
son, lived in Coweta.
45. Joe Dobson, p
Note/quote: A Boston sportswriter said
Dobson, one of 14 children, had a nasty
curveball that “started out somewhere
around the dugout and wound up clipping the
outside corner of the plate.”
Oklahoma connection: Born in Durant.
46. Al Brazle, p
Note/quote: After spending eight years in
the minor leagues, the side-arming lefty
reached the majors at age 28 and twice was
the NL saves leader.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Loyal.
47. Ralph Terry, p
Note/quote: In 1960, he gave up Bill
Mazeroski’s World Series-ending homer. Two
years later he led the AL with 23 wins and
won Games 5 and 7 in the Series.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Big Cabin.
48. Rip Radcliff, of-1b
Note/quote: He hit .325 or more in four of
five seasons in the late ‘30s. He made a
great catch in the 1936 All-Star Game, then
went 6-for-7 the next day.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Kiowa, died
in Enid.
49. Rube Foster, p
Note/quote: Not the Hall of Famer who
pitched in the Negro Leagues. He won two
games and had four hits in the 1915 World
Series and threw no-hitter in ’16.
Oklahoma connection: Born in Lehigh,
died in Bokoshe.
50. Al Benton, p
Note/quote: A two-time All-Star, and the
only pitcher who faced both Babe Ruth (in
1934) and Mickey Mantle (1952).
Oklahoma connection: Born in Noble,
lived in Wayne.
Sources: “Few and Chosen: Defining Negro Leagues Greatness” by Monte
Irvin; The Gigantic Book of Baseball Quotations” by Wayne Stewart; “Glory Days of
Summer” by Bob Burke, Kenny Franks and Royse Parr; “Heroes of the Negro
Leagues” by Mark Chiarello and Jack Morelli; “Baseball’s Best 1,000” by Derek
Gentile; “Stat One” by Craig Messmer; “Who’s Better Who’s Best in Baseball?” by
Elliott Kalb; “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract” by Bill James;
“Baseball’s Greatest Quotations” by Paul Dickson; “The New Biographical History
of Baseball” by Donald Dewey and Nicholas Acocella; “Baseball: The Biographical
Encyclopedia” by Total Baseball; “The Ballplayers” by Mike Shatzkin; “Win Shares”
by Bill James and Jim Henzler; “The Real 100 Best Baseball Players of All Time”
by Ken Shouler; “All Century Team” by Major League Baseball; “Baseball’s 100
Greatest Players” by The Sporting News; and numerous Web sites.
50
The Oklahoman’s
Greatest
baseball players
from Oklahoma
No. 4
Carl Hubbell
No. 3
Johnny Bench
No. 1
Mickey Mantle
No. 2
Warren Spahn
PHOTOS BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
17BJULY 14, 2008THE OKLAHOMAN NEWSOK.COM SPORTS MONDAY