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Major League Baseball All-Century Team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In 1999, MasterCard sponsored the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. To select the team, a panel of experts compiled a list of the 100 greatest players from the last 100 years. Then fans voted on the greatest players.
The top two players from each position, except outfielders, where there were nine total, and the top six pitchers were placed on the team. There were some notable omissions, and an oversight committee included an additional five players who did not garner enough initial votes. For this reason, some positions have more than their allotted number of players.
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- Nolan Ryan (992,040 votes)
- Sandy Koufax (970,434)
- Cy Young (867,523)
- Tom Seaver (601,244)
- Bob Gibson (582,031)
- Walter Johnson (479,279)
- Warren Spahn* (337,215)
- Christy Mathewson* (249,747)
- Lefty Grove* (142,169)
- Johnny Bench (1,010,403)
- Yogi Berra (704,208)
- Lou Gehrig (1,207,992)
- Mark McGwire (517,181)
- Jackie Robinson (788,116)
- Rogers Hornsby (630,761)
- Mike Schmidt (855,654)
- Brooks Robinson (761,700)
- Cal Ripken, Jr. (669,033)
- Ernie Banks (598,168)
- Honus Wagner* (526,740)
- Babe Ruth (1,158,044)
- Hank Aaron (1,156,782)
- Ted Williams (1,125,583)
- Willie Mays (1,115,896)
- Joe DiMaggio (1,054,423)
- Mickey Mantle (988,168)
- Ty Cobb (777,056)
- Ken Griffey, Jr.** (645,389)
- Pete Rose (629,742)
- Stan Musial* (571,279)
* indicates player added later by panel
** indicates that player is currently playing baseball
Preceding game 2 of the 1999 World Series, the All-Century Team took center stage in a rousing ceremony. Every player then living who was named to the team attended, including Williams, 81 years old and ailing; and Koufax, who in his post-baseball life had become renowned for protecting his privacy and staying out of the spotlight.
During the ceremony, the loudest ovations were given to Williams, due to his illness and the thought that this might be his last appearance in a big-league ballpark (it was, though he lived another three years); and Rose, despite his banishment from baseball.
- Lou Gehrig (1,207,992 votes)
- Babe Ruth (1,158,044)
- Hank Aaron (1,156,782)
- Ted Williams (1,125,583)
- Willie Mays (1,115,896)
With the announcement of the team, there was controversy over the inclusion of Pete Rose, who had been banned from baseball for life ten years earlier. Many questioned Rose's presence on a team officially endorsed by Major League Baseball. But fans at the stadium during the introduction of the team were supportive, giving him a standing ovation. Following the on-field ceremony, which was emceed by Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, an aggressive interview by NBC Sports' Jim Gray resulted in further public sympathy for the disgraced Rose.
Some fans were unhappy that no Latino players had been elected, in particular Roberto Clemente (582,937 votes), who had finished tenth among outfielders, just missing the cut. He had more votes than Stan Musial (571,279 votes). Baseball tried to assuage fans complaints in 2005 by announcing the "Latino Legends Team."
Players with high vote totals who did not make the team:
- Greg Maddux (431,751 votes)
- Steve Carlton (405,365)
- Satchel Paige (399,657)
- Roger Clemens (330,219)
- Whitey Ford (253,120)
- Bob Feller (252,115)
- Carlton Fisk (322,384)
- Roy Campanella (247,9909)
- Mike Piazza (233,288)
- Jimmie Foxx (351,488)
- Harmon Killebrew (185,622)
- Eddie Murray (161,564)
- Hank Greenberg (114,317)
- Willie McCovey (106,717)
- Joe Morgan (608,660)
- Rod Carew (430,267)
- Nap Lajoie (90,402)
- George Brett (656,511)
- Eddie Mathews (174,529)
- Paul Molitor (160,271)
- Ozzie Smith (589,025)
- Robin Yount (134,655)
- Luis Aparicio (129,328)
- Roberto Clemente (582,937)
- Joe Jackson (326,415)
- Reggie Jackson (296,039)
- Tony Gwynn (232,476)
- Carl Yastrzemski (222,082)
- Frank Robinson (220,226)
- Rickey Henderson (180,940)
- Barry Bonds (173,279)
- Lou Brock (131,361)
- DHL Hometown Heroes
- Latino Legends Team
- Major League Baseball All-Time Team, a similar team chosen by the Baseball Writers Association of America in 1997
- All-Century Team Votes from ESPN.com
- All-Century Team DVD from Amazon.com
- National Baseball Hall of Fame
- All-Century Team Information from Baseball Almanac
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