The Games Greatest... When Baseball was Wonderful.

[smokeyjoe5670]

This is when it was more than a game, this was their life!!! Baseball has passed the golden years, the likes of which will never be seen again...

[fek2000]

Did Babe Ruth absolutely love every kid he ever met or does it just seem that way?

[brandonson1989]

Bob Feller=] I got to meet him twice before he passed; once in 2003 at a legends game here in Florida. He went up into the stands and sat down to sign autographs for hundreds of people. The second time at Tropicana Field home of the Rays back in 2009. A great legend, great person, and American Heroe. One of the best pitchers of his era.

[tomitstube]

great video. the footage looks digitally remastered. love the batting practice of the babe at 1:51, no number on the uni's yet, so it's 1928 or earlier. plus look how thin he is.

i'm guessing that's stan musial at 0:12. 0:16 looks like robert "lefty" grove. 0:19 is the great jimmie foxx who's best rbi seasons were 175, 169, and 163. 1:13 is bob feller.

and the best of all is 0:59 - (l-r) ernie banks, frank robinson, henry aaron, and willie mays.

and bobby thompson at the end.

[juantana7]

Thanks so much for this! My Dad, Ben Flowers played in the 50's with Ted Williams, and I even met him once myself. I have lots of memorabilia, like a program from Ted's Welcome Home dinner from the Korean War, and a baseball he signed. Sadly my Dad passed 2 years back, I just wish I could find some footage when he pitched on TV - I know it exists - he held the record for awhile for most consecutive games pitched.

[glyn420]

I love the old they were better in my time argument. Then explain to me why in EVERY measurable sport today's athletes far surpass all those in the past yet in sports where we can spout opininon will still like to think the old-timers were better than what we have today. Please.

[juantana7]

@glyn420 steroids and enhanced equipment.

[glyn420]

@juantana7 b.s. So much more is understood about training techniques and nutrition. Plus the athletes today simply work harder. The fact is they can work year round full days on their craft. In the past most had to take second jobs to make ends meat. Nostalgia is a great thing. It doesnt make it factual though.

[tomitstube]

@glyn420 ~ athletes are better now. faster, quicker, stronger, bigger... it's nostalgia people get stuck on. let them have their memories, you'll have yours soon enough.

[jimaroo100]

Stop all the complaining and comparing and enjoy it like we did when we were there. By the way as a life long die hard Yankee fan, I still have to tell you that the best hitter I ever saw was #9 Ted Williams.

[adamhampel]

Who was it at 1:08-1:12, i think it was Mantle, the reason i ask is because he actually looks athletic.

[tomitstube]

@adamhampel ~ you're right, it's a very young mickey mantle.

[KryptonSlim]

okay...first thing...you cannot compare the different "ages" of the game. No ONE can say with complete certainty, that Ted Williams could not hit .400 against todays pitching, because the opportunity was never presented to him. He played aginst the best pitchers of his era, and hit .406. No other player has done that. Nuff said.

[agirl217]

Oh, to have watched them play.

[bogger1000]

They are some of the greatest players to have played the game.

[catfishjim24]

Back when heros wore cleats and ballcaps. Agree with you Antigan15th.

[Antigan15th]

Thanks :) Glad to hear at least one person still appreciates baseball.

[Antigan15th]

I want to live in that time.... :(

Fuck these new "players"

When you're in it for the money, and not the fans, everyone loses out in the end

[swisstaco5]

and when black people weren't allowed to play?

[swisstaco5]

for the 1920s, that is

[Antigan15th]

Why does it always have to be a racial thing with people like you? Why do you insist on confining us to labels?

Just because I make a blanket statement about the incompetence of modern day players, such as McQuire, doesn't mean I don't want black people to play ball. I just want them to stop disrespecting the game and fans by showboating, claiming they're what's holding the team up, pulling a "Barry", etc.

So take your postmodern arguement and shove it up your liberal hippy "equality" ass.

[Antigan15th]

Humans are not and never will be equal. And yes, dammit I'm turning to the philosophical side of this, because I can!

[swisstaco5]

no need to go on a racist tirade... just bringing up a point that would contradict your narrow-minded nostalgia.

[Antigan15th]

Narrow-minded... maybe. Certainly there are things in that time that are miserable. Just about everything, actually. But I'm speaking strictly about the classic spirit of the game, which, maybe never existed. But if I had a choice between today's world and my narrow-mindedness, well... ignorance is bliss, isn't it? :)

[ThisIsBilbo]

It never fails to crack me up when I see another yahoo lost in the non-existent "golden age" (usually before they were born or after they hit 30). It's all selective bs that usually is all based on emotion without much reality or facts to back it up. The "incompetence" of modern ball players? Oh, boy! Did you ever watch some of these old timers without those silly rose colored glasses while spouting nonsensical cliches? Today's athletes play at a level, speed and agility they couldn't dream of

[ThisIsBilbo]

watching baseball from the 1970's-much less 100 years ago-is like watching today's game in slo-mo. It's all evolution-in the human body and the equipment . No way Ted Williams is hitting .400 today, because so many of those balls would be tracked down and fielded or caught. .350? Sure-like Mauer, Jeter, etc...but not .400. It's all the usual crap about some mythical time and it was always better "back when". Rot. It's funny, too, how every generation that comes along and ages a bit falls into

[ThisIsBilbo]

the same old cliched garbage about how "bad" things are now and how "great" they were then, back when "men were men", blah blah blah sis boom bah! Hate to break it to you, but players like Cobb thought the players of the 30's couldn't hold a candle to his era, as Rogers Hornsby of the 30's thought the 1960's players were "crap", while the old farts from the 70's and 80's moan about how much better the game was...when they played! What an original concept! Have all the nostalgia and romantic

[ThisIsBilbo]

you want, but don't try and take it beyond that, because it'll fail based on ACTUAL history and ACTUAL fact. Every era is never appreciated when it's happening, nor are the players, then that generation will age and start spouting the same old crap to the next genertion-which they should ignore, enjoy what's right in front of them and know that there's myth and reality and the two rarely ever meet. And, btw, if you know your history, you'll know it was ALWAYS a business and fans NEVER mattered!

[Antigan15th]

@ThisIsBilbo:

And what if it's based in emotion? Is there a problem with me preferring integrity and honor to this current slop which can only be described as a disgrace to the game? It won't be long before they're wearing company logos on their jerseys.

"It's funny, too, how every generation that comes along and ages a bit falls" It's also funny how there's always that one dildo who has to question and doubt everything. Yeah, back then, men were men. I mean, not you, but most men, were men.

[Antigan15th]

@ThisIsBilbo: In fact, the only reason people like you are able to survive is because America is so 'safe'. Everything has to be 'safe'. It's perfectly ok to be a dick and question someone's passion, because you're 'safe' by law. This country is over-litigious, over-protective, and too scared to actually let people get hurt. Try this, walk into a room and say 'Republicans blow.' I guarantee you that half the people in that room will already be dialing up their attorneys.

[Antigan15th]

@ThisIsBilbo: This kind of society produces weak men, who can't really hold a candle to 'real' men. I like to think I'm on my way to being a 'real' man. I don't take shit, I respect other peoples decisions, unless of course they're just being stupid. Which is where you come in. Baseball is a great game. It was greater. That's it. Period, end of discussion. Talk all you want, but I'd like to see you say that to a baseball fan's face. And I'd really like to see them kick your ass.

[kirbycol4]

@ThisIsBilbo

Ted Williams would have hit .406 in 1891, 1911, 1921, 1931, 1951, 1971, 1991, 2010, 2040 ! Comparing Derek Jeter's hitting ability to #9 is like comparing Spam to Fillet Mignon! NO HITTER in the long history of Baseball combined; 1] Power; 2[ Average; 3] Knowledge of the Strike Zone like Williams! NOBODY! Not Ruth, Gehrig, Foxx, Mantle, Hornsby etc. Why don't you check and see how Bob Feller felt about the Splendid Splinter's hitting ability?

[Antigan15th]

@ThisIsBilbo: First off, you can't compare the two. There is simply no way to know what Babe Ruth would've done had he played today.

Second, to what point do they play? Back then, the game meant something. It was baseball. Nowadays, instead of playing in Yankee Stadium, we get to have wonderfully titled arenas such as the 'SleepCountry Amphitheater'. Oh, goodie.

[MLBNYY]

When it was a game.