I thought I'd go with another baseball question for y'all............

[bluzman61]

Mainly because I'm REALLY missing baseball right now. Anyway, who are your best all-time catchers that played major league baseball? My top 5 are - 1) Johnny Bench, great offensive AND defensive catcher. He won two National League MVP's in his career and was a pivotal part of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine from the late 1960's through the mid to late 1970's. And what a great last name for a baseball player! 2) Yogi Berra, another catcher that was both a great offensive AND defensive player. And of course, noted for his funny quotes and wry sense of humor. 3) Carlton Fisk, the original "Pudge", he was also a great offensive AND defensive player. He had some wonderful seasons for both the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox. 4) Ivan Rodriguez, the other "Pudge", he was perhaps THE best defensive catcher all-time AND a very fine hitter, especially for batting average. 5) Mike Piazza, ANOTHER catcher that was a great offensive AND defensive player. Here are my top 5, who are some of yours?

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

1) Buck Ewing

2) Mickey Cochrane

3) Roy Campanella

4)Joe Torre

5) Gabby Hartnett

Not in any specific order. All cool and great players

 

[the other mike]

Just about the only black catcher I know of , Manny Sanguillén, of the Pirates.
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan (actually from Panama)

My dad took me to game 3 of this Series when I was 10....

 

[bluzman61]

1) Buck Ewing

2) Mickey Cochrane

3) Roy Campanella

4)Joe Torre

5) Gabby Hartnett

Not in any specific order. All cool and great players

Thanks, Azog. I somehow forgot about Campanella! HE would be my #5 pick, which would drop Piazza to #6. And Joe Torre was a VERY good hitter for a catcher, he actually won the National League batting title in 1971 playing for the Cardinals.

 

[bluzman61]

Just about the only black catcher I know of , Manny Sanguillén, of the Pirates.
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan (actually from Panama)

Yep, he was QUITE good, and a very good hitter for a catcher. I remember him well.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Mainly because I'm REALLY missing baseball right now. Anyway, who are your best all-time catchers that played major league baseball? My top 5 are - 1) Johnny Bench, great offensive AND defensive catcher. He won two National League MVP's in his career and was a pivotal part of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine from the late 1960's through the mid to late 1970's. And what a great last name for a baseball player! 2) Yogi Berra, another catcher that was both a great offensive AND defensive player. And of course, noted for his funny quotes and wry sense of humor. 3) Carlton Fisk, the original "Pudge", he was also a great offensive AND defensive player. He had some wonderful seasons for both the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox. 4) Ivan Rodriguez, the other "Pudge", he was perhaps THE best defensive catcher all-time AND a very fine hitter, especially for batting average. 5) Mike Piazza, ANOTHER catcher that was a great offensive AND defensive player. Here are my top 5, who are some of yours?

Pudge was fricking awesome..

But. ..

Ex-Gators catcher David Ross of Cubs homers in his last game, Game 7 of the World Series | OnlyGators.com: Florida Gators news, analysis, schedules and scores

Age before beauty, they say. Former Florida Gators catcher David Ross, playing his 15th and final MLB season, became the oldest player in history to hit a homer run in Game 7 of the World Series on Tuesday night as the Chicago Cubs triumphed to win their first championship in 108 years. Ross, 39 and

www.onlygators.com

 

[bluzman61]

Mainly because I'm REALLY missing baseball right now. Anyway, who are your best all-time catchers that played major league baseball? My top 5 are - 1) Johnny Bench, great offensive AND defensive catcher. He won two National League MVP's in his career and was a pivotal part of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine from the late 1960's through the mid to late 1970's. And what a great last name for a baseball player! 2) Yogi Berra, another catcher that was both a great offensive AND defensive player. And of course, noted for his funny quotes and wry sense of humor. 3) Carlton Fisk, the original "Pudge", he was also a great offensive AND defensive player. He had some wonderful seasons for both the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox. 4) Ivan Rodriguez, the other "Pudge", he was perhaps THE best defensive catcher all-time AND a very fine hitter, especially for batting average. 5) Mike Piazza, ANOTHER catcher that was a great offensive AND defensive player. Here are my top 5, who are some of yours?

Pudge was fricking awesome..

But. ..

Ex-Gators catcher David Ross of Cubs homers in his last game, Game 7 of the World Series | OnlyGators.com: Florida Gators news, analysis, schedules and scores

Age before beauty, they say. Former Florida Gators catcher David Ross, playing his 15th and final MLB season, became the oldest player in history to hit a homer run in Game 7 of the World Series on Tuesday night as the Chicago Cubs triumphed to win their first championship in 108 years. Ross, 39 and

www.onlygators.com

Yep, that WAS an amazing way for Ross to end his career.

 

[bluzman61]

1) Buck Ewing

2) Mickey Cochrane

3) Roy Campanella

4)Joe Torre

5) Gabby Hartnett

Not in any specific order. All cool and great players

Thanks, Azog. I somehow forgot about Campanella! HE would be my #5 pick, which would drop Piazza to #6. And Joe Torre was a VERY good hitter for a catcher, he actually won the National League batting title in 1971 playing for the Cardinals.

I just checked Torre's numbers for 1971, and they're unbelievable. He led the league with an eye-popping .363 batting average, 24 home runs, and a league leading 137 RBI. He also had 230 hits, which I think has to be the most hits in a season by a catcher. He was the National League MVP, which he obviously deserved. What a season!

 

[Wyatt earp]

Mainly because I'm REALLY missing baseball right now. Anyway, who are your best all-time catchers that played major league baseball? My top 5 are - 1) Johnny Bench, great offensive AND defensive catcher. He won two National League MVP's in his career and was a pivotal part of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine from the late 1960's through the mid to late 1970's. And what a great last name for a baseball player! 2) Yogi Berra, another catcher that was both a great offensive AND defensive player. And of course, noted for his funny quotes and wry sense of humor. 3) Carlton Fisk, the original "Pudge", he was also a great offensive AND defensive player. He had some wonderful seasons for both the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox. 4) Ivan Rodriguez, the other "Pudge", he was perhaps THE best defensive catcher all-time AND a very fine hitter, especially for batting average. 5) Mike Piazza, ANOTHER catcher that was a great offensive AND defensive player. Here are my top 5, who are some of yours?

Pudge was fricking awesome..

But. ..

Ex-Gators catcher David Ross of Cubs homers in his last game, Game 7 of the World Series | OnlyGators.com: Florida Gators news, analysis, schedules and scores

Age before beauty, they say. Former Florida Gators catcher David Ross, playing his 15th and final MLB season, became the oldest player in history to hit a homer run in Game 7 of the World Series on Tuesday night as the Chicago Cubs triumphed to win their first championship in 108 years. Ross, 39 and

www.onlygators.com

Yep, that WAS an amazing way for Ross to end his career.

Lmfao I remember one time I called some sports radio on Chicago and was on hold for hours about him..

They said to me on air you waited for hours to say that?

 

[the other mike]

You know Bob Uecker is 86 and Phil Niekro is 81 now.

Catcher Bob Uecker was also frustrated by the pitch at times, saying, "Niekro struck out a hitter once and I never touched the ball. It hit me in the shinguard, bounced out to Clete Boyer at third base and he threw out the runner at first. Talk about a weird assist: 2-5-3 on a strikeout .

Bob Uecker - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[bluzman61]

Just about the only black catcher I know of , Manny Sanguillén, of the Pirates.
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan (actually from Panama)

My dad took me to game 3 of this Series when I was 10....

Wow, that must have been exciting! I've never been to a World Series game. I was living in Phoenix when the D-Backs won the series in 2001, but the price of a seat, even in the nosebleed sections, was way too much for me. My dad was lucky enough to go to game 2 of that series, and got to see the D-Backs win AND Ray Charles sing "America the Beautiful". My dad's friend, who was pretty well off financially, got FOUR tickets for him and his girlfriend and and my dad and his. My dad took a few pictures, but their seats were pretty high up, in a nosebleed section. But he did get a couple pics of Ray Charles, unfortunately he was so high up, the singer could've been anyone. I was a LITTLE jealous, but I was happy for my dad and his girlfriend.

 

[task0778]

Just about the only black catcher I know of , Manny Sanguillén, of the Pirates.
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan (actually from Panama)

My dad took me to game 3 of this Series when I was 10....

John Roseboro comes to mind, and Elston Howard. They were pretty good but not top 5. Thuman Munson was white, but he wasn't bad. Neither was Gary Carter.

 

[the other mike]

Just about the only black catcher I know of , Manny Sanguillén, of the Pirates.
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan (actually from Panama)

My dad took me to game 3 of this Series when I was 10....

Wow, that must have been exciting! I've never been to a World Series game. I was living in Phoenix when the D-Backs won the series in 2001, but the price of a seat, even in the nosebleed sections, was way too much for me. My dad was lucky enough to go to game 2 of that series, and got to see the D-Backs win AND Ray Charles sing "America the Beautiful". My dad's friend, who was pretty well off financially, got FOUR tickets for him and his girlfriend and and my dad and his. My dad took a few pictures, but their seats were pretty high up, in a nosebleed section. But he did get a couple pics of Ray Charles, unfortunately he was so high up, the singer could've been anyone. I was a LITTLE jealous, but I was happy for my dad and his girlfriend.

It blows my mind that between MLB games I've been to in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, NYC, Atlanta, and Ft Worth Texas (Arlington) at least 6 or 7 of those stadiums are gone now.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Just about the only black catcher I know of , Manny Sanguillén, of the Pirates.
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan (actually from Panama)

My dad took me to game 3 of this Series when I was 10....

Wow, that must have been exciting! I've never been to a World Series game. I was living in Phoenix when the D-Backs won the series in 2001, but the price of a seat, even in the nosebleed sections, was way too much for me. My dad was lucky enough to go to game 2 of that series, and got to see the D-Backs win AND Ray Charles sing "America the Beautiful". My dad's friend, who was pretty well off financially, got FOUR tickets for him and his girlfriend and and my dad and his. My dad took a few pictures, but their seats were pretty high up, in a nosebleed section. But he did get a couple pics of Ray Charles, unfortunately he was so high up, the singer could've been anyone. I was a LITTLE jealous, but I was happy for my dad and his girlfriend.

It blows my mind that between MLB games I've been to in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, NYC, Atlanta, and Ft Worth Texas (Arlington) at least 6 or 7 of those stadiums are gone now.

No kidding I remember driving along Atlanta and seeing the the stadium being built in the 1980s, now its gone

 

[Likkmee]

Javy Lopez was a badass. You had to be when Denny Martinez was on a roll !

 

[the other mike]

No kidding I remember driving along Atlanta and seeing the the stadium being built in the 1980s, now its gone

And yet we keep prisoners in joints that are over 100 years old, many even throughout the south with no AC in large sections. ( obviously to save power but ultimately it amounts to added punishment in already harsh conditions, health concerns and sometimes death) The one near Houston I've heard is real bad.

 

[bluzman61]

1) Buck Ewing

2) Mickey Cochrane

3) Roy Campanella

4)Joe Torre

5) Gabby Hartnett

Not in any specific order. All cool and great players

Thanks, Azog. I somehow forgot about Campanella! HE would be my #5 pick, which would drop Piazza to #6. And Joe Torre was a VERY good hitter for a catcher, he actually won the National League batting title in 1971 playing for the Cardinals.

I just checked Torre's numbers for 1971, and they're unbelievable. He led the league with an eye-popping .363 batting average, 24 home runs, and a league leading 137 RBI. He also had 230 hits, which I think has to be the most hits in a season by a catcher. He was the National League MVP, which he obviously deserved. What a season!

Here's something interesting. Torre IS listed as having the most hits in a season by a catcher, but for 1970, not 1971, with 203. And he's not even listed in the top 10 for 1971! This has to be because the stats are for when that player actually was the catcher, and obviously does NOT count the games they played at another position. I know Torre also played first base, so he must have played quite a few games there in 1971.

 

[Likkmee]

Just about the only black catcher I know of , Manny Sanguillén, of the Pirates.
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan (actually from Panama)

My dad took me to game 3 of this Series when I was 10....

Wow, that must have been exciting! I've never been to a World Series game. I was living in Phoenix when the D-Backs won the series in 2001, but the price of a seat, even in the nosebleed sections, was way too much for me. My dad was lucky enough to go to game 2 of that series, and got to see the D-Backs win AND Ray Charles sing "America the Beautiful". My dad's friend, who was pretty well off financially, got FOUR tickets for him and his girlfriend and and my dad and his. My dad took a few pictures, but their seats were pretty high up, in a nosebleed section. But he did get a couple pics of Ray Charles, unfortunately he was so high up, the singer could've been anyone. I was a LITTLE jealous, but I was happy for my dad and his girlfriend.

It blows my mind that between MLB games I've been to in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, NYC, Atlanta, and Ft Worth Texas (Arlington) at least 6 or 7 of those stadiums are gone now.

No kidding I remember driving along Atlanta and seeing the the stadium being built in the 1980s, now its gone

I was at the game in 74 when Hank took Babes record. Wild crowd, Some of them thar innerbreds didn't like it too much when a darkie took over.I was with a bunch from the Pagans MC out of VA. Coulda got weird if the Outlaws showed up. Law dawgs made them lose the colors before they could go in

 

[bluzman61]

1) Buck Ewing

2) Mickey Cochrane

3) Roy Campanella

4)Joe Torre

5) Gabby Hartnett

Not in any specific order. All cool and great players

Thanks, Azog. I somehow forgot about Campanella! HE would be my #5 pick, which would drop Piazza to #6. And Joe Torre was a VERY good hitter for a catcher, he actually won the National League batting title in 1971 playing for the Cardinals.

I just checked Torre's numbers for 1971, and they're unbelievable. He led the league with an eye-popping .363 batting average, 24 home runs, and a league leading 137 RBI. He also had 230 hits, which I think has to be the most hits in a season by a catcher. He was the National League MVP, which he obviously deserved. What a season!

Here's something interesting. Torre IS listed as having the most hits in a season by a catcher, but for 1970, not 1971, with 203. And he's not even listed in the top 10 for 1971! This has to be because the stats are for when that player actually was the catcher, and obviously does NOT count the games they played at another position. I know Torre also played first base, so he must have played quite a few games there in 1971.

I was WAY off on this one! Torre did NOT play as a catcher at all in 1971! He played THIRD base, not first, all season long. NOW it all makes sense......

 

[Wyatt earp]

Just about the only black catcher I know of , Manny Sanguillén, of the Pirates.
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan (actually from Panama)

My dad took me to game 3 of this Series when I was 10....

Wow, that must have been exciting! I've never been to a World Series game. I was living in Phoenix when the D-Backs won the series in 2001, but the price of a seat, even in the nosebleed sections, was way too much for me. My dad was lucky enough to go to game 2 of that series, and got to see the D-Backs win AND Ray Charles sing "America the Beautiful". My dad's friend, who was pretty well off financially, got FOUR tickets for him and his girlfriend and and my dad and his. My dad took a few pictures, but their seats were pretty high up, in a nosebleed section. But he did get a couple pics of Ray Charles, unfortunately he was so high up, the singer could've been anyone. I was a LITTLE jealous, but I was happy for my dad and his girlfriend.

It blows my mind that between MLB games I've been to in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, NYC, Atlanta, and Ft Worth Texas (Arlington) at least 6 or 7 of those stadiums are gone now.

No kidding I remember driving along Atlanta and seeing the the stadium being built in the 1980s, now its gone

I was at the game in 74 when Hank took Babes record. Wild crowd, Some of them thar innerbreds didn't like it too much when a darkie took over.I was with a bunch from the Pagans MC out of VA. Coulda got weird if the Outlaws showed up. Law dawgs made them lose the colors before they could go in

Didnt hank break the bat in the game?
It was a beautiful thing to see