Full Description
Philadelphia's Top Fifty Baseball Players takes a look at the greatest players in Philadelphia baseball history from the earliest days in 1830 through the Negro Leagues and into the modern era. Their ranks include batting champions, home run kings, Most Valuable Players, Cy Young Award winners, and Hall of Famers-from Ed Delahanty, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Roy Campanella, Mike Schmidt, and Ryan Howard to Negro League stars Judy Johnson and Biz Mackey and other Philadelphia standouts such as Richie Ashburn, Dick Allen, Chuck Klein, Eddie Collins, and Reggie Jackson. For each player the book highlights memorable incidents and accomplishments and, above all, his place in Philadelphia's rich baseball tradition.
Contents
Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction Part 1. The Pioneers, Pre-1900 Sam Thompson: Baseball's First Home Run Slugger Ed Delahanty: Hitter with Few Equals Billy Hamilton: Master of the Base Paths Harry Davis: Four Straight Home Run Titles Nap Lajoie: Phillies and Athletics Superstar Rube Waddell: Loony but a Brilliant Pitcher Roy Thomas: Lead-Off Hitter Who Ranks with the Best Part 2. Last of the Deadball Standouts, 1900-1910 Eddie Plank: Baseball's First Great Left-Handed Pitcher Chief Bender: Pitcher Who Overcame Two Kinds of Opponents Sherry Magee: Exceptional Player with a Hot Temper Eddie Collins: Best Second Baseman Ever to Play the Game Frank Baker: "Home Run" Lived Up to His Nickname Gavvy Cravath: King of the Deadball Home Run Hitters Stuffy McInnis: Master with the Bat and the Glove Louis Santop: First Great Negro League Catcher Part 3. Stars of Three Leagues, 1911-1920 Grover Cleveland Alexander: Collector of Some Incredible Records Cy Williams: One of the Foremost Power Hitters of His Era Jimmy Dykes: Hometown Favorite and a Great All-Around Player Judy Johnson: An Early Negro League Superstar Biz Mackey: One of Baseball's Greatest Catchers Part 4. Hall of Famers Dominate, 1921-1930 Bing Miller: Best of All the Millers Al Simmons: Stepping into the Bucket Was Not a Problem Mickey Cochrane: First of the Major League's Best Catchers Jimmie Foxx: Second Batter to Hit Five Hundred Home Runs Lefty Grove: Spectacular Southpaw Won Three Hundred Games Chuck Klein: Big Bomber of Baker Bowl Pinky Whitney: It Helps to Live near a Ballpark Part 5. Mostly Whiz Kids and Native Sons, 1931-1950 Bucky Walters: His Switch to Pitching Paid Off Bob Johnson: Vastly Underrated Star Mickey Vernon: Two-Time Batting Champ and Superb Fielder Granny Hamner: Fiery Captain of the Whiz Kids Del Ennis: Local Guy and Superior Slugger Richie Ashburn: An All-Time Philly Favorite Roy Campanella: If Only He'd Stayed Home Robin Roberts: One of Baseball's Greatest Pitchers Part 6. Everyone's an All-Star, 1951-1970 Jim Bunning: His Perfect Game Made History Tony Taylor: Top Second Baseman and Fan Favorite Dick Allen: Spectacular Hitter with Awesome Power Steve Carlton: Second-Winningest Lefty of All Time Tug McGraw: Unforgettable Closer and Colorful Personality Reggie Jackson: Mr. October Was a Left-Handed Powerhouse Larry Bowa: Perfect for the Position Greg Luzinski: The Bull Could Bash the Ball Part 7. Greats of the Modern Era, 1971-2012 Garry Maddox: The Secretary of Defense Mike Schmidt: The Phillies' Greatest Player Mike Piazza: No Catcher Was Ever Better with the Bat Bobby Abreu: His Sweet Swing Led to High Batting Averages Jimmy Rollins: Shortstop Who Does Everything Well Chase Utley: Working Hard to Be the Best Ryan Howard: One of the Game's Best Power Hitters Sources
