Major League Baseball All-Century Team

In 1999, the Major League Baseball All-Century Team was chosen by popular vote of fans. To select the team, a panel of experts first compiled a list of the 100 greatest Major League Baseball players from the past century. Over two million fans then voted on the players using paper and online ballots.[1]

The top two vote-getters from each position, except outfielders (nine), and the top six pitchers were placed on the team. A select panel then added five legends to create a thirty-man team:[1]—Warren Spahn (who finished #10 among pitchers), Christy Mathewson (#14 among pitchers), Lefty Grove (#18 among pitchers), Honus Wagner (#4 among shortstops), and Stan Musial (#11 among outfielders).[1]

The nominees for the All-Century team were presented at the 1999 All-Star Game at Fenway Park. Preceding Game 2 of the 1999 World Series, the members of the All-Century Team were revealed. Every living player named to the team attended.

For the complete list of the 100 players nominated, see The MLB All-Century Team.

Selected players

Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax
Player Player's name
Position Players's position
Votes Number of votes
* 'Legends' chosen by select panel
** Player still active in 1999
ö Player is deceased
† Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
PlayerPositionVotes
Nolan Ryan†Pitcher992,040
Sandy Koufax†Pitcher970,434
Cy Young†öPitcher867,523
Roger Clemens**Pitcher601,244
Bob Gibson†Pitcher582,031
Walter Johnson†öPitcher479,279
Warren Spahn†ö*Pitcher337,215
Christy Mathewson†ö*Pitcher249,747
Lefty Grove†ö*Pitcher142,169
Johnny Bench†Catcher1,010,403
Yogi Berra†öCatcher704,208
Lou Gehrig†öFirst baseman1,207,992
Mark McGwire**First baseman517,181
Jackie Robinson†öSecond baseman788,116
Rogers Hornsby†öSecond baseman630,761
Mike Schmidt†Third baseman855,654
Brooks Robinson†Third baseman761,700
Cal Ripken, Jr.†**Shortstop669,033
Ernie Banks†öShortstop598,168
Honus Wagner†ö*Shortstop526,740
Babe Ruth†öOutfielder1,158,044
Hank Aaron†Outfielder1,156,782
Ted Williams†öOutfielder1,125,583
Willie Mays†Outfielder1,115,896
Joe DiMaggio†öOutfielder1,054,423
Mickey Mantle†öOutfielder988,168
Ty Cobb†öOutfielder777,056
Ken Griffey, Jr.†**Outfielder645,389
Pete RoseOutfielder629,742
Stan Musial†ö*Outfielder571,279

Pete Rose controversy

There was controversy over the inclusion in the All-Century Team of Pete Rose, who had been banned from baseball for life 10 years earlier. Some questioned Rose's presence on a team officially endorsed by Major League Baseball, but fans at the stadium gave him a standing ovation. During the on-field ceremony, which was emceed by Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, NBC Sports' Jim Gray questioned Rose about his refusal to admit to gambling on baseball.[2] Gray's interview became controversial, with some arguing that it was good journalism,[3] while others objected that the occasion was an inappropriate setting for Gray's persistence.[4] After initially refusing to do so, Gray apologized a few days later.[5] On January 8, 2004, more than four years later, Rose admitted publicly to betting on baseball games in his autobiography My Prison Without Bars.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "All Century Team". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  2. ↑ Pete Rose transcript with Jim Gray
  3. ↑ Top 10 Most Embarrassing TV/Radio Interview Moments
  4. ↑ Darren Everson (27 October 1999). "Chad Shows No Curtis-y To Gray After Game-winner". New York Daily News.
  5. ↑ George Solomon; Dave Sheinin (27 October 1999). "Gray's Apology Is Not Enough for Players". Washington Post. p. D1.
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