My Top 25

Libertarians have long had a reputation as being from the land of tie-dye, polyester, and camouflage. Yes, I like the Grateful Dead, I spend a few too many hours each week gawking at the internet, and I find camouflage extremely comfortable.

However, many libertarians are normal people. Some are even intersted in sports when there is not a stadium tax initiative on the ballot.

I do not purport to be the George Will of the Libertarian movment, but I do consider the following to be of sufficient cultural, intellectual, and philosophical importance to warrant a place on this page.

Herewith, are my 25 nominees for the Major League Baseball's All-Century team:

First Base: Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx
Second Base: Rogers Hornsby, Jackie Robinson
Shortstop: Honus Wagner, Cal Ripken
Third Base: Mike Schmidt, Brooks Robinson
Catcher: Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra
Outfield: Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, Henry Aaron, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Ken Griffey, Jr.
Pitcher: Walter Johnson, Satchel Paige, Sandy Koufax, Lefty Grove, Cy Young, Warren Spahn

Tough to leave off: Joe Morgan (2b), Ozzie Smith (ss), Roberto Clemente (of), Roy Campanella (c), Christy Matthewson (p)
Can't quite justify putting them on: Pete Rose (of), Nolan Ryan (p)

Best player ever: Babe Ruth (du-u-uh) -- A higher lifetime batting average than Tony Gwynn. As a pitcher, his second winningest season featured 23 victories. Roger Clemens' second winningest season featured 21 victories.
Greatest living player: Willie Mays
Best "package" of a player: Mickey Mantle
Best hitter: Ted Williams
Best pure defensive player: Ozzie Smith
Sacred record most likely to fall: Mark McGwire and Ken Griffey, Jr., just may surpass Henry Aaron's 755 homers. If Sammy Sosa can come close to 70 bombs again this year, is it inconceivable that someone could get hot for a little over two months and hit over 56 consecutive games?
Records that will stand for the ages: Ty Cobb's .367 lifetime batting average, Babe Ruth's .690 career slugging percentage, Cal Ripken's 2632 consecutive games, Nolan Ryan's 5714 strikeouts, Cy Young's 511 wins.
Next great superstar: Seattle shortstop Alex Rodriguez (I put him ahead of fellow young AL shortstops Nomar Garciaparra and Derek Jeter. Nobody seems to have noticed, but the premier defensive shortstop in baseball, Cleveland 's Omar Vizquel is hitting .336 this year. This may be the greatest concentration of talent at one position since the late 1930s, when Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, and Hank Greenberg were first baseman.)
Best role model, and athlete I revere above all others: Jackie Robinson

Freely Speaking: Speeches and Essays by Doug Newman

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