Description:
Start sharpening your debating chops. Any list that tries to rank the best who ever played the game in numerical order is just begging for a fight, and this coffee-table-sized offering virtually dares you to take a whack at its chin. The fun part about it is that it's intriguing enough, surprising enough, and persuasive enough to hold its own. Pretty much everyone agrees that the Bambino's No. 1--and Smith doesn't topple over any ledges disputing that--but from No. 2 on, he gets interesting. He slots Willie Mays into the place position, and rounds out the top 10 with Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Hank Aaron, Lou Gehrig, Christy Mathewson, Ted Williams, Rogers Hornsby, and Stan Musial. Joe DiMaggio hovers at No. 11, and 300-game-winner Early Wynn is the list's closer. Several Negro League stars make it despite never getting a chance to play in the show, and of those still in uniform, only Tony Gwynn, Greg Maddux, and Barry Bonds crack the top 50; Mark McGwire (91) and Ken Griffey, Jr. (93) seem like comparative clubhouse stragglers. Each of the 100 players is extolled with a full-page photo and facing-page text that serves up a quick tour of his career and accomplishments. Individual stats are collected and relegated to the end of the volume, but lots of fascinating numbers are woven throughout. There are also a bunch of top 10 lists offered up by players (some of whom are among the "100 Greatest") and managers that cry out to be challenged, making this one baseball book that can supply your mind and your lungs with an equally vigorous workout. --Jeff Silverman
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