10 Responses to “Oh, To Be Young(?) In The 1960’s”

1. Frank Clingenpeel Says:
   June 26th, 2010 at 10:55 am

   And Carew didn't even rate???

2. Pete Says:
   June 26th, 2010 at 12:35 pm

   I like looking at Vada Pinson's stats. He was very productive at a young age, but he had too many mediocre years later in his career.

3. Pete Says:
   June 26th, 2010 at 12:37 pm

   I think Carew wasn't included because he only had 3 seasons in the 60's. It wasn't until 1969 that he batted over .300 ..... his best work was done in the 70's.

4. DoubleDiamond Says:
   June 26th, 2010 at 4:13 pm

   Another great indication of what a wonderful thing it was when major league baseball became integrated. The 1960s were the first decade when the effect could be seen. The top 4 in the above list are all African-Americans, with 1 more plus 2 Hispanic players in the rest of the top 10. In the entire group of 37, there are 5 Hispanic players and 11 that I know for sure are African-American. (There is one player in the list with whom I am not familiar enough to know his race.)

   In addition to the Hall-of-Famers and at least one other with Hall-of-Fame numbers, I see at least seven who later became managers and/or league/MLB officials and several who went on to broadcasting careers.

5. fart Says:
   June 26th, 2010 at 5:36 pm

   blobby

6. Hartvig Says:
   June 27th, 2010 at 1:26 am

   Nice to see Dick McAuliffe get a little credit. He's one of only 2 middle infielders on the list (3 if you count Rose who played almost exclusively outfield for 3 of the 7 years he played in the 60's) and Fregosi was a strong HOF candidate at the end of the decade (his performance dropped of sharply when he turned 29 and ruined his chance). Norm Cash is an eye opener too.

7. steven Says:
   June 27th, 2010 at 2:46 am

   Johnny Callison was one of the National League's top performers during the early sixties, but after 1965, he lost a lot of his long-ball power, although he did lead the league in doubles in 1966. He was just a fairly decent ballplayer after '65. Fregosi and Gene Alley were considered the top two young shortstops in the mid-sixties.

8. steven Says:
   June 27th, 2010 at 2:58 am

   Tony Oliva-like Tony Gonzalez-apparently had Cuban Aging Syndrome. I've still got magazines proclaiming him as "the 23-year-old batting champion" of 1964. Since the finish of his career, two or three additional years have been tacked on to his age. Severe knee injuries derailed his Hall-of-Fame chances.

9. Frank Clingenpeel Says:
   June 27th, 2010 at 5:08 pm

   I am also glad to see another of the most underrated players of the decade -- Ron Santo -- get a little recognition. Diabetes -- especially in thise stone-knife-and-bearskin days, was tough to deal with; but Santo managed to do so, and still end up with a pretty fair-to-middling career. Had he been a Yankee or a Dodger instead of a Cubbie, he might have gotten more support for the HOIF.

10. Gerry Says:
    June 27th, 2010 at 10:53 pm

    The 1966 Cubs lost 103 games, and 4 of their players are in the HoF. The 1961 Yankees won 109 games, and 3 of their players are in the HoF. Sorry, Frank, I don't see your point.