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 (MLB) players from the 20th 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 MLB All-Star Game at Fenway Park.[2] 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.[3]
Selected players
| * | 'Legends' chosen by select panel |
| ** | Player still active in 1999 |
| ö | Player is deceased |
| † | Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame |
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.[4] Gray's interview became controversial, with some arguing that it was good journalism,[5] while others objected that the occasion was an inappropriate setting for Gray's persistence.[6] After initially refusing to do so, Gray apologized a few days later.[7] On January 8, 2004, more than four years later, Rose admitted publicly to betting on baseball games in his 2004 autobiography My Prison Without Bars.
See also
- Major League Baseball All-Time Team, a similar team chosen by the Baseball Writers' Association of America in 1997
- Latino Legends Team
- DHL Hometown Heroes (2006): the most outstanding player in the history of each MLB franchise, based on on-field performance, leadership quality and character value
- Baseball awards § United States
- List of MLB awards
- Team of the century
- National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
References
- ^ a b c "All Century Team". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
- ^ "The Tribune 14 Jul 1999, page 13". Newspapers.com. July 14, 1999. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ "Fort Worth Star-Telegram 24 Oct 1999, page 45". Newspapers.com. October 24, 1999. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ Schultz, Brad (2005). Pete Rose transcript with Jim Gray. ISBN 9780240807317. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ Top 10 Most Embarrassing TV/Radio Interview Moments
- ^ Darren Everson (October 27, 1999). "Chad Shows No Curtis-y To Gray After Game-winner". New York Daily News.
- ^ George Solomon; Dave Sheinin (October 27, 1999). "Gray's Apology Is Not Enough for Players". Washington Post. p. D1.
External links
- The MLB All-Century Team
- All-Century Team Vote Totals from ESPN.com
- All-Century Team DVD from Amazon.com
- All-Century Team Information from Baseball Almanac