Player Appreciation: June 2009 Archives

The title "The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived" does not belong to Ty Cobb. Nor is it Barry Bonds to hold. It's hard to believe, but it's not even Babe Ruth's.
"The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived" is, however, a two-time Triple Crown winner, the last hitter to bat .400 in a single season, and the holder of the highest batting average of any member of the 500 home run club.
His swing was damn-near perfect.
He spoke in CAPITAL LETTERS.
He served his country during two wars, giving up, in all probability, at least 150 career home runs during that time. He was John Glenn's wingman and was honored by Douglas MacArthur.
He is Thumper, The Kid, The Splendid Splinter and Teddy Ballgame.
He is Theodore Samuel Williams.

On Oct. 7, 1991, David Cone took the hill against Jim Fregosi's Philadelphia Phillies and already had a 3-run lead.
The Phillies were barely ahead of the Mets in the standings going into that final day, but both squads were 20 games back of first place.
No one expected anything special in this game.
Especially not with the Phillies starting lineup of shortstop Kim Batiste, second baseman Mickey Morandini, left fielder Wes Chamberlain, right fielder Dale Murphy, third baseman Dave Hollins, first baseman Ricky Jordan, center fielder Braulio Castio and catcher Doug Lindsey.
Then again, maybe fans should have expected something special. Dale Murphy was aging more quickly than an apple slice on an August day. Hollins and Morandini would each make all-star teams for weak National League squads in the future, but the Phillies' real offensive thunder of Darren Daulton, Lenny Dykstra and John Kruk were MIA.
David Cone, however, was concerned he was going to be arrested. He knew he was under investigation for rape. He didn't know, at the time, that the police would find the woman's allegations to be unfounded.
All David Cone could do on the mound that day was ecape from fear.
And he did.