A Bed for Any All Star! I saw this all-star bed (for kids?) at Rooms To Go on I-10 near Memorial City yesterday morning. As kids, we would have killed for a bed like this one. Of course, we might have taken it apart for use on the sandlot too. It certainly looked good enough for any of the all-stars I ever heard of or saw play.
Following the same two-pitcher (righty/lefty) formula I used on yesterday early 20th century club, here are my MLB All Stars for the afternoon years of the 20th century:
Pitcher/RH: Bob Gibson
Pitcher/LH: Sandy Koufax
Catcher: Johnny Bench
1st Base: Willie McCovey *
2nd Base: Joe Morgan
3rd Base: Mike Schmidt
Shortstop: Ozzie Smith
Left Field: Hank Aaron
Center Field Willie Mays
Right Field: Roberto Clemente
That’s my whole 20th century afternoon era all-star team – and here’s one more photo of that entire all-star baseball bed:
The structure includes real bats and balls too. Hope the lucky kids of 2010 appreciate getting one of these special all-star baseball theme beds.
As per usual, I don’t expect any of you to 100% agree or disagree with me on these all-star selections. None of us who follow baseball closely can be that unanimously right or abjectly wrong – not in this old world of different people and differing opinion. Just put forth your own picks in the comment section that always follows these columns. You certainly do have the right to totally agree or disagree with me.
I’m now trying to pick players who did all or a significant part of their best work during the era of study. After today, we will have two more eras to cover: (1) Evening 20th Century (1986-2000) and (2) 21st Century to date, (2001-2010.) With Christmas coming, I’m not 100% sure we will get to those Wednesday and Thursday, but we’ll try. Meanwhile, get your thinking caps on about those two distinct, but player-overlapping eras.
Anyway, regarding today’s club, maybe I’ve forgotten or overlooked someone somewhere at one of the position spots I’ve already filled above as listed. If you come up with someone that changes my mind, I’ll let you know. If not, and you’ve just come up with a different choice that you think is more deserving and I don’t agree, I’ll stick with what I’ve got.
Happy Three More Days Til Christmas Eve, folks!
Upon Further Review Notes:
* 12/21/10: Orlando Cepeda was my original on-the-run-post-choice earlier today. I changed it several hours later when Bob Hulsey slipped me an implicit suggestion by comment reminder that I needed to look more closely at Mr. Cepeda in comparison to the records of the two Willies (McCovey and Stargell) that played that position in the same era. I was reminded/convinced that Willie McCovey deserved the 1st base spot over my original choice, Orlando Cepeda.
The Pecan Park Eagle 
December 21, 2010 at 4:27 pm |
Bill:
Did you notice the total lack of American Leaguers on your list? I agree with your choice of Ozzie Smith. He was amazing.
December 21, 2010 at 7:31 pm |
American League? … What’s that? 🙂 During that period, they were not producing the iconic stars on a level with the National League. Maybe you could argue Brett of the AL into the lineup over Schmidt, but I’ll stick with Big Mike.
December 21, 2010 at 7:03 pm |
I, too, noticed the lack of American Leaguers of this but the All-Star Game results during this era tend to back you up. Was Schmidt bettet than Brett? Eh, probably. Was Bench better than Fisk? Yeah.
My only quibble is first base where I might have chosen Willie McCovey or Willie Stargell over Cepeda.
December 21, 2010 at 7:46 pm |
Thanks for the memory jog, Mr. Hulsey. It was strong enough for me to take a personal recall vote on Mr. Cepeda at first. McCovey and Stargell were both better qualified, but I’m going with the man who had a cove named after him as my reconsidered choice over Cepeda. First base was the only position I felt soft about on my quick-time selections earlier. As I also said I might, I have now made my change at first in the priginal lineup with a big “assist” credit to you.
December 22, 2010 at 2:32 am |
The kids would never use the bats, they are made of WOOD.
Happy Hollidays, Bill
David Munger
December 22, 2010 at 2:47 am |
Happy Holidays to you and yours too, David!
Bill McCurdy
December 22, 2010 at 2:41 am |
At SS-Robin Yount; can’t go with Smith for this period as he only started hitting even a little bit in 1984. Yount started 4 years earlier and was a terrific player before his arm injury.
LF should be Carl Yastrzemski; Aaron was primarily a RF and was much better than Clemente; so was Frank Robinson.
The top RHP was obviously Tom Seaver and the top LHP easily was Steve Carlton.
And why no 1876-1899 All-Stars?
December 22, 2010 at 2:56 am |
Cliff:
Thanks, as per usual, for some great other opinions. You keep baseball history nailed to facts and data – and that’s good. It helps keep the rest of us more tied to the bare truth. There is value in everything you say – even your strong opinions often sound like facts – even when they are not. It happens just about every time you write and I, for one, always look forward to hearing from you, even when we disagree – and that’s fairly often.
Have a happy holiday, my baseball kindred spirit!
Bill McCurdy
PS: We’ll save the 19th century for last. I had not intended to carry it this far, but the idea to do so just sort of took on a life of its own beyond the first post WWII club.