History of Major League Baseball - Great Players
A brief history of Major League Baseball's great players. Click on the players name to search the archive for newspaper articles. For more history on Pro Baseball use the advanced search.
 The "Great Bambino" or "Babe" was born George Herman Ruth Jr. on February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, Maryland. Babe Ruth made his Major League debut in 1914 at the age of 19 with the Boston Red Sox. By the end of his 21-year career he had hit 714 home runs, setting a record that would stand for nearly 60 years. Throughout his career, Ruth, "The Sultan of Swat" set the standard for hitting in baseball.
"The Splendid Splinter" was born Theodore Samuel Williams on August 30, 1918, in San Diego, California. Williams is widely regarded as the greatest hitter in the history of baseball. He is the last player to finish a season hitting over .400, finishing the 1941 season at .406. Williams was also a decorated Marine pilot, serving in World War II and the Korean War.
"The Say Hey Kid" was born Willie Howard Mays on May 6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama. Mays played 26 seasons of professional baseball, 23 of which were spent in the majors. During his career he amassed 3,283 hits and 660 home runs. He also played in a record-tying 24 All-Star games.
 Denton True "Cy" Young was born March 29, 1867, in Gilmore, Ohio. Over his 21-year major league career, Young amassed 511 wins, winning 30 games in a season five times, and more than 20 games in a season 15 times. Due to his reputation as the greatest pitcher in the history of the game, the Cy Young award is given annually to the top pitcher in each league.
"Hammerin' Hank" was born Henry Louis Aaron on February 5, 1934, in Mobile, Alabama. Aaron is best known for breaking Babe Ruth's all-time home run record in 1974, finishing his career with 755. He also holds the record for most RBI, Extra Base Hits and Total Bases.
"Charlie Hustle" was born Peter Edward Rose on April 14, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio. On September 11, 1985, Rose solidified his place in baseball history by breaking Ty Cobb's all-time hits record, finishing his career with 4,256. However, in 1989 after the publication of the Dowd Report, which detailed his history of gambling on the game, Commissioner Bart Giamatti banned Rose from the sport of baseball for life.
 "The Georgia Peach" was born Tyrus Raymond Cobb on December 18, 1886, in The Narrows, Georgia. Cobb is considered one of baseball's fiercest competitors. During his 28-year career he amassed a lifetime batting average of .367, had 297 triples, 4,191 hits and won 12 batting titles.
"The Judge" was born August 31, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas. Known as one of the great "gamers" in baseball history, Robinson played 20 seasons in the major leagues. During those 20 seasons he won a Triple Crown (in 1966), tallied 586 home runs and ended his career just shy of joining the 3,000-hit club. Robinson's leadership abilities led to his becoming the first African-American manager in the league.
"The Mick" was born Mickey Charles Mantle on October 20, 1931, in Spainview, Oklahoma. A star from the very beginning, Mantle accumulated a long list of baseball accomplishments throughout his 18-year career. He hit 536 home runs, finished his career with a .298 batting average, won the MVP award in 1956, 1957 and 1962, and won the Triple Crown in 1956. He also holds the record for the most World Series home runs, with 18.
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra was born May 12, 1925, in St. Louis, Missouri. One of the game's most popular players, Yogi was a dominant catcher and hitter during his 19-year major league career. He was voted to the American League All-Star Team for 15 consecutive seasons from 1948-1962. Berra also topped the 100-RBI mark four years in a row and was named American League MVP three times.
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