Thursday, April 5, 2018

Baltimore's 10 Greatest Athletes

Johnny Unitas (left) and Brooks Robinson,
throwing out ceremonial first balls
before the last Orioles game at Memorial Stadium,
October 6, 1991.

The Yankees are starting a home series against the Baltimore Orioles today.

Baltimore's 10 Greatest Athletes

Honorable Mention to Orioles in the Baseball Hall of Fame, who did not otherwise make the Top 10: Robin Roberts, Hoyt Wilhelm, Luis Aparicio and Roberto Alomar. Each of these men is better known for playing for another team, but each played at least 4 seasons in Baltimore.

Honorable Mention to the 1890s Orioles in the Baseball Hall of Fame: John McGraw, Willie Keeler, Hugh Jennings, Joe Kelley, Wilbert Robinson and Dan Brouthers. McGraw, Jennings and Robinson were all elected to the Hall as managers, but all could have been elected as players. (Unlike the Basketball and College Football Halls of Fame, the Baseball Hall of Fame does not have separate elections for players and managers/head coaches.)

Honorable Mention to members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, who did not otherwise make the Top 10: From the Colts, Art Donovan, Raymond Berry, Jim Parker, John Mackey and Ted Hendricks; from the Ravens, Jonathan Ogden and Rod Woodson. Joe Flacco and Ed Reed might join them. (UPDATE: Reed was elected in 2019.)

When The Sporting News ranked its 100 Greatest Football Players in 1999, Parker came in 24th, Berry 40th, Mackey 48th, and Hendricks 64th. When the NFL Network ranked its 100 Greatest Players in 2010, Parker was 32nd, Berry 36th, Mackey 42nd, Ogden 72nd, Hendricks 82nd and Reed 88th.

Honorable Mention to members of the Basketball Hall of Fame, who did not otherwise make the Top 10: Harry "Buddy" Jeannette, player-coach of the 1948 NBA Champion Baltimore Bullets, the team that went out of business in 1954; and from the 1963-73 Bullets, Gus Johnson and Wes Unseld.

10. Earl Monroe, guard, Bullets, 1967-72. Before joining Walt Frazier in the backcourt of the Knicks team that went on to win the 1973 NBA Championship, "Earl the Pearl" was the great rival of "Clyde," making him say, "I dreamed about many women, but Earl was the only man I dreamed about." In other words, the Pearl gave Clyde nightmares.

Earl was a 4-time All-Star, 2 with the Bullets. He was the 1968 NBA Rookie of the Year, and helped the Bullets win the 1971 Eastern Conference Championship, but they got swept in 4 straight by the Milwaukee Bucks. He was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame and the NBA's 50th Anniversary 50 Greatest Players, and got his number retired by both of his teams: 10 by the Wizards and 15 by the Knicks.

9. Frank Robinson, right field, Orioles, 1966-72. This is a joke, right? Frank Robinson, the man who made the O's champions, only 9th? Keep in mind, he only played 6 full seasons in Charm City.

His 1st season there was 1966. He was immediately named Captain, won the Triple Crown, and led them to their 1st Pennant and 1st World Series win. They won 3 straight American League Pennants, and won the 1970 World Series, losing in 1969 and 1971.

Over his career, he hit 586 home runs, fell just 57 hits short of 3,000, and became the only man to win the Most Valuable Player award in both Leagues. He was named to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and in 1999 The Sporting News ranked him 22nd on their list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.

Both the Cincinnati Reds and the Orioles retired Frank's Number 20 – in fact, he was the 1st Oriole to have his number retired. The Orioles put a statue of him outside Camden Yards, and, along with teammate Brooks Robinson, was part of the 1st induction class into the team's Hall of Fame. He was also the 1st black manager in each League. In 2005, George W. Bush awarded him the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

8. Gino Marchetti, defensive end, Colts, 1953-66. Sid Gillman, a Hall of Fame coach then running the Los Angeles Rams, called him "the greatest player in football. It's a waste of time to run around this guy's end. It's a lost play. You don't bother to try it."

And Forrest Gregg, the Hall of Fame offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers, called "the finest player I ever coached" by Vince Lombardi, said, "Marchetti was the best all-around player I ever played against. Great pass rusher. Great against the run. And he never let you rest."

An 11-time Pro Bowler, Gino was the Captain of the 1958 and 1959 NFL Champion Colts. He played 13 seasons -- and was never assessed a 15-yard penalty. In an interview for John Madden's All-Madden All-Millennium Team in 1999, he seemed quite proud of pointing that out. He was a beast in total control, like Mean Joe Greene, Mike Singletary or Reggie White -- not an out-of-control psychopath like Dick Butkus, Jack Lambert or Lawrence Taylor.

He broke his ankle late in regulation of that 1958 NFL Championship Game, "the Greatest Game Ever Played," but refused to go to the locker room. He had to see what happened with his own eyes. (Can you imagine Ray Lewis doing that? If you can, remember that, in his era, there'd have been a TV in the trainer's room.)

He was named to the NFL's 1950s All-Decade, 50th Anniversary and 75th Anniversary Teams, and to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Colts retired his Number 89, and, with the other Colts Hall-of-Famers, was elected by the Ravens to their Ring of Honor. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked him 15th on its list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. In 2010, the NFL Network ranked him 39th on their 100 Greatest Players.

7. Ray Lewis, linebacker, Ravens, 1996-2012. I don't know what happened that night in Atlanta, so I don't know what he did. He should still be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and all we know for sure what he is guilty of is trying to protect his friends from criminal prosecution. This assessment is about on-field performance.

Some performance. The linebacker made 13 Pro Bowls. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2000 and 2003. He helped the Ravens win Super Bowls XXXV and XLVII, winning the game's Most Valuable Player award in the former and retiring a World Champion after the latter.

He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team, and, while still active, came in 18th on the NFL Network's 100 Greatest Players. The Ravens do not officially retire numbers, but have not given his Number 52 back out since he retired. Inside M&T Bank Stadium, they have placed him on their Ring of Honor; outside it, along with Johnny Unitas of the city's previous team, the Colts, they dedicated a statue of him. A section of Baltimore's North Avenue has been named Ray Lewis Way.

6. Eddie Murray, 1st base, Orioles, 1977-88. He was the American League's Rookie of the Year in 1977, helped the Orioles win the Pennant in 1979, and helped them with the World Series in 1983. The next season, someone (I forget who) wrote that we'd been hearing for so long that he was going to become a great player that we didn't realize that he had already become one. He later won another Pennant, with the 1995 Cleveland Indians, and came back to the Orioles and helped get them to another AL Championship Series in 1996.

He was an 8-time All-Star, and a 3-time Gold Glove. Only 5 men have both at least 500 home runs and at least 3,000 hits, and only 3 reached both without steroid suspicion: Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray. Pretty good company.

He was a 1st-ballot election to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Orioles retired his Number 33 and dedicated a statue to him outside Camden Yards. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked him 77th on their list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.

5. Jim Palmer, pitcher, Orioles, 1965-84. In 1966, he won Game 2 of the World Series, outpitching Sandy Koufax in what turned out to be his last appearance. He helped the Orioles reach their 1st 8 postseasons (narrowly missing 3 others), including all 6 of their Pennants and all 3 of their World Series wins: 1966, 1970 and 1983. In the process, he became, and remains, the only man to win World Series games in 3 different decades.

A 6-time All-Star, he was the AL Cy Young Award winner in 1973, 1975 and 1976. He led the AL in wins 3 times and ERA twice. He pitched a no-hitter in 1969, and won 4 Gold Gloves. He was 268-152 for his career.

He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and ranked 64th on The Sporting News' 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 1999. The Orioles retired his Number 22 and elected him to their team Hall of Fame. He is now a broadcaster for the Orioles. The NCIS character of medical examiner Dr. Jimmy Palmer, played by Brian Dietzen, was named for him.

4. Cal Ripken, shortstop, Orioles, 1981-2001. Everyone thinks of the streak, 2,632 consecutive games. Sports Illustrated named him their Sportsman of the Year for 1995, the year he surpassed Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130. Whether staying in the lineup as he got older and slower was advisable is a debate for another time. But he wouldn't have gotten close to Gehrig's record if he hadn't been a great player.

How great? A 19-time All-Star, a 2-time Gold Glove, and the only man to this day to win a League's Rookie of the Year and its MVP in back-to-back seasons, 1982-83. He won another MVP in 1991. He helped the Orioles win the 1983 World Series and reach back-to-back ALCS in 1996-97. He had 3,184 hits and 431 home runs.

The Orioles retired his Number 8, and put a statue of him outside Camden Yards. He was named to the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, and in 1999 The Sporting News ranked him 78th on their list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.

3. Lenny Moore, running back, Colts, 1956-67. If you're under the age of 60, and you don't know your history, the Reading Rocket might be the greatest football player you've never heard of.

A 7-time Pro Bowler, he was NFL Rookie of the Year in 1956. He helped the Colts win their 1958-59 back-to-back titles. He was named NFL Most Valuable Player in 1964, a season that was the middle of a streak of 18 consecutive appearance with a touchdown. (Though not 18 straight games, as it included 3 games he missed due to injury.) That's still a record, recently tied by LaDainian Tomlinson.

He rushed for 5,174 yards and 63 touchdowns. That's impressive. He caught 364 passes for 6,039 yards and 48 touchdowns. That's impressive. Put them together? Nobody put that together in those days. Nobody except Lenny Moore. This guy was playing 21st Century offense in the Eisenhower years.

He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the NFL's 1950s All-Decade Team and it's 50th Anniversary Team. The Colts retired his Number 24, and, with the other Colts Hall-of-Famers, was elected by the Ravens to their Ring of Honor.

In 1999, The Sporting News ranked him 71st on its list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. In 2010, the NFL Network ranked him 94th on their 100 Greatest Players. In both cases, he was seriously shortchanged.

Lenny Moore is 84 years old, and retired from working with the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. He knew how hard it was to be a poor black kid in his time, and he wanted to make it easier for those who came after him.

2. Brooks Robinson, 3rd base, Orioles, 1955-77. In 1960, he won his 1st Gold Glove at 3rd base, and made his 1st All-Star Team. In 1964, he was the 1st Oriole named American League Most Valuable Player. In 1966, he helped the Orioles win their 1st Pennant and their 1st World Series. In 1970, he won another World Series, redefining the way people viewed the playing of 3rd base, and winning the Series MVP. In 1974, he played in his last All-Star Game, his 18th, and made his 6th postseason appearance. In 1975, he won his last Gold Glove, his 16th.

In 1977, he retired, had his Number 5 retired, and, with Frank Robinson (no relation), became the 1st 2 inductees into the Orioles' Hall of Fame. In 1983, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1991, he was invited to throw out the ceremonial first ball before the last Orioles game at Memorial Stadium (along with Johnny Unitas of the Colts, who threw a football). In 1999, he was ranked 80th on The Sporting News' 100 Greatest Baseball Players and the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. In 2012, the Orioles dedicated a statue of him outside Camden Yards.

1. Johnny Unitas, quarterback, Colts, 1956-72. This is how good the Colts franchise was by the time they won Super Bowl V in 1971: It could be legitimately argued that they had NFL history's greatest quarterback, Unitas; all-around offensive player, Lenny Moore; guard, Jim Parker; receiver, Raymond Berry; tight end, John Mackey; defensive end, Gino Marchetti; and defensive tackle, Art Donovan.
The Golden Arm with a gift for the Iron Man

In 1998, Steve Sabol of NFL Films saw that the largest gathering of members ever was coming to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremony. So he got as many of them for interviews as he could, and asked them what one player that they'd ever seen would be the man around whom they would build a team. Some players had to think hard, including Lenny Moore. Lenny decided, though: "Unitas. Unitas."

His full name was John Constantine Unitas. The comic book character Hellblazer is named John Constantine, but, as the character is British, he certainly wasn't named for the Lithuanian-American Johnny U. Nevertheless, there were times when Johnny U seemed like a comic book hero, as he was nicknamed The Golden Arm. Or, if you didn't like the Baltimore Colts, maybe a James Bond villain?)

He was little-regarded coming out of St. Justin's High School, a small school in Pittsburgh, and the only college that really wanted him was the University of Louisville. He wasn't much better-regarded coming out of there, but given later circumstances, they retired his Number 16. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him, and cut him in preseason. He played semi-pro ball until 1956, when the Baltimore Colts signed him.

He led the Colts to the NFL Championship Game in 1958, and led them in a comeback against the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium, first forcing overtime, then winning the title, in what's been called "The Greatest Game Ever Played" and, thanks to the union of the NFL and television, the day the NFL grew up. He beat them again in Baltimore in 1959. He set a record in throwing a touchdown pass in 47 straight games (since broken).

He got the Colts into another NFL Championship Game in 1964, but lost. He was injured for most of the 1968 season, but they won the NFL Championship anyway, and when they fell behind the Jets in Super Bowl III, he came off the bench and began what could have been a counter-miracle, but the Jet defense stopped him. He got them into Super Bowl V, but was injured and missed the 2nd half, but still got his 3rd World Championship.

A 10-time Pro Bowler, he was a 3-time NFL MVP, in 1959, 1964 and 1967. When he retired after the 1973 season, he held most of the career passing records. He was named the starting quarterback on the NFL's 1960s All-Decade, 50th Anniversary and 75th Anniversary Teams. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the Colts retired his Number 19.

The Colts moved to Indianapolis in 1984, and when the Baltimore Ravens debuted in 1996, at Memorial Stadium, Johnny U, in his blue Colts jersey, presented the game ball to the purple-clad Ravens and their opponents, the Oakland Raiders. A statue of him now stands outside the Ravens' new M&T Bank Stadium, and, with the Colts' other Hall-of-Famers, he was named to the Ravens' Ring of Honor.

In 1999, The Sporting News ranked him 5th on its list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, behind only fellow Pittsburgh area native Joe Montana among quarterbacks. In 2004, TSN changed their minds, and ranked him 1st, right ahead of Montana, on their list of the NFL's 50 Greatest Quarterbacks. In 2010, the NFL Network ranked him 6th on their 100 Greatest Players, again trailing only Montana among quarterbacks. 

Could he have played in the modern era? I am absolutely convinced that he could have. I've seen plenty of footage of Unitas: Not only did he have great passing form, but, rare among quarterbacks of the 1960s, he could run. How he could be that mobile while wearing those iconic black high-top cleats, and frequently a back brace to protect his injured back and ribs, I don't know, but he was. Given today's protection, he would have been just fine, and maybe even, still, what everybody called him when I was growing up: "The greatest quarterback who ever lived."

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