Greatest Catcher of All Time...

[SaveElmer]

Josh Gibson...the "Black" Babe Ruth

[gmoney]

1. I still say...

[WeRQ4U]

2. Johnny Bench WAS..........Joe Mauer WILL BE.

LOL.

[SaveElmer]

3. You got part of that right...

My pick was Josh Gibson...but I agree about Mauer !!!!!

[blueknight]

4. johnny bench

without a doubt. but in life he is a real asshole

[SaveElmer]

5. Bench was a great one...but

Had Gibson been allowed into the Major Leagues...it wouldn't have been close...the guy was a true stud. Lifetime batting average over .360...regularly hit into the .400's. And Ruth's 60 home run record would have been beat long before Maris did it!!!

[Seabiscuit]

8. "Hi. I'm Johnny Bench. And this is Johnny Bench's bench."

Ok, Johnny - now go perch on it!

Yogi's the man!!!

[dr.strangelove]

6. Bench but Gibson deserves discussion

The problem with rating the great negro league players is that the game records were not always kept, so the stats are in disupte. That said, Gibson was a monster hitter, with probably the best homerun swing ever. He would certainly have been up there with the all time great hitters had he played in the majors. I can't compare him to Bench without the numbers. On the lore alone, he rates as one of the best catchers though. I read a great book on the Grays recently and it had some stories of his power. When he would play in Pittsburgh or DC, he would crush the ball further than anyone else. His power ws the stuff of baseball legend.

[SaveElmer]

7. I agree....

And from the stats that are available...I believe he hit .467 one year...hit eighty home runs, there is no doubt in my mind he would have been the greatest major league catcher (and possibly player) of all time. Negro league teams (of which the Crawfords and Grays were two of the most successful), consistently played and defeated major league teams and major league all star teams in exhibitions. Gibson was the best of the players on those teams!!!

[WCGreen]

9. This guy I knew named Frank.... Oh this isn't a gay thread.....

[JohnnyBoots]

10. Gary Carter will always be my favorite

[jbane]

11. HELLO! Carlton Fisk is available if you need him.