Top 10 Pittsburgh athletes all time

[Dan Smith--BYU]

Barry Bonds cannot be on the list because of his playoff failure.

Also, he is the only one we are discussing who would have to buy his own drinks in Pittsburgh.

[JackLambert58]

Barry Bonds cannot be on the list because of his playoff failure.

Also, he is the only one we are discussing who would have to buy his own drinks in Pittsburgh.

Exactly, and he wasn't exactly gangbusters in the playoffs in San Francisco either.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

Wagner, Waner, Maz Clemente Stargell built the Pirates

Bonds participated it the destruction of them, so hell no

[ol skool]

It isn’t Top 10 Nicest Guys; it’s Top 10 Pittsburgh Athletes.

If you can’t see how the most feared hitter of his era fits into that Top 10, you don’t know baseball.

You can say he’s more of a Giant, and write him off for that, but he’s the most gifted athlete to put on a Pirates jersey since Honus Wagner.

Hopefully Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin leave them both in the dust.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

No one was afraid of him in the playoffs.

And he's not more gifted than Clemente.

[bradshaw2ben]

But how many Pittsburghers actually saw Josh Gibson play?

You’re of course correct he fits the criteria of top ten athlete statistically speaking but I went more with famous and Star quality

I mean, how many saw Honus Wagner play?

I am a big fan of the local Negro League teams and their history... Pittsburgh had THREE teams, and the Crawfords, in particular, had a lineup of almost all future HOFers.

I mean, a lot of people saw Honus Wagner play.

Baseball was king in Pittsburgh long before TV

The Pirates were basically Pittsburgh’s ONLY professional sports team.

The Steelers were non existent during that era of Pittsburgh sports history

Pirates had the rapidly growing town of Pittsburgh all to themselves

They were a part of Major League Baseball

No offense to Homestead or the Negro leagues but i can’t imagine Joe family man was bringing his family there to catch a ballgame

I apologize for omitting Josh Gibson. No intent to upset anyone. His stats are beyond impressive. It’s a shame he didn’t get to show his skills in the Major Leagues

You might be surprised to learn that the Negro League teams drew huge crowds-- often outdrawing the MLB teams. And, yes, that included Joe Family man:

Negro League attendance was surprisingly high, peaking in the late 1930s and early 1940s with roughly 3 million fans attending during the 1942 season. Games were major social events, often drawing large, diverse crowds that sometimes exceeded Major League All-Star game attendance. Attendance was particularly strong in Northern cities.
MLB.com
MLB.com
+2
Peak Popularity: During WWII, while MLB attendance declined, Negro League attendance grew due to increased disposable income among African Americans and a faster, more exciting style of play that attracted both Black and white fans.
Major Games: The East-West All-Star game was a massive, annual draw, often surpassing 50,000 spectators.
Key Teams & Venues: Teams like the Kansas City Monarchs drew standing-room-only crowds of 17,000, while the Newark Eagles drew over 13,000 on opening day in 1942.
Audience Composition: Games were, at times, attended by significant numbers of white fans in Northern cities, especially as interest in integrated baseball grew.

[RemoAZ]

Another would be Barry Bonds. Don’t kid yourself.

Definitely. Arguably the best player in MLB history that was a threat with his legs and bat deserves to be near the top imo. Although the 10 hopper that didn't get gimpy Bream at the plate is a stain.

What about Bonds' playoff performance with Bucs though?

That's why I mentioned the horrible throw that couldn't get Sid Bream with a bad knee at the plate to lose that game against Atlanta. I would have loved to see them keep that outfield and pitching staff together and get a real closer but that was the beginning of the end of fun baseball imo. The economics drove me away to the point I stopped watching soon after the Diamondbacks WS win. I loved that Pirates team though. Like Cowher, Jim Leyland could make the game worth watching all by himself.

[CoolShades]

Barry Bonds cannot be on the list because of his playoff failure.

Also, he is the only one we are discussing who would have to buy his own drinks in Pittsburgh.

Exactly, and he wasn't exactly gangbusters in the playoffs in San Francisco either.

Barry Bonds never won a championship at any level. Ever.

High school, college, pros.

That’s amazing when you think about it. As talented as he was, he was a loser and a choker when it mattered most. He could never carry a team across the finish line.

My lasting memory of Bonds will be that off-line throw that a crippled, knee-less Sid Bream beat to kill the last great Pirates team. The fact the Braves ran on Bonds says everything. Imagine if that was Clemente or Parker? Bream would have never been waived home, but with Bonds it was worth the gamble.

Some guys just can’t do it. I’m looking at you, sCam and tWatt.

[CoolShades]

I’m going off the board here for a nominee.

Carlton Haselrig.

This guy was an amazing athlete.

He was from Johnstown, and was drafted by Noll and the Steelers in the 12th round of the 1989 draft, even though he never played a down of college football. (He went to Pitt-Johnstown, which doesn’t have a football team). I remember this draft pick at the time and wondered how he got on the Steelers radar. I remember Noll making a comment about his wrestling excellence and how he knew leverage. That’s out of the box thinking!

I’m taking these career highlights from Wikipedia:

Haselrig won the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state high school championship in 1984 despite not wrestling during the regular season due to Johnstown High's lack of a wrestling team. His uncle introduced him to the sport as a child, and he participated in occasional tournaments. He stopped wrestling in high school because his school didn't have a team. But in his junior year, a neighboring high school needed a training partner for a standout wrestler, so Haselrig helped out. After seeing his success against one of the state's top wrestlers, Haselrig's high school petitioned the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association to let him compete in wrestling, beginning with the postseason district tournament his senior year. Haselrig went on to win every match, including a state title.

Haselrig was the 1985 Junior Greco-Roman World Champion, and the 1986 Junior Freestyle World Champion, while competing for the United States in the heavyweight division.

He would finish in third place at the NCAA Division II meet his freshman year in 1986, then go on to win both the Division I and Division II titles in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, to become the only wrestler in history to win more than four NCAA titles. Before 1990, the Divisions II and III individual champions earned bids to the Division I championships, allowing Haselrig the chance to win both titles. After Haselrig's run of NCAA titles, the Division I Wrestling Committee voted to rescind the bids to the Division II and III champions. As a result, Haselrig's feat cannot be matched unless the rule is changed again.

At Pitt-Johnstown, Haselrig finished his career with a record of 143–2–1, including an, at the time, NCAA-record 122 consecutive matches without a loss. He never lost a match at the NCAA Division I meet, going 15–0 at the heavyweight class in the 1987, 1988 and 1989 tournaments. While in college, Haselrig would also defeat future NCAA and Olympic champion Kurt Angle.

He is the only person to ever win six NCAA titles in wrestling, three times in Division II and three times in Division I. His three-peat of Division II and Division I NCAA National Championships were won in 1987, 1988, and 1989. All six championships were won for Pitt–Johnstown.

Despite never having played football in college, Haselrig was drafted in the 12th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He became a Pro Bowl offensive guard in his third NFL season. 1992 was his best season in the NFL, making the 1992 Pro Bowl, while helping the Steelers win the 1992 AFC Central Division title. He also helped the Steelers to three AFC playoff appearances (1989, 1992, 1993). After five seasons with the Steelers, Haselrig spent one season with the New York Jets before retiring from the NFL.

From not having a high school wrestling team to winning the state championship and then winning 6 NCAA titles?
From never playing college football to a pro bowl in his 3rd season? Incredible.

He suffered from CTE, so his end wasn’t pretty. But he had an incredible journey and had to be one of the most gifted raw athletes who came from western Pa and played for the Steelers.

[ol skool]

No one was afraid of him in the playoffs.

And he's not more gifted than Clemente.

His sole membership in the 500/500 club shits all over Clemente’s gifts, and I love Roberto.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

Regular season stat whores need not apply.

Bonds is the Yinzer James Harden. If Harden later used roids.

[swissvale72]

No one was afraid of him in the playoffs.

And he's not more gifted than Clemente.

His sole membership in the 500/500 club shits all over Clemente’s gifts, and I love Roberto.

I was mostly outta town when Bonds came along, so didn't see him much other than playoffs, whereas Roberto I saw plenty. And beyond his bat, Roberto was like majesty, with a flair, fielding, his arm, running the bases. How was bonds in that category?

[ol skool]

No one was afraid of him in the playoffs.

And he's not more gifted than Clemente.

His sole membership in the 500/500 club shits all over Clemente’s gifts, and I love Roberto.

I was mostly outta town when Bonds came along, so didn't see him much other than playoffs, whereas Roberto I saw plenty. And beyond his bat, Roberto was like majesty, with a flair, fielding, his arm, running the bases. How was bonds in that category?

Swiss…500 HR and 500 SB. Nobody else has done that. In fact, nobody else did 400/400.

He has Clemente on hit tool, power tool, baserunning, stolen bases, plate discipline. Clemente gets him on arm strength, postseason success and being a good guy.

Top 10 Pittsburgh Athletes. He’s on it for sure and anyone leaving him off is either retarded or made their list weighted to things that would disqualify him (like the fact he played most of his career in SF).

[Mick]

In 17 career world series at bats, bonds…*checks notes*…had 8 hits, 6 xbh, 4 HR, and reached 1st safely 21 times, no typo.

Obviously was ass in postseason other than WS (which is all we got to see in the burgh).

[Dan Smith--BYU]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFBSaCoY9G0

Those walks and HRs that should have been doubles or outs were Dianabol not Bonds

You're not on the top ten list of anything if fans fucking hate you

From 1990 to 2000, he hit a pitiful .196 in the postseason, with just one home run in 27 games

But you cherry picked 2002 to make a point that is refuted by the overall stats and definitely his time with the Bucs

[zeke5123]

Bonds is clearly better than Clemente. Bonds also had a history of chokes. More importantly, Bonds is a Giant; not a Pirate.

But all of the Pirates (excluding Wagner) are massively overrated here. None were top 25 in their sport. But you have people leaving off Sid who is top five in his sport. Many not including Geno (btw just joined top 25 points all time).

Just crazy.

[swissvale72]

Bonds is clearly better than Clemente. Bonds also had a history of chokes. More importantly, Bonds is a Giant; not a Pirate.

But all of the Pirates (excluding Wagner) are massively overrated here. None were top 25 in their sport. But you have people leaving off Sid who is top five in his sport. Many not including Geno (btw just joined top 25 points all time).

Just crazy.

I dunno Zeke...I don't think you can measure Clemente's greatness statistically. You had to see the dude play, his flair, his majesty.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

Comparing Bonds to Clemente is comparing McGwire to Musial or Sosa to Ernie Banks. If McGwire and Sosa's greatest years were with other teams.

[langer]

Ben
Bus, originally from Detroit
Franco
Jack Lambert
MJG
Cobra
Terry
Sid
Mario
Dorsett

[zeke5123]

Bonds is clearly better than Clemente. Bonds also had a history of chokes. More importantly, Bonds is a Giant; not a Pirate.

But all of the Pirates (excluding Wagner) are massively overrated here. None were top 25 in their sport. But you have people leaving off Sid who is top five in his sport. Many not including Geno (btw just joined top 25 points all time).

Just crazy.

I dunno Zeke...I don't think you can measure Clemente's greatness statistically. You had to see the dude play, his flair, his majesty.

https://youtu.be/Svx_fOYronk

Oh and three Stanley cups.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

Good point about Malkin. I would choose him over Bonds or even Ben.

[Boukman]

HOF RB Curtis Martin 14,000 yds (6th in NFL history), 100TDs. 484 catches. Ironman for 11 seasons, only had 16 fumbles in 4000 touches.

[Boukman]

I mean, how many saw Honus Wagner play?

I am a big fan of the local Negro League teams and their history... Pittsburgh had THREE teams, and the Crawfords, in particular, had a lineup of almost all future HOFers.

I mean, a lot of people saw Honus Wagner play.

Baseball was king in Pittsburgh long before TV

The Pirates were basically Pittsburgh’s ONLY professional sports team.

The Steelers were non existent during that era of Pittsburgh sports history

Pirates had the rapidly growing town of Pittsburgh all to themselves

They were a part of Major League Baseball

No offense to Homestead or the Negro leagues but i can’t imagine Joe family man was bringing his family there to catch a ballgame

I apologize for omitting Josh Gibson. No intent to upset anyone. His stats are beyond impressive. It’s a shame he didn’t get to show his skills in the Major Leagues

You might be surprised to learn that the Negro League teams drew huge crowds-- often outdrawing the MLB teams. And, yes, that included Joe Family man:

Negro League attendance was surprisingly high, peaking in the late 1930s and early 1940s with roughly 3 million fans attending during the 1942 season. Games were major social events, often drawing large, diverse crowds that sometimes exceeded Major League All-Star game attendance. Attendance was particularly strong in Northern cities.
MLB.com
MLB.com
+2
Peak Popularity: During WWII, while MLB attendance declined, Negro League attendance grew due to increased disposable income among African Americans and a faster, more exciting style of play that attracted both Black and white fans.
Major Games: The East-West All-Star game was a massive, annual draw, often surpassing 50,000 spectators.
Key Teams & Venues: Teams like the Kansas City Monarchs drew standing-room-only crowds of 17,000, while the Newark Eagles drew over 13,000 on opening day in 1942.
Audience Composition: Games were, at times, attended by significant numbers of white fans in Northern cities, especially as interest in integrated baseball grew.

Thank you B2B for a great job in stating these facts with research. I heard similar stories growing up and learned more later visiting the Negro League Museum in KC many years ago, where I was fortunate to meet the legendary Mr. Buck O’ Neil. He was featured in the Ken Burns’ baseball documentary. Their all star games were like rock concerts/festivals. The League also barnstormed all over the country and the stars played in Canada, Mexico, DR, PR, and Cuba.