The Five Oddest Players in Baseball History

Baseball players, like all of us can be strange, eccentric, heck even a bit odd. But a few of them are the most bizarre, the wackiest of the bunch. These are five of the oddest players in Major League Baseball's history, in no particular order.

"Fastest ever, I never want to face him again."
Ted Williams on his first at-bat against Steve Dalkowski

Nuke" LaLoosh from 'Bull Durham' was loosly based on pitching phenom Steve Dalkowski. So was the main character in The 'Scout'. No one could pitch faster then him, although that is disputed. His nickname was "White Lightning" but Steve had two location problems: with the ball, and finding too much liquor. During a minor league game, he once hit four batters. Unfortunately, like Piersall, he had mental issues, dementia resulting from years of alcohol abuse.

"Rube was many kinds of man - angler, trap-shot, football-player, actor, fire fiend, amateur barkeeper, prize borrower, practical joker, comedian, a sworn enemy of gloom, a joyous wastrel, a boy that never grew up - as well as one of the greatest pitchers. As the leading comedian of baseball he was on the job, day and night, 365 days in the year."
Chicago Inter-Ocean on Rube Waddell

Rube Waddell played back in the beginning of baseball, in the early 00's, and perhaps was the sport's first professional lunatic. He wrestled alligators in the off-season and was rumored to leave games to follow passing fire trucks to fires. Rube was born on Friday the 13th and died on April Fools' Day, further adding to his legacy.

"Probably the best thing that ever happened to me was going nuts. Whoever heard of Jimmy Piersall, until that happened?"

Jimmy Piersall

He once celebrated a teammate's home run by spraying down home plate with a water pistol. In the same game he heckled the umpire from the ballpark roof. Why? Because Jimmy Piersall was really going insane, he suffered from bipolar disorder.

"I got the sophomore jinx out of the way and I think I'll have my best year ever next year. There's no junior jinx is there?"

Joe Charboneau

Nicknamed "Super Joe", this odd character was truly eccentric. How much? I think drinking beer through your nose and opening beer bottles with your eye qualifies. I have no idea how someone goes about doing that.

"Baseball's a very simple game. All you have to do is sit on your butt, spit tobacco, and nod at the stupid things you manager says."
Bill "Spaceman" Lee

Anyone who can pitch a no-hitter while on LSD surely is an odd bird. Whether it is true or not depends on whom you talk to. Most likely, it is as true as the supposed 'dead spots' in the old Boston Garden parquet floor.

Bill even had a special variation of an eephus pitch he called the "Space Ball". He was also very opinionated in his political views, which matched his odd quotes.

Honorable Mention:

"Once a manager told him he'd have to shave off his facial growth. (Al) Hrabosky snorted, 'How can I intimidate batters if I look like a damn golf pro?'"Wayne Stewart speaking about Al Hrabosky, nicknamed the "Mad Hungarian"