The Living Legends of Baseball

It's difficult to consider any of today's top baseball players a legend. After all, so many careers have been tainted by either rumored or verified steroid use. Plus, baseball has taken a back seat to football in some minds. Some, though, still remember baseball's Golden Age, those years from the 1940s to the 1970s when men like Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio brought fans to their feet.

All four of those men are gone from this world, but there remains a select few who are as alive now as when they stepped off the diamond into retirement. They are the living legends of baseball, and their numbers are short. Listed here are 10 such men.

• Hank Aaron: Elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1982, Hammerin' Hank still rates as the most beloved player still living. Although Barry Bonds surpassed his home run total, many still consider Aaron the all-time home run king. The 75-year-old still ranks second all-time in homers, and he is third all-time in hits and first all-time in RBIs. Statues of Aaron grace the entrances to Major League stadiums in both Atlanta and Milwaukee, and the Hank Aaron Award honors baseball's best offensive player each year. It marked the first time an award was named after a living baseball player.
• Willie Mays: The Say Hey Kid ranks near the top all-time with 660 home runs, and he amassed 3,283 hits during his career. Mays, now 78, had flash and all of the necessary tools to become a favorite to many baseball fans. He was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1979 and was a 20-time all-star. His incredible catch during the 1954 World Series remains one of the most replayed baseball clips ever.
• Stan Musial: Although he wasn't quite the power-hitter that some of his peers were, Musial was by far one of the best hitters ever. Stan the Man had 3,630 hits, fourth all-time, and 1,951 RBIs. He played in 24 All-Star games and was the National League MVP three times. He'll be 89 in November 2009.
• Yogi Berra: Berra's legend goes well beyond his playing career, but he was a fine player. The 15-time All-Star finished his career with 1,430 RBIs and 358 homers, totals that are fairly notable for a catcher from his era. The 84-year-old helped the Yankees to 13 World Series titles and was the American League MVP three times. He also served as a manager for the Yankees and Mets. But his true fame is tied more to his Yogi-isms, which have earned him lots of opportunities to hock products on TV ads. Perhaps his most famous Yogi-ism is "It ain't over 'til it's over." He also said once that 90 percent of baseball "is half mental." He was elected tot he Hall of Fame in 1972.
• Sandy Koufax: The left-hander's career was cut short by arm injuries, but nobody disputes that he was one of baseball's most dominant pitchers. He pitched for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the most popular franchises in all of sports. Koufax won the Cy Young Award three times and was one of few pitchers to win a league MVP award when he claimed the 1963 National League MVP. He tossed four no-hitters, including a perfect game in 1965. Koufax, who will be 74 in December 2009, finished his career with 165 wins and a lifetime 2.76 ERA to go with 2,396 strikeouts. Incredibly, he did all of that before he turned 31. Koufax was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame when he was just 36. He is the youngest player ever elected.
• Ernie Banks: They call him Mr. Cub, and it's with good reason. While Chicago has been playing for more than a century, no player matched what Banks did on the diamond. Now 78, Banks hit 512 home runs and tallied 1,636 RBIs. Both rank in the top 20 all-time, and the 11-time All-Star won two National League MVP awards. His statue stands outside Wrigley Field, where rabid Cubs fans wish he were still able to play. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977.
• Al Kaline: Much like Ernie Banks, Kaline's legend is such that he's actually nicknamed for the Detroit Tigers, the team for which he played his entire 22-year career. Mr. Tiger was a 15-time All-Star and won 10 Gold Glove awards for his defense. Kaline, who will be 75 in December 2009, finished his career with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs. He helped the Tigers win the 1968 World Series, and Kaline was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1980.
• Bob Gibson: Known to opposing hitters for his fastball and unfriendly disposition, Gibson was nemesis during his 16-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals. He struck out 3,117 batters and won 251 games. The eight-time All-Star also won nine Gold Glove awards and received the National Leauge MVP award in 1969. Gibson led the Cardinals to World Series titles in 1964 and 1967 and tossed a no-hitter in 1971. Gibson, who will be 74 in November 2009, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1981.
• Harmon Killebrew: He's not mentioned in the same breath as Mays or Aaron, but Killebrew deserves lots of praise. After all, he hit 573 home runs during is 22-year career and had 1,584 RBIs. His downfall, perhaps, was his .256 lifetime batting average. The 11-time All-Star won the 1969 American League MVP award and was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1984. Now 73, Killebrew was known best as the stocky player who could hit the ball a country mile.
• Frank Robinson: Robinson, who will be 74 in August 2009, played 21 seasons and earned baseball's Triple Crown in 1966. He hit 49 homers and had 122 RBIs to go with a .316 batting average. The 12-time All-Star won the 1961 National League MVP award and won the American League MVP award in 1966. He finished his career with 586 home runs and 1,812 RBIs. Both rank in the top 10 all-time. Robinson was also the first black manager in Major League baseball. He was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1982.

* There's a strong argument to be made for replacing a few of the lesser-known or younger players with Whitey Ford and Bob Feller Whitey played his entire career for the New York Yankees and won 236 games. Ford, now 80, was named to the Hall of Fame in 1974. Feller won 266 games during his 20-year career. Feller was an eight-time All-Star and threw three no-hitters. He was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1962.

Sources:

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/
http://www.baseball-reference.com/
http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers/