Williams Made This List, but He’s Not on It

As far as Ted Williams is concerned, Babe Ruth is the best hitter ever.

Ruth is followed by Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Rogers Hornsby, Joe DiMaggio, Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Henry Aaron and Willie Mays, according to Williams’ Top 20 list in the Nov. 14 issue of the Sporting News.

“The concept of my list is that the major ingredients of the complete hitter are No. 1 power and No. 2 getting on base,” he said. “Why is getting on base so important? Here I hit .340 and he hits .340. But I hit 40 home runs and he hits 20. Now I’ve got more total bases. He walks 38 times and I walk 138. Getting on base is how you score runs. Runs win ballgames.”

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The second 10: Hank Greenberg, Mickey Mantle, Tris Speaker, Al Simmons, Johnny Mize, Mel Ott, Harry Heilmann, Frank Robinson, Mike Schmidt and Ralph Kiner.

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Trivia time: On the day that George Foreman won the heavyweight title for the first time, Jan. 22, 1973, when he beat Joe Frazier in Jamaica, two other major events took place. What were they?

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Any time now: Shaun Powell of Newsday on NBA players Dennis Rodman and Roy Tarpley:

“They are potential disasters waiting to happen. They are skating on thin ice while carrying Kevin Duckworth piggy-back.”

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Better than champagne: How did Oklahoma junior tight end Michael McDaniel celebrate after catching two touchdown passes against Kansas State?

“I got married the next day,” McDaniel said. His bride is Kartina Sullivan of Riverside, who plays on the volleyball team.

“If it’s something you want to do, regardless of the time, you might as well do it. Who knows? We both might not be around when the end of school comes around.”

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What’s the hurry?: William J. Usery, mediating the baseball dispute, is reportedly earning $120,000 a month for his efforts.

It might take him a while.

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Idle thought: Joe Falls of the Detroit News: “With no baseball or hockey, 1-0 soccer games don’t look so bad.”

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Trivia answer: The landmark Roe versus Wade decision on abortion was made by the Supreme Court and Lyndon Johnson died.

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Quotebook: Hall of Fame outfielder Paul Waner of the Pittsburgh Pirates on batting after drinking: “I see three baseballs, but I only swing at the middle one.”