Top 10 oldest living MLB Hall of Famers and their incredible legacies
Top 10 oldest living MLB Hall of Famers and their incredible legacies (Image Credit: Getty Images)
Key Highlights
The MLB
Hall of Fame
was started in 1936. Since then, 278 former
MLB
players have received recognition
The oldest living MLB Hall of Famers are a source of inspiration for all with their incredible legacies
With their commendable records, such as longest winning streaks, highest number of awards, and other achievements, they set examples for others.
MLB started in 1903, giving the best baseball players a platform to display their talent. Records were made and broken as the league progressed, and then the need to start a Hall of Fame to immortalize the performers' achievements arose. The coveted Hall of Fame saw the light of the day in 1936, and five players made the first batch, but none of them are alive. If you are wondering who the oldest MLB players with Hall of Fame recognition are, here is the curated list.
1. Pat Gillick
Pat Gillick was born on August 22, 1937, in California. Raised by maternal grandparents after his parents' separation, he liked baseball and football from an early age. On the field, the legendary LHP posted a 45-32 record in 164 minor league games.
He became a Hall of Famer in 2011. Though an injury limited his on-field career, his contributions to baseball as the Toronto Blue Jays' World Series-winning leader and other prominent positions in the front office earned him this honor.
2. Juan Marichal
Juan Marichal was a Dominican Republican player who stole fans' hearts with his high leg kicks and deceptive pitches. He was the first Dominican Republican player inducted into the Hall of Fame. Marichal represented the league of top players with his 243-142 record.
Juan Marichal's AMAZING MLB Hall of Fame Journey!
His incredible run at the mound featured 20 consecutive winning streaks. In his playing career, he won 25 or more games thrice. Marichal was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
3. Bill Mazeroski
Bill Mazeroski is another noteworthy Hall of Fame inductee and among the oldest MLB players alive. He currently lives in Panama City, Florida. The player had a 17-season run at the MLB. The Pirates star's most talked-about moment was a World Series-winning home run he hit in 1960.
Mazeroski is 2001's Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. His commendable achievements include the most double plays in a season. He led a league in double plays eight times, the highest number in the league
4. Luis Aparicio
Luis Aparicio made the MLB debut on April 17, 1956. His career spanned 18 years, from 1956 to 1973. He won All-Star 13 times and Gold Glove 9 times. His finesse in stealing bases made him the AL stolen bases leader 9 times.
The legendary shortstop had the finest time in his career while playing for the Chicago White Sox. Aparicio's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984 made him the first Venezuelan player to win this recognition.
5. Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax, born December 30, 1935, debuted in MLB for the Brooklyn Dodgers on June 24, 1955. He has thrice pulled off a 300-strikeout figure in a single season. He was selected as an All-Star every year in his last six seasons.
His legacy of nine strikeouts per nine innings pitched remains untouched to date. The Los Angeles Dodgers retired his jersey number 32 in 1972, when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 2022, on the 50th anniversary of his induction, he was honored with a statue outside Dodger Stadium.
6. Billy Williams
Billy Williams played MLB games from 1959 to 1976, mainly as a left fielder for the Chicago Cubs. The legendary player was named NL Rookie of the Year in 1961 and runner-up in NL MVP voting in 1970.
Williams's remarkable career's best figures included 392 home runs, among other achievements. He was an All-Star in 1968, 1972, and 1973. The Hall of Fame induction was awarded to him in 1987. A few weeks after the Hall of Fame induction, the Chicago Cubs retired his number 26 in his honor.
7. Reggie Jackson
Reggie
Jackson
, nicknamed Mr. October, was a 14-time AL All-Star. Jackson hit three consecutive home runs in the sixth game of the 1977 World Series, contributing to his career total 563. Jackson's other achievements include the Babe Ruth Award, the AL Most Valuable MVP award, and the World Series MVP award, among notable ones.
He was a remarkable batter but one with the most strikeouts ever made by a player in his position. The Oakland Athletics retired his number 9 in 2004, and the
Yankees
repeated the honor in 1993 when he was inducted in the Hall of Fame.
8. Johnny Bench
Johnny Bench, an exemplary catcher from the Cincinnati Reds team, was born on December 7, 1947, in Oklahoma. The incredible catcher's achievements include 10x Gold Glove Award. He also hit 389 homers, the highest by a catcher in the Reds' record.
Johnny Bench delivers his Hall of Fame speech
Bench caught in 100 or more games in 13 consecutive seasons. He introduced one-handed catching, which has become a standard. The Reds' best catcher entered the Hall of Fame in 1989.
9. Joe Torre
Joe Torre, 84, started his baseball career as the Milwaukee Braves' catcher and 1B. He won All-Star nine times during his playing career. After playing his last game for the New York Mets in June 1977, he bid adieu to his on-field career.
Torre soon moved to the New York Yankees' executive side and became its successful manager. He got the coveted Hall of Fame induction in 2014 with 100% votes in his favor. The legendary player represented three teams during his career of 17 years, spanning from 1960 to 1977.
10. Orlando Cepeda
Orlando Cepeda, a Puerto Rican first baseman, played for about six teams from 1958 to 1974, primarily the San Francisco Giants. One of the most consistent batters in the 1960s, he delivered exemplary performances in the National League.
His glorious baseball career featured the NL Rookie of the Year award, NL MVP, NL Home Run Leader, and 1967 World Series Champion. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999 through veterans' committee elections.
Also Read:
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