This is it! I’m saving the best poll for last. This is the poll for the Monsters Outfield (more info on my project here). I admit I had to prune it down a bit. All-Star sluggers like Hank Aaron and Sammy Sosa as well as Monster cards like 1968 Gates Brown didn’t make the cut. Almost all of these players are full timers though. I didn’t have the heart to cut 1930 George “the Count” Puccinelli who in a lot of ways was the inspiration for the Monster Card Monday column.
As with the Terrible outfielders poll you will get three votes.
There are fifteen candidates to choose from ranging from 1911 Ty Cobb to 2004 Barry Bonds. Plenty of hitting, power and speed to whet your appetite. Some can even field, too. Yes, there are three Babe Ruth cards and two Barry Bonds cards. Hope that doesn’t dilute the vote.
Each player’s name is linked to his original article written about him which includes his APBA card associated with it.
Here are the candidates:
Monster Team nominee |
APBA card breakdown |
| 1911 Joe Jackson | OF-2, 0-0-0-0-7-7-7-8-8-8-9-9-11-11-10, three 14s |
| 1911 Ty Cobb | OF-2, 0-0-0-0-7-8-8-8-8-9-9-11-11-11-11-10, two 14s |
| 1920 Babe Ruth | OF-2, 1-1-1-3-6-6-8-8-9-9-10-10, eight 14s |
| 1921 Babe Ruth | OF-2 1-1-1-3-6-6-8-8-9-9-10-10, eight 14s |
| 1927 Babe Ruth | OF-2, 1-1-1-4-6-7-8-8-9-9-10, eight 14s |
| 1930 Al Simmons | OF-3, 1-1-2-6-6-6-7-7-7-8-8-9-9-10, two 14s |
| 1930 George Puccinelli | OF-1, 1-1-1-1-1-6-6-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-9-9, zero 14s |
| 1930 Chuck Klein | OF-2, 1-5-5-6-6-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-9-9, three 14s |
| 1930 Hack Wilson | OF-2, 1-1-5-5-6-7-7-8-8-8-9-9, five 14s |
| 1937 Joe Medwick | OF-2, 1-4-5-6-6-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-9-9, two 14s |
| 1937 Joe DiMaggio | OF-2, 1-1-3-5-5-6-7-7-8-8-9-9, two 14s |
| 1948 Stan Musial | OF-2, 1-1-3-6-6-7-7-7-8-8-9-9-10, four 14s |
| 1962 Willie Mays | OF-3, 1-1-4-5-6-8-8-9-9-10-10, four 14s |
| 2001 Barry Bonds | OF-3, 1-1-1-0-0-0-8-8-9-9, nine 14s |
| 2004 Barry Bonds | OF-2, 1-1-1-6-6-8-8-8-9-9-10, nine 14s |
It’s your turn to vote! Remember to vote for three!
[cardoza_wp_poll id=14]
The polling is done for the Terribles outfield so that means they have a starting team. There was actually a tie for the third spot. Chick Fullis and Jerry McQuaig won outright while 1966 Johnny Herrnstein and 1967 Reggie Jackson tied for the last spot. We could have a platoon situation except they both hit lefty.
Here are the updated starting rosters for both teams so far:
| Terribles | Monsters | |
| Catcher | 1967 Johnny Bench | 1931 Josh Gibson |
| Firstbase | 2011 Adam Dunn | 1927 Lou Gehrig |
| Secondbase | 1964 Joe Morgan | 1922 Rogers Hornsby |
| Shortstop | 1978 Mike Fischlin | 1982 Robin Yount |
| Thirdbase | 1905 Offa Neal | 1980 George Brett |
| Outfield | 1930 Chick Fullis | ??? |
| Outfield | 1934 Jerry McQuaig | ??? |
| Outfield | 1966 Johnny Herrnstein 1967 Reggie Jackson (tie) |
??? |
In a week, I start rolling.
thanks all!
As a Red Sox fan, I must protest not seeing Ted Williams ’41 on this list.
Hi Steve (and Walt),
I’ll say first that historically, Ted Williams is probably one of my favorite baseball players of all time (no joke).
I just didn’t happen to have his 1941 card. The only Monster Card I did of him was a part timer. It didn’t seem right.
no offense intended..
Tom,
I can provide a copy of a 1941 Ted Williams, if you’d like to correct this egregious omission :-)
Let me know
i’ve always loved simmons’ card and that of-3 is the icing on the cake imo. cobb/wilson are there for purely sentimental reasons if nothing else.
def. agree ted w. needed to be there esp. in the light of 2 bonds cards. on a team of all-time sluggers his omission is a big one.
I was surprised Teddy Ballgame was not on the list as well. He would gotten one of my votes. We all know you can’t please everyone especially in this type of setup. can’t wait to see how they roll!
You won’t catch me voting for Barry Bonds anytime soon for anything. Personally, I think his presence on the list diminishes all the other greats you’ve included here.
Gotta go with Ruth (’21), Simmons (’30) and DiMaggio (’37), among the most amazing single seasons ever! Hope you find room for Musial on the bench!
rob
p.s. As a fan of “Eight Men Out,” I would have a sentimental place on the bench for Joe Jackson …