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| | Tuesday, December 14 T. Williams is Player of the Decade for 1940-49 | |||||
When Bob Feller only collects 1.5 percent of the vote for the Player of the '40s, you know the competition is fierce. In the end, even Joe DiMaggio and Stan Musial couldn't compete with the overwhelming support ESPN.com users had for Hall of Famer Ted Williams. "Teddy Ballgame" pulled in 53.1 percent of the 21,779 votes cast to earn the honor.
The voting was conducted on ESPN.com in conjunction with the Players Choice Awards in Las Vegas on Nov. 5. ESPN.com users picked winners for the first nine decades of the century, and the players themselves will select the player of the '90s. The winner of that honor will be announced as part of the Players Choice Awards show, which will be televised on ESPN (8:30 p.m. ET).
Joe DiMaggioIn 1941, DiMaggio set a record that has yet to be broken, hitting safely in 56 straight games. He also led his Yankees to yet another World Series championship, and was named American League MVP. A graceful center fielder and skillful baserunner, DiMaggio spent three years in the service during World War II but returned to win another MVP (and World Series) in 1947. Bob Feller Like nearly all the great players of the 1940s, Bob Feller's career was interrupted by World War II, and he spent four seasons in the U.S. Navy. Nevertheless, he managed to win 137 games, second-most in the decade. The fastest pitcher of his time and one of the fastest ever, during his career "Rapid Robert" led the American League in strikeouts seven times, and victories six times. Josh Gibson Gibson, as strong a hitter as ever played, was known as "the Black Babe Ruth," and his long-distance home runs are legendary. A catcher with a great arm, Gibson toiled in the Negro Leagues, and helped lead the Homestead Grays to nine straight pennants. He died of a brain hemorrhage in 1947, the same year Jackie Robinson finally broke the color line. Stan Musial Stan "The Man" Musial, unlike many of his peers, spent only one season in the military during World War II. A St. Louis Cardinal for his entire 22-year career, Musial batted .346 in the 1940s and won National League MVP awards in 1943, 1946 and 1948. Ted Williams Williams batted .406 in 1941, and remains the last major leaguer to reach that plateau. He missed three years during World War II, but came back stronger than ever and batted .356 in the decade, best in the majors. | ALSO SEE Baseball's Players Choice Awards Player of 1900-09: Honus Wagner Player of 1910-19: Ty Cobb Player of the '20s: Babe Ruth Player of the '30s: Jimmie Foxx Player of the '50s: Mickey Mantle Player of the '60s: Willie Mays Player of the '70s: Pete Rose Player of the '80s: Mike Schmidt  | |||||
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