MLB's The Baseball Network

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Are you saying that Burns is much different than people that believe a fat, out of shape player could not be surpassed by players of today that make millions and work out all the time, but only do so with drugs?

OK....whatever you say.

Babe Ruth won 18, 23 and 24 games as the game's best left-hander and third-best pitcher overall behind Walter Johnson and Grover Cleveland Alexander. His World Series record for consecutive scoreless innings once held by Christy Mathewson stood until 1961 when Whitey Ford broke it. He won an AL ERA title and still shares the AL single-season record for shutouts by a lefty. Then, at age 25, at the dawn of the lively ball era that he ushered in, he slugged 54 homers in 142 games. By the time he was 26, he was the game's all-time home run king with two 50-homer seasons, two 20-win seasons, four home run crowns and an ERA title under his belt.

Never has another man been a league-leading pitcher and league-leading slugger. Combined, he led the league in 78 pitching and batting categories. And until someone does come along and master pitching and slugging, the two most sought-after skills in the game, Babe Ruth will remain the greatest player who ever lived.