Five Ballplayers You'd Most Like to Hang Out With?

[westsidegrounds]

I'd say (in purely alphabetical order - it was tough enough narrowing it down to five):

Dick Allen
Rabbit Maranville (this one could get scary)
Pepper Martin
Satchel Paige
Paul & Lloyd Waner (cheating, maybe - but you just wouldn't get the full Waner experience with just one of 'em)

Hon. Mention: Jim Brosnan

Others?

[JR Hart]

Yogi Berra
John McGraw (as a player)
King Kelly
Rube Waddell
Dizzy Dean

[bluesky5]

Rube Waddell
John Montgomery Ward
Eric Byrnes
Mike Schmidt
Carl Scheib

[KHenry14]

Just five will be tough...

Ted Williams---could talk for hours on hitting
Willie Mays--to talk the complete game
Jackie Robinson--Not only to talk about breaking the barrier, but to talk about disrupting a game
Satchel Paige--to speak about the Negro Leagues, and the art of pitching
Will Clark--because I'm a Giants fan and the Thrill was a treat to watch play!

[brewcrew82]

First and foremost would be Moe Berg, providing he'd be willing to talk about his wartime activities.
Jackie Robinson for all that he accomplished and all he had to endure along the way.
Ty Cobb, just to see how accurate reality was compared to perception.
Bo Jackson and Rickey Henderson, just because!

[toomanyhatz]

Stan Musial - seems like a nice guy, would have great stories, and I could jam with him
Babe Ruth - Not that I could keep up with him in party mode, but I'm sure he'd only smoke the best cigars, drink the best scotch, eat the best food, etc.
Tim Flannery - I have hung out with him- sort of. Interviewed him in person once and via phone once. Even though he's a coach for the Giants, he's one of my favorite baseball guys because he has so many other interests outside of baseball, but it never dims his enthusiasm for the game. Another person I'd like to jam with- or maybe write a song with.
Doug Glanville - Like Flannery, clearly loves the game, but has lots going outside of it as well. Good writer and seems like a good guy too.
Gil Hodges - My mom said he was the nicest of the 'Boys of Summer' era Dodgers. Everybody who met him found him an incredible gentleman. Like Musial, I think he'd just be pleasant to be around.

Dishonorable mention to Hal Chase, who would probably not be as pleasant to hang out with as those above, but I'd like to spend an hour with him to judge for myself if he was as objectionable a person as history suggests.

[ian2813]

Ty Cobb - The greatest player of his era, who remained passionate for the game throughout his life. I'd love to talk baseball with someone who loved it and played it the way he did.
Buck O'Neil - The storyteller of the Negro Leagues, he surely would've had plenty of great ones to share.
Birdie Tebbetts - I read his autobiography, and he seems like he was a colorful character. He's a "lifer" who would've had some good stories.
Tony Gwynn - He was always one of my favorite players, and he seems like he'd be a good guy to talk baseball with.
Pete Rose - Like Cobb, a guy who lived and breathed baseball and was a warrior on the field.

I guess the common thread for all these guys is that they are/were passionate and knowledgeable about the game, and I think it'd be fun just to hear them talk about it.

[AussieYank]

Bill Lee – because I like eccentric oddballs who wax eloquent on every subject under the sun

Bucky Dent – because he broke Boston’s heart

Joe Jackson – because I am captivated by the aura that is ‘Shoeless Joe’

Sandy Koufax – because he seems like a really decent guy

Catfish Hunter – Because anyone called Catfish must be cool

Honorary mention: Branch Rickey – because I admire his convictions

[GiambiJuice]

1. Mickey Mantle
2. Moe Berg
3. Babe Ruth
4. Ted Williams
5. Dizzy Dean

[TomBodet]

None of them. They'd hate you, you'd hate them.

[ol' aches and pains]

Bill "Spaceman" Lee.
Which reminds me-Don Zimmer
Jackie Robinson, obviously
Babe Ruth, but I couldn't keep up with him.
Frenchy Bordagaray-any player that spits on an umpire and then says "The fine was more than I expectorated" is my kind of guy.

[Blue387]

Willie Mays
R.A. Dickey
Yogi Berra
Mr. Met

I bet Mr. Met has some stories to tell.

[bluesky5]

Frenchy Bordagaray-any player that spits on an umpire and then says "The fine was more than I expectorated" is my kind of guy.

He attempted to break the facial hair barrier in the 40's with the Dodgers if I remember correctly. Showed up to spring training with a mustache.

[JR Hart]

Willie Mays
R.A. Dickey
Yogi Berra
Mr. Met

I bet Mr. Met has some stories to tell.

Clue me in Who is Mr met?

[GiambiJuice]

None of them. They'd hate you, you'd hate them.

I bet you're fun at parties.