By Baseball is primarily a slow-paced game and is considered one of the most difficult sports on the planet because of how challenging it is. However, players in the position of center fielder are the hardest of all as it requires a great set of skills, stamina, and mental strength.
So today, we’re here to find out the 7 best center fielders of all time.
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Willie Mays
Full name: Willie Howard Mays Jr.
Born: May 6, 1931 (age 91)
Team(s): New York / San Francisco Giants (1951–1952, 1954–1972); New York Mets (1972–1973)
Position: Center fielder
Willie Mays, widely known as “the Say Hey Kid” and “Buck” is an American retired pro baseball player in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played as a center fielder for the New York / San Francisco Giants and New York Mets from 1951 to 1973. Before joining the MLB, Mays played in the Negro Leagues with Birmingham Black Barons from 1948 to 1950. He is a twenty-four-time All-Star, a World Series champ, and a two-time NL MVP. He is also a Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame with his induction in 1979 and is highly considered one of the greatest and the oldest living players of the MLB.
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Ty Cobb
Full name: Tyrus Raymond Cobb
Born: December 18, 1886
Died: July 17, 1961 (aged 74)
Team(s): Detroit Tigers (1905–1926); Philadelphia Athletics (1927–1928)
Position: Center fielder
Ty Cobb, nicknamed “the Georgia Peach”, was an American pro baseball player in the Major League Baseball (MLB) as a center fielder for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics from 1905 to 1928. He was a twelve-time AL batting champ, four-time AL RBI leader, and six-time AL stolen base leader. Considered one of the greatest center fielders of time, his name was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
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Mickey Mantle
Full name: Mickey Charles Mantle
Born: October 20, 1931
Died: August 13, 1995 (aged 63)
Team(s): New York Yankees (1951–1968)
Position: Center fielder
Nicknamed “The Commerce Comet” and “The Mick”, Mickey Mantle was an American retired pro baseball player who played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) as a center fielder, first baseman, and right fielder for the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968.
Mantle was considered one of the biggest offensive threats of any center fielder in the baseball world with his name also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
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Tris Speaker
Full name: Tristram Edgar Speaker
Born: April 4, 1888
Died: December 8, 1958 (aged 70)
Team(s): Boston Americans / Red Sox (1907–1915); Cleveland Indians (1916–1926); Washington Senators (1927); Philadelphia Athletics (1928)
Position: Center fielder
Highly regarded as one of the greatest baseball players in MLB history, Tris Speaker nicknamed “the Gray Eagle”, was an American pro baseball player who played for four teams primarily as a center fielder throughout his career from 1907 to 1928 most notably with the Boston Americans / Red Sox and Cleveland Indians. Speaker was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937.
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Ken Griffey Jr.
Full name: George Kenneth Griffey Jr.
Born: November 21, 1969 (age 53)
Team(s): Seattle Mariners (1989–1999; 2009– 2010); Cincinnati Reds (2000–2008); Chicago White Sox (2008)
Position: Center fielder
Nicknamed “Junior” and “the Kid”, Ken Griffy Jr. is an American retired pro baseball center fielder who played in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 years most notably with the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds. He also had a brief stay with the Chicago White Sox.
Griffey Jr. is a fourteen-time All-Star, ten-time Gold Glove Award, and seven-time Silver Slugger Award with his name inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.
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Joe Dimaggio
Full name: Joseph Paul DiMaggio
Born: November 25, 1914
Died: March 8, 1999 (aged 84)
Team(s): New York Yankees (1936–1942, 1946–1951)
Position: Center fielder
Nicknamed “Joltin’ Joe”, “The Yankee Clipper” and “Joe D.”, Joe Dimaggio was an American former pro baseball player who spent his whole 13-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) primarily as a center fielder for the New York Yankees. Dimaggio is regarded as one of the greatest baseball players in the history of MLB. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.
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Mike Trout
Full name: Michael Nelson Trout
Born: August 7, 1991 (age 31)
Team(s): Los Angeles Angels (2011–present)
Position: Center fielder
Mike Trout is an American pro baseball player in the position of center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Trout is considered one of the finest baseball players of modern times. He is a ten-time All-Star, three-time AL MVP, and three-time All-MLB First Team just to name a few of his amazing achievements.
Also, check out the Best Left Fielders of all time.
