Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
December 22, 2008
The Garvey Train

Chris Jaffe writes a terrific column on why Steve Garvey is and should be the most reviled player of all time. I actually believe Pete Rose is slightly ahead of Steve, but the article makes a great point:

In fact, his status as the most vilifiable player was proven in a rather unscientific method a couple years ago at a discussion at Jim Furtado's excellent Baseball Think Factory website. A thread there launched into a discussion of who everyone's least favorite player was.

After 100+ replies, someone noticed three clear themes emerged in the Most Hated Player Sweepstakes. People picked their least favorite because he either: 1) did something unspeakably vile to your favorite team (such as help beat them); 2) committed some sort of dastardly off-field transgression; or 3) according to the sabermetric point of view, the individual was overrated by the public at large.

Naturally, the question arose if anyone fell into all three categories. Steve Garvey fits the bill if you're a Cubs fan. No one else in that thread could think of another Trifecta of Scorn winner. This could only mean one thing: Cubs fans have the obligation--nay, the sacred sworn duty--to vilify Steve Garvey more than any other fan disdains any other player in all baseball history.

Which was pretty cool, because, of course, that was already the way I felt about the guy in the first place.

In the mid-1980's, I joined a Strat-o-Matic league called the SOMBILLA. To kick off the draft every year, they burned Pete Rose's strat card. When I saw them do that, I knew I picked the right organization. When Rose retired, Garvey got the honor.

My favorite story, of course, is that some town named a school after Steve, and then were rather embarrassed when his numerous paternity suits came to light. Garvey, the gift that keeps on giving.


Posted by David Pinto at 08:40 AM | History | TrackBack (0)
Comments

I love to see an essay on who should be the most reviled sports mediot of all time. Another essay could pick the most reviled blogger.

Hey, I might write them! Don't expect to see them plugged here, though.

Posted by: Casey Abell at December 22, 2008 12:00 PM

Steve Garvey is not my Padre...

Posted by: Heath at December 22, 2008 12:19 PM

Yeah. Unretire the Padres number 6. What a sham!

Posted by: Didi at December 22, 2008 02:43 PM

A shrewed business type had about 10, 000 T-shirts printed in Tijuana with "Steve Garvey Is Not My Padre" on them & sold them immed at Jack Murphy Stadium. Garvey's name was removed from the L.A. public school that honored him. Bethesda MD has Walter Johnson HS since mid-50s & you can't pick a more deserving player. ESPN Tim Kurkjian attended this HS & was their basketball pt guard in early '70s. His older bro Andy was that HS & Catholic U all-time baseball catcher.

Posted by: Bob S at December 22, 2008 03:46 PM

Garvey & Rose fill the billing. A third would be Orlando Cepeda, in retirement selling narcotics to Puerto Rican school kids & going to jail for it. He's since been voted in the H of F & great 1B like Gil Hodges & Mickey Vernon are not.

Posted by: Bob S at December 22, 2008 04:02 PM

I've got an old copy of one of Jay Johnstone's books that has a whole chapter devoted to Garvey. Its some of the funniest parts of the book in light of all the stuff that came out since Garvey retired. The story about Garvey taking him to the Playboy Club for lunch in some city certainly reads different now.

Posted by: jbm at December 22, 2008 07:10 PM

Amazing...I can't stand him either!
In 1976 I was 9 yrs old. The back of milk cartons had a coupon for a Mets' ticket. 20 coupons got you one ticket. I managed to save 40 for the first time and got my pop to take care of the rest. Mets vs. Dodgers at Shea. During the game and after drinking my soda, I tore the bottom of the cup open to mimick a bullhorn. What you heard next would be me...."Now batting for the Dodgers, No.6 Steve GARBAGE!! GARBAGE!! No.6" It's a game that remains so fresh in my mind. What a night! Steve Garbage!

Posted by: Leco at December 22, 2008 07:33 PM
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