Players from a time gone by

I started with Roberto Clemente, since he finished with 3000 hits exactly, after the 1971 season, he never saw 1972, his plane crashed delivering supplies to earthquake victims.

 I loved watching this perennial All Star play right field for the Pirates, win batting titles, knock in over 100 runs, and man could throw out runners.
The press in Pittsburgh insisted on calling him Bobby, and he would correct them constantly, and so was considered a malcontent, but he was fearless proud of his Cuban heritage.

Born to play the game, and he patrolled center field ( just ask John Fogerty ) like no one else in the majors, in either league.  I swear he played so shallow he could hear the second baseman whisper.  Has been given a bad rap because he fought the reserve clause at a time when players were not represented in a true fashion by a union with any teeth.  Marvin Miller sure changed that ( and when does he go to the Hall, thee most influential figure in the game from the late 60's for almost 2 decades.

 Dick Allen was a sullen, angry black player, never feeling like he got a fair shake from the establishment. He had tremendous talent, and on occasion was the most feared hitter in the National League.  But he frequently wore out welcomes, moving to Chicago to play for the White Sox, then onto Oakland and Texas, and played a season with the Dodgers.  Like I say, he had great ability to hit long home runs to all fields, and he could easily stretch a double into a single, he had that type of talent.
Sad he never fully realized his true potential.

 Let's Play Two, as Banks would utter, he was a player who never played a single playoff gamer, but has Hall of Fame numbers nevertheless, playing 1st base and other posts essentially for the South Siders of Chicago.
Another feared hitter from the late 50's through the 60's, and into the early 70's, he had the zeal for the game when it paid pennies.  Players complain about unscheduled double dips, Ernie wanted as many double headers as he could get.

Played in 3 World Series, Brock stole bases, but he could stroke the ball enough that he could have hit 30 homers a year, but like Ichiro, chose the path of base hits, steals, and runs created. Played a flawless outfield, making the glide to the ball look effortless, he did not get the press that Flood did in centre, but he range baby, he could take away hits that were sure doubles. Because he could run like the wind.