Oklahoma is home to some of the most recognizable names in baseball history. It truly is a veritable pantheon of legends. In the interest of avoiding any spoilers, those names will not be mentioned here. However, they will be on this list. In fact, the entire top five have all had the honor of being enshrined in Cooperstown. The player that’s number one on our list is one of the greatest players to come out of the 1950s. However, truth be told, the search for the best Oklahoma baseball players begins rather abruptly and experiences a dramatic upturn as the list goes on.
The WAR numbers from the state are astronomical when taken in proportion to the number of players in its history. Only 299 players have come from Oklahoma. Combined, they’ve produced an impressive 1,690.50 WAR. 16 players in state history have career WAR metrics of 30 or more. In other words, this is one of the most impressive groups of players we’ve covered in our “best of each state” series. The question now is which of this contingent will be number one. Without further ado…let’s find out.
The Best Oklahoma Baseball Players
Harry Brecheen
Born: Broken Bow
42.21 WAR
Harry Brecheen helped carry the St. Louis Cardinals rotation through the World War 2 years. In fact, it was while so many of the game’s amazing players were off serving that Brecheen experienced some of his greatest successes. From 1944-1949, Brecheen was one of the best pitchers in the game. It started with a 16-win, 2.85 ERA campaign in ’44. By 1948, Brecheen had 62 wins and a 133 ERA+. It was then that Brecheen truly exploded. He won 20 games with a league-leading 2.24 ERA. His 149 strikeouts, 182 ERA+, and 1.037 WHIP all led the league. Finally, he finished fifth in the league in MVP voting. He was a two-time World Champion to boot. This is certainly a worthy way to kick off our list.
Al Dark
Born: Comanche
43.77 WAR
Al Dark was kind of like the Nick Markakis of the 1950s. Namely, he was consistent with the bat and a very reliable fielder. He was also a doubles machine, retiring with 358 of them for his career. He burst onto the scene with the Boston Braves in 1948, winning Rookie of the Year and helping guide the team to the World Series. However, it was his seven years with the New York Giants that are most notable. He made three All-Star appearances and finished fifth in MVP voting in 1954. His best year by WAR was 1951 when he hit .303 with a league-leading 41 doubles, 196 hits, and 114 runs scored.
Matt Holliday
Born: Stillwater
44.53 WAR
Matt Holliday is by far the most recent entry in our search for Oklahoma’s best baseball player. Colorado Rockies fans will recognize him and Todd Helton as the dynamic duo that helped lead them to a surprise 2007 World Series appearance. That season, Holliday was on fire. He finished runner-up in MVP voting, won a batting title, and led the league in hits (216), doubles (50), RBI (137), and total bases (386). He was also named NLCS MVP that season. Career-wise, he made seven All-Star teams and took home four Silver Sluggers. Finally, he was a World Champion with the Cardinals in 2011.
GONE! Matt Holliday goes deep and the Matts are 💪 tonight! pic.twitter.com/pHIxcwCeTW
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 22, 2016
Willie Wells
Born: Shawnee
51.07 WAR
We make our first visit to Cooperstown to examine the career of a man that was one of the best bats of the 1920s. Sadly, Willie Wells never got a chance to shine in the then-segregated Major Leagues. However, his accomplishments in the Negro Leagues are legendary. From 1927-1930, very few could have been considered at his level. He hit .374 over those four seasons, clubbing 94 homers and driving in 431 runs. In 1930, he won the Triple Crown with the St. Louis Stars, hitting an absolutely scorching .411 with 17 homers and 114 RBI. He didn’t stop there, as he went on to make 10 All-Star appearances in what turned out to be a 21-year career.
Bob Johnson
Born: Pryor
55.62 WAR
If Bob Johnson could have made the big leagues before age 27, this list would most likely have one more Cooperstown honoree. He was that good at the plate. An eight-time All-Star, Johnson is best known for his decade with the Philadelphia Athletics. He was a major offensive cornerstone for the franchise, posting eight seasons with a .290 or higher batting average. His first nine seasons saw him club 20 or more homers and he had seven straight 100-plus RBI seasons. He finished in the top ten in MVP voting three times. Severely underwhelming defense hampered his career. However, his prowess at the plate is enough to land him here.
Willie Stargell
Born: Earlsboro
57.51 WAR
When it comes to stars of the 1960s and 1970s, it’s difficult to top Pops. Willie Stargell earns every bit of his place in the search for Oklahoma’s best baseball player. He spent the entirety of his 21-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, making seven All-Star appearances. His 475 career homers are second of any player from Oklahoma and the most in Pirates history. He’s fourth on their list in runs created (1,531) and fifth in wRC+ (145). The two-time World Champion took home NL MVP honors in 1979 at the age of 39 all while helping the Pirates to another title. He also won NLCS and World Series MVP, hitting a combined .415 (17-for-41) with five homers and 13 RBI during the two series.
Bullet Rogan
Born: Oklahoma City
61.52 WAR
Bullet Rogan was one of the greatest Negro League pitchers of all time. In 12 years with the Kansas City Monarchs, he won 120 games with a 2.65 ERA and posted the highest career WAR of any Monarchs player. He led the league with 16 victories in 1923 and ’24, helping the Monarchs to a league title in the latter season. In 1925 and 1928, he only lost twice all season. Twice in his career, he had a sub-two ERA, winning the league ERA title in 1921 with a sparkling 1.72 mark. He had 136 complete games and led the league in the category three times. A workhorse to the end, Rogan posted 1,500 innings and a 161 ERA+. Finally, Rogan had 18 career shutouts, leading the league twice.
Paul Waner
Born: Harrah
74.70 WAR
Paul Waner could hit the ball. Plain and simple. The Hall of Famer is a three-time batting champion, retiring with 3,152 career hits, easily the most in the history of Oklahoma. (Incidentally, his brother, and fellow Hall member, Lloyd, is second). He posted over 200 hits eight times, had 50 or more doubles three times, and began his career with 10 consecutive double-digit triple seasons. In 1927, just his second year in the big leagues, he took home NL MVP honors. That year, he hit a sizzling .380 with 18 triples, 237 hits, 131 RBI, and 342 total bases. Though never a World Champion, Waner did participate in three All-Star Games, including the inaugural contest in 1933.
Johnny Bench
Born: Oklahoma City
75.13 WAR
Johnny Bench spent 17 years defining excellence at the catcher’s position. Both at the plate and behind it, Bench helped drive the Cincinnati Reds’ overwhelming 1970s success. He made 14 All-Star teams, with 13 coming consecutively. Not only that, but he won two MVP Awards, was Rookie of the Year in 1968 and took home 10 straight Gold Gloves. He led the league in homers twice, RBI three times, and total bases once. His best season by WAR was 1972, when he clubbed 40 homers, drove in 125 runs, and won his second MVP award. Finally, he is a two-time World Champion, winning World Series MVP honors in 1976.
Mickey Mantle
Born: Spavinaw
110.18 WAR
Mickey Mantle is Oklahoma’s best baseball player and it’s not even close. He spent 18 seasons terrorizing opposing pitchers to the tune of 521 career homers and 1,509 RBI. His status with the New York Yankees is legendary. He’s a three-time MVP, a 20-time All-Star, and a Gold Glove winner. In 1956, he took home the Triple Crown by hitting .353 with 52 homers and 130 RBI. His patience at the plate was also incredible as he posted 10 seasons with 100 or more walks. He retired with more career walks than strikeouts, which is almost unfathomable for modern-day power hitters. His heroics helped lead the Yankees to seven World Titles during his career.
Main photo credits:
Kiel Maddox-USA TODAY Sports
Players mentioned:
Harry Brecheen, Al Dark, Nick Markakis, Matt Holliday, Todd Helton, Willie Wells, Bob Johnson, Willie Stargell, Bullet Rogan, Paul Waner, Johnny Bench, Mickey Mantle
