maris was a great player for only a few seasons until injuries ruined him. at the time he was rated just behind kaline and clemente with the glove also.
But that’s what I think makes Marris such a great player. He was a good player who rose above his ability and potential for that one bright shining season.
Mickey Mantle was the star and even though they were friends and roommates, the public loved Mantle and hated Marris for challenging Mantel for the record.
Marris endured the all the media attention, and much of it not very friendly and even got death threats like Aaron did and yet he remained a humble man, a gentleman and a true sportsman.
He didn’t deserve the asterisk behind his name in the record book because of the number of games played that year – it had no bearing on his record.
Some people will say that there are shortstops technically better than Cal Ripkin but that doesn’t take away from his accomplishments either.
For some of us being a hero is more that just stats and brute strength. Being a hero and an icon is the sum of a person’s ability and their soul. Pete Rose was a great player and deserves recognition for his records and ability but he is not a hero in my book.