Posted on 08/22/2006 5:09:48 PM PDT by Pharmboy
How does El Hombre match up against the Sultan of Swat? This spring, Washington University scientists, at the request of GQ magazine, put Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols through a series of tests similar to those given to Babe Ruth 85 years ago — tests ranging from finger tapping to visual responses to bat speed.
The results? Both men aced the tests, and their results were strikingly similar.
In 1921, psychologists at Columbia University put Ruth through scientific tests to try to determine what made him great. He had faster than average reflexes, steady nerves, and superior sight and hearing.
The same holds true for Pujols. At Washington University, clinical neuropsychologist Desiree White and cognitive psychologist Richard Abrams and their colleagues gave Pujols tests resembling the ones Ruth took. Both men were 26 and top hitters when they were tested.
GQ features some of the results of the Pujols tests in its September issue.
For one test, White put a piece of paper in front of Pujols. Capital letters were strewn about the page. White told Pujols to locate and cross out all of the As.
White realized she'd never seen anyone scan the page the way Pujols did. Most people scan a page left to right, the way they do when they read. Pujols visually divided the page into sectors and searched each one briefly for the letters before moving on to the next sector. When he'd searched all sectors, he returned to the first and started over. It took him four rounds and a minute to complete the task.
"I've never seen anyone scan that way, but it would be important on the baseball field," White said, noting the skill would allow Pujols to scan the field and know where everyone is without missing any action.
In another test, Pujols replicated 133 symbols in a minute — a testament to Pujols' hand-eye coordination. The test makers don't even list a score that high.
In a test of finger-tapping speed, Pujols tapped at 2.4 standard deviations faster than average — placing him in the 99th percentile.
"It just doesn't get any better than that," White said.
In fact, Pujols popped the screw right out of the finger tapper. He was contrite, even fixed the machine, tightening the screw with a fingernail.
White said Pujols' performance on any one test doesn't explain his abilities; it's the whole package that probably counts.
"My hypothesis would be that there's something special about how he puts it all together" on the field, she said.
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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com.
Ted Williams supposedly could see the seams on the ball as it came to the plate...
When I was a kid, they came out with 8" plastic models of baseball players. I had about 5 of them, including Kenny Boyer, Hank Aaron and Al Kaline. Don't know what ever came of them. They are probably worth a fortune today.
I guess she's a Yankees fan and not a fan of the Mets.
Not to mention he's been over 120rbi every year for 5 years.
Bet you enjoied last years home run derby in Detroit, I know I did. Pujols and pudge broke all the previous records.
I saw Al Kaline throw out a batter AT FIRST BASE (from right field on a routine single) to save a young kid's No-Hitter late in the game. As I remember, the kid lost it later, but it was such an amazing effort by Kaline that you realized you were watching a player that was truly special.
I don't know if Ty Cobb is the 2nd greatest player ever...
He's top 10, but 2nd I don't think so.....
Maybe he's depressed that his wife is too busy to join him.....NOT!
Hey....is that ROGER Clinton sitting just one chair away from der Slickmeister?
Don't know. The Cardinal announcers earlier said something to the effect that "his brother might be the Cardinal fan". I never heard anything about Clinton himself being any particular fan of baseball. But Arkansas is Cardinal territory. Who knows, maybe its two brothers out to see a game.
I'm listening to the Mets announcers on the feed here in California, and I didn't get that. If the Cards announcers said that, it was DEFINITLEY Roger. The dork looked just like him.
That means the reason Slick looks all shot is that he and Roger have been hittin' the blow all day long.
Now you go...
1) Ruth
2) Ted Williams
3) Willie Mays
4) Lou Gehrig
5) Ty Cobb
there you go, I'd put him 5th
He is the first in Major League history to hit more than 30 homers in each of his first 6 seasons. In a week or two, he will have hit more than 40 in his last 4 seasons. He is also a really good fielder and hits for average as well (> 300).
They're all great, but Cobb (sumbitch though he was) was second only to The Bambino. Cobb invented much of modern baseball. We'll have to agree to disagree...(and, I only have Cobb second to Ruth because Ruth was a brilliant pitcher as well as hitter).
Ty Cobb has the highest lifetime batting average (.367) of all time.
• Ty Cobb played on three World Series teams, all with the Detroit Tigers.
• Ty Cobb is second on the all-time hit list behind Pete Rose.
• Ty Cobb is one of only two people to hit a home run before his 20th birthday and after his 40th birthday.
• Ty Cobb stole home more than anyone else (54).
• Ty Cobb won more batting average titles than any other person (12).
Hell if Williams hadn't gone to both World War II AND Korea, he'd be ahead of the Bambino....
Cobb is a great player, but I can't put him ahead of the other players I listed.
• Ty Cobb is one of only two people to hit a home run before his 20th birthday and after his 40th birthday.
who is the other player? Aaron?
Cy Young and Nolan Ryan for pitchers.
For fielding, Tris Speaker, Brooks Robinson, Luis Aparicio come to mind.
Roberto Clemente for a mix of hitting AND fielding.
Your mileage may vary.
Cheers!
Rusty Stuab would be the other.....
And if he happens to play long enough, Andruw Jones can do it too.....
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