In all sports, players from past eras are always compared with modern-day players. This is not an easy thing to do. Players from past eras did not have access to modern-day tactics, modern-day technology (including improved playing surfaces, improved equipment, better training facilities) and modern-day training programs (including fitness, diet, muscle development etc.).
Would great players from past eras still be great players and stand-out as much in the modern era?
Would modern day players be just as good going back in time?
Any comparison is both objective and subjective. Baseball is built on an array of statistics and these can be used to help compare players. But some statistics can be misleading and personal knowledge and “gut-feeling” may then play a role.
In determining our All Star Teams, we were no different. We did rely on some statistics and quite a bit on personal knowledge and “gut-feeling”.
Our selection panels did set some guidelines in that a player had to have:
- played in the firsts,
- played more than 50 games in the firsts in a designated 10 year period to be considered for a decade team,
- played more than 50 games in the firsts overall to be considered for the 50 year team.
Final selections will always cause debate as to whether players should or should not have been included and their position on the field.
With so many talented players in our 50 year history, selecting the final teams was very difficult and required some robust conversations.
With that in mind we would like to congratulate the players and coaches who were selected in our ‘All Star Team for the Fifth Decade (2008-2017)’ and our ‘All Star Team for the 50 years (1968-2017)’.
Both teams were announced as part of our 50th Anniversary Dinner on Saturday 5th May 2018 and highlight the significant talent that has represented the Saints throughout our history.
