In 1999, the Major League Baseball All-Century Team was chosen by popular vote of fans. To select the team, a panel of experts first compiled a list of the 100 greatest Major League Baseball (MLB) players from the 20th century. Over two million fans then voted on the players using paper and online ballots.[1]
The top two vote-getters from each position, except outfielders (nine), and the top six pitchers were placed on the team. A select panel then added five legends to create a thirty-man team:[1] —Warren Spahn (who finished #10 among pitchers), Christy Mathewson (#14 among pitchers), Lefty Grove (#18 among pitchers), Honus Wagner (#4 among shortstops), and Stan Musial (#11 among outfielders).[1]
The nominees for the All-Century team were presented at the 1999 MLB All-Star Game at Fenway Park.[2] Preceding Game 2 of the 1999 World Series, the members of the All-Century Team were revealed. Every living player named to the team attended.[3]
| 'Legends' chosen by select panel | ||
| Player still active in 1999 | ||
| ö | Player is deceased | |
| † | Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame |
| Player | Position | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| † | Pitcher | 992,040 | |
| † | Pitcher | 970,434 | |
| †ö | Pitcher | 867,523 | |
| Pitcher | 601,244 | ||
| †ö | Pitcher | 582,031 | |
| †ö | Pitcher | 479,279 | |
| †ö* | Pitcher | 337,215 | |
| †ö* | Pitcher | 249,747 | |
| †ö* | Pitcher | 142,169 | |
| † | Catcher | 1,010,403 | |
| †ö | Catcher | 704,208 | |
| †ö | First baseman | 1,207,992 | |
| First baseman | 517,181 | ||
| †ö | Second baseman | 788,116 | |
| †ö | Second baseman | 630,761 | |
| † | Third baseman | 855,654 | |
| †ö | Third baseman | 761,700 | |
| †** | Shortstop | 669,033 | |
| †ö | Shortstop | 598,168 | |
| †ö* | Shortstop | 526,740 | |
| †ö | Outfielder | 1,158,044 | |
| †ö | Outfielder | 1,156,782 | |
| †ö | Outfielder | 1,125,583 | |
| †ö | Outfielder | 1,115,896 | |
| †ö | Outfielder | 1,054,423 | |
| †ö | Outfielder | 988,168 | |
| †ö | Outfielder | 777,056 | |
| †** | Outfielder | 645,389 | |
| Outfielder | 629,742 | ||
| †ö* | Outfielder | 571,279 |
There was controversy over the inclusion in the All-Century Team of Pete Rose, who had been banned from baseball for life 10 years earlier. Some questioned Rose's presence on a team officially endorsed by Major League Baseball, but fans at the stadium gave him a standing ovation. During the on-field ceremony, which was emceed by Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, NBC Sports' Jim Gray questioned Rose about his refusal to admit to gambling on baseball.[4] Gray's interview became controversial, with some arguing that it was good journalism,[5] while others objected that the occasion was an inappropriate setting for Gray's persistence.[6] After initially refusing to do so, Gray apologized a few days later.[7] On January 8, 2004, more than four years later, Rose admitted publicly to betting on baseball games in his 2004 autobiography My Prison Without Bars.