Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Feb. 5:
1) Hank Aaron (1934)
This may be a subjective ranking, but Aaron is far and away the most accomplished player on this list. In addition to holding the all-time MLB records for RBIs (2,297) and total bases (6,856), Aaron accumulated over twice as much bWAR (143.1) in his career as any other player who shares his birthday. The Baseball Reference page for Aaron belongs in the Louvre — 755 home runs, a 25-time All-Star, a first-ballot Hall of Fame selection and MVP votes in 19 of his 23 seasons are just some of the awe-inspiring highlights.
2) Roberto Alomar (1968)
The other Hall of Famer on this list, Alomar enjoyed a long stretch as one of the game’s top second basemen during his 17-year career. He earned 10 Gold Gloves for his slick fielding, which is the most all-time for a second baseman. Alomar spent several of his prime years in Toronto, where he won two World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, and also enjoyed success with Baltimore and Cleveland in the ‘90s and early 2000s.
3) Roger Peckinpaugh (1891)
After moving to Cleveland as a child, Peckinpaugh got his big league breakthrough when he was signed by then-future Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie to play for Lajoie’s namesake team, the Cleveland Naps. Peckinpaugh spent parts of three seasons with the Naps before he was traded to the Yankees in 1913. The sure-handed shortstop made history in 1914 when he became the youngest manager in MLB history at age 23. He also served as the Yankees’ captain from 1914 through 1921, immediately preceding Babe Ruth with the honor. Peckinpaugh went on to win a World Series with the Senators in 1924 and an MVP Award in 1925.
4) Don Hoak (1928)
A two-time World Series champion with the Dodgers (1955) and Pirates (1960), Hoak was primarily a third baseman throughout his career, never starting a single game at another position over 11 seasons. Hoak finished second in the 1960 NL MVP voting to his teammate and fellow World Champion Dick Groat, and also placed in the top 20 in MVP voting in 1957 and 1959.
5) Eric O’Flaherty (1985)
Across a 12-year career from 2006-2017, O’Flaherty’s best years were with the Braves. The left-handed reliever spent five elite years in Atlanta from 2009-2013, posting a sparkling 1.99 ERA over 295 appearances. O’Flaherty was especially sharp in 2011, when he became the first pitcher in MLB history to post an ERA under 1.00 in a season with at least 70 appearances.
Joan Payson (1903)
Though she never played baseball herself, after the Dodgers and Giants moved to Los Angeles in 1957, Payson was instrumental in bringing National League baseball back to New York. She was the first woman to purchase a Major League Baseball team when she bought the Mets in 1962, after previously owning shares of the Giants, and she owned the Mets until her death in 1975. Payson oversaw the Mets’ rapid rise from their 40-120 inaugural season in 1962 to their first World Series title in 1969. She also helped recruit many New York baseball legends to Queens during her tenure, including Casey Stengel, Gil Hodges and Willie Mays.
Al Worthington (1929)
Worthington pitched for five different teams over a 14-year career, winning the World Series with the Giants in 1954 though he did not pitch in the World Series itself. He later helped start the Liberty University baseball team in 1974 and became its first head coach.
Mike Heath (1955)
Heath came up with the Bronx Bombers in 1978, winning a World Series in his first big league season. He spent most of his 14-year career as a catcher, leading all AL catchers with 66 assists in 1989.
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