Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Nov. 25:
1) Joe DiMaggio (1914)
A three-time MVP and nine-time World Series champion, Joltin’ Joe was an All-Star in each of the 13 seasons he played, all with the Yankees. In 1941, DiMaggio cemented his place in baseball history with his 56-game hitting streak, a feat no other player has come close to matching since. (Even in fantasy.) The Hall of Famer was married, albeit briefly, to Marilyn Monroe in 1954, though following their divorce they eventually became close again until her death in ‘62.
2) Bucky Dent (1951)
Depending on which fanbase is telling the story, Dent was either 1978’s biggest hero or biggest heartbreaker. The shortstop’s three-run homer off Mike Torrez in the seventh inning of the AL East tiebreaker gave the Yankees the lead against the Red Sox; in return, Boston famously gave Dent a new middle name. After securing the game and the division, New York went on to win its second straight championship, with Dent earning World Series MVP honors.
3) Nick Swisher (1980)
A fair number of people knew Swisher’s name before he played his first MLB game: He was the outfielder Billy Beane set his sights on and got with the A’s first pick in the 2002 Draft, as chronicled in Michael Lewis’ book “Moneyball.” The switch-hitter had a solid start to his career with Oakland, but his best years were arguably in pinstripes — he won a ring with the Yankees in 2009, and the following season, he was named an AL All-Star.
4) Octavio Dotel (1973)
Dotel notably played for 13 teams during his career, which is the second most by a Major League player (Edwin Jackson topped his record in 2019). The teams, in order: The Mets (1999), Astros (2000-04), A’s (2004-05), Yankees (2006), Royals (2007), Braves (2007), White Sox (2008-09), Pirates (2010), Dodgers (2010), Rockies (2010), Blue Jays (2011), Cardinals (2011) and Tigers (2012-13). The righty reliever was in the right place at the right time with Team No. 12, St. Louis, to win his only World Series title.
5) Ellsworth Elmer “Bert” Cunningham (1865)
The original Wild Thing? Cunningham — a right-hander who played from 1887-1901 — once unleashed five wild pitches in a single inning while pitching for the Buffalo Bisons in the Players League in 1890.