Another Top 9 list

A crop duster, a flavor saver call it whatever you want, but back in the day mustaches were all the rage in the MLB. And now while the moustache craze has died down it’s been replaced with many players electing to grow beards instead. So that got me thinking who possessed the greatest facial hair in MLB history? The answer will be revealed in this week’s tidy top 9 list.

(9) Eddie Murray

Not only did this man have a great afro, but he complemented it well with the afro sideburns and a well-kept mustache. Eddie Murray is often regarded as the best switch hitter of all-time collecting over 3,000 hits in his career. And while the sideburns would eventually go, that mustache was kept throughout his hall of fame career.

(8) Jim Joyce

A bit of a curveball here as we look at an umpire rather than a player. As an umpire, you try and do everything not to be noticed. This guy decided to instead try an impersonate another member of this list by stealing his mustache. Don’t worry Jim Joyce if you’re going to screw someone out of a perfect game at least you did it with a great mustache.

(7) Goose Gossage

And here’s the mustache Jim Joyce tried to copy. Fun fact, when Yankee Manager Yogi Berra demanded that Gossage shave off his beard to adhere to the Yankee rule that bans facial hair, Gossage emerged the next from the bullpen with his famous moustache. One of the first relievers who embraced the role of closer, and Gossage would take the role of closer and run with it all the way to Cooperstown.

(6) Brian Wilson

This man’s entire career was built on the fact that he had one of the best beards of all-time in baseball history. This beard could be credited for launching the Giants even year dynasty that started in 2010 and ended in 2014, which saw them win 3 World Series. While he was only the closer for the team in 2010, the fact remains that as soon as he started to grow the beard in 2010 the Giants started to win. The dynasty didn’t start because of Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Madison Bumgarner or Matt Cain it started because of Brian Wilson’s beard.

(5) Corky Miller

This cuddly little guy looks like the type of person you’d meet in Wal-Mart late night in the automotive section. This little known little-known backup catcher is the proud owner of a .193 career batting average and a intimidating Fu Manchu. One can only assume that there hasn’t been a player to date that has worn this type mustache better.

(4) Al Hrabosky

Wrong. The mad Hungarian Al Hrabosky was truly an innovator in the world of facial hair, and if you’re wondering he still has that mustache today. Standing a less than intimidating 5’11, Hrabosky started to grow the mustache for intimidation purposes. Given the fact that this was a pitcher who would talk to the ball, it’s no surprise that he thought he needed to grow a Fu Manchu to set himself apart. Though while not a hall of famer, Hrabosky was a very solid reliever during his playing career.

(3) Dennis Eckersley

Dennis, Eckersley honestly looks like he might have been born with that mustache. Nobody to this day has been able to pull of the mustache, mullet combo like the way Eckersley did during his hall of fame career. Eckersley was a solid starter early in his career, but his career took off when he moved to the bullpen winning both a Cy Young and a MVP award in 1992 posting a career high 51 saves and a dominant 1.91 ERA.

(2) Bruce Sutter

Brian Wilson has nothing on this perfectly kept beard that took residence on the face of Bruce Sutter during his 12-year career. In that 12-years Sutter would command one of the deadliest splitters of all-time, carrying him to 300 career saves. In the 1982 World Series, Sutter would collect the final 6 outs as the Cardinals would win their first World Series since 1967. Sutter is widely credited as the one of the pitchers who helped popularize the splitter, a pitch that is widely thrown through out baseball now. His beard was such a big part of his look that it now adorns his face on his Cooperstown plaque.

(1) Rollie Fingers

As if there was ever any doubt. Rollie Fingers mustache is a thing a beauty, often imitated but never perfected. Rollie to this day still wears his signature stache, and I don’t think he’s shaven it off since he started to grow it. But Fingers was more than just a mustache, he was also a great a pitcher that racked up three world series rings. 1981 Fingers would have the most dominant season of his career posting a career best ERA of 1.04 and league leading 28 saves en route to the Cy Young award. While there have been players with a signature look, none have been more iconic than Rollie Fingers legendary moustache.

#OutofLeftField #RollieFingers #BruceSutter #DennisEckersley #AlHrabosky #CorkyMiller #BrianWilson #GooseGossage #JimJoyce #EddieMurray