Top 50 Players In Baltimore Sports History: 40-31
32. Milt Pappas, SP, Baltimore Orioles
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/thetoydepartment/2009/06/post_16.html
In 1957, as a senior at Cooley High School, Pappas was scouted by several teams and signed with the Orioles. Pappas soon became the ace of the Orioles’ staff and was named an All-Star in 1962, pitching in both All-Star games (from 1959 to 1962, Major League Baseball had two All-Star games). He was also named starting pitcher in the 1965 All-Star Game. In each year from 1959 through 1965, Pappas never had a losing record, winning between 13 and 16 games.
Pappas, nicknamed “Gimpy”, was a control specialist. He pitched in 520 games, starting 465, with 209 wins, 164 losses, 43 shutouts, 1,728 strikeouts and a 3.40 ERA in 3,186 innings pitched. The 17-year veteran played with Orioles for nine years before playing the last nine years of his career on the Reds, Braves, and Cubs.
31. Todd Heap, TE, Baltimore Ravens
Todd Heap was the epitome of Ravens football. Rough, tough, smash mouth, and not scared to lay himself out for another teammate. The first play that comes to mind when you bring up the name Todd Heap is the third-down conversion he made in the 2008 playoffs against the Tennessee Titans.
You can find the play at the end of this video
He is probably the best receiver in Ravens history. However, there is one thing that might prevent him from making the Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, particularly in the last few years, Heap fought through injuries a number of times. He missed ten games in both 2004 and 2007. He caught 499 passes in his career for 5,896 yards (11.8 yards-per-catch). I will let you soak in those numbers and be the judge of whether he should make the Hall of Fame or not.
Be sure to check back next week for numbers 30-21. Don’t be scared to tell me in the comments below if you disagree . Previous articles are at these links: