3. Josh Gibson
In terms of pure power, there have been few players in baseball history that compared to Josh Gibson.
He may well be the American home run champion, as his Hall of Fame plaque reads that he hit nearly 800 homers over his career. The Black Babe Ruth, Gibson’s power was the stuff of legends. He was the only player to ever hit a ball completely out of the old Yankee Stadium, doing so in 1934. Gibson had 12 home run titles during his career, and also led his various leagues in doubles, triples, batting average, RBI, and slugging.
He was also an impressive defensive catcher, known for his tremendous throwing arm. Fellow Negro Leagues legend Monte Irvin called Gibson the best player he ever saw. Star pitchers Walter Johnson and Carl Hubbell both though he could start for any team in the majors during his prime, as Gibson was a fearsome slugger who could do everything behind the plate.
Sadly, Gibson had a lot of problems in his personal life. His wife died young, passing away when giving birth to their twins. Gibson himself was in a coma due to a brain tumor he had. He also battled drug and alcohol problems, made worse by his depression. Gibson passed away at just 35 years old, passing away from a stroke three months before Jackie Robinson would break the color barrier.
Arguably the greatest power hitter in baseball history, Josh Gibson was a force of nature the likes of which the Negro Leagues had not seen. In fact, we may not have seen another player like him in the history of the game.