I copied Jackson's style because I thought he was the greatest hitter I had ever seen, the greatest natural hitter I ever saw. He's the guy who made me a hitter.
--
On Shoeless Joe Jackson, as quoted in Joe Jackson: A Biography (2004) by Kelly Boyer SagertBabe Ruth
Jackson was not only a natural hitter, but he had a set style, a grooved swing. I can't ever remember him being in a batting slump. His swing was so perfect that there was little chance of it getting disorganized. He was the greatest natural hitter who ever lived.
Shoeless Joe Jackson
For my money, Ted Williams is the greatest hitter of all-time. I'd take him over Ruth, I'd take him over Cobb. I'd take him over Cobb because of the combination of power and average. I'd take him over Ruth because with Ruth, you can only speculate about what he would have done in the modern era. Ted Williams hit .388 at the age of 39 in 1957. He was what few of us ever become; he was exactly what he set out to be. He said he wanted to be able to walk down the street some day and have people say "There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived". And if they don't say that, it's only because they don't know what they're talking about.
Ted Williams
I decided to pick out the greatest hitter to watch and study, and Jackson was good enough for me.
Babe Ruth
I decided to pick out the greatest hitter to watch and study, and Jackson was good enough for me.
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Ruth, Babe
Rutherford, Ernest
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z