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Always the last to know

By JOHN ROMANO

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 20, 2001

Success for an athlete is never enduring.

No matter how talented or dutiful, a ballplayer's success inevitably fades before his desire. So, though it may be easy for fans and media to suggest it is time to hang it up, the reality is not so simple for the athlete. Do you quit when you know you still can play, or do you wring every last ounce of ability out of your body?

The debate is raging in Baltimore, where Cal Ripken only recently brought his batting average over .200. The team is going nowhere, Ripken's days are clearly numbered and there is a growing sense that the city's favorite icon needs to bow out gracefully. The Orioles acknowledge they are on the lookout for a third baseman and Ripken has been told he no longer is an everyday player. Ripken, 40, says it is too soon to decide whether he will retire at the end of this season, let alone at midseason.

Here are 10 of the game's greatest players. Five finished on top, playing for the same teams with which they established their fame. Five finished on a down note, often playing in unfamiliar uniforms:

Going out on top

(Player,age, year, ABs, AVG, HR, RBI)

Joe DiMaggio, 36, 1951, 415, .263, 12, 71

Al Kaline, 39, 1974, 558, .262, 13,64

Jackie Robinson, 37, 1956, 357, .275, 10,43

Ted Williams,42, 1960, 310, .316,29, 72

Carl Yastrzemski, 44, 1983, 380, .266, 10,56

Hanging on too long

(Player,age, year, ABs, AVG, HR, RBI)

Eddie Mathews,36,1968, 52,.212, 3,8

Willie Mays, 42, 1973, 209,.211, 6,25

Willie McCovey, 42,1980, 113,.204, 1,16

Babe Ruth,40, 1935, 72, .181, 6, 12

Duke Snider, 38, 1964, 167, .210, 4,17

- Compiled by John Romano.

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