Nap Rucker

In the years prior to WWI, the Brooklyn Dodgers fielded teams in which little civic pride could be taken. However, when the redheaded Nap Rucker took the mound the fans could be sure of a chance to cheer, particularly when he faced the rival New York Giants. He spent barely ten seasons in the big leagues, all with the Dodgers, and failed to provide Hall of Fame statistics, but there were many who insisted he was the best of his time. In Brooklyn, if nowhere else, his memory is revered by those who know of his heroic efforts for a futile ball club.