SABR All-Time Eras Teams:
Integration Era (1947-1972)
Throughout the 2026 season, SABR members will have a chance to vote on SABR’s All-Time Eras Teams as we celebrate the 150 years of baseball and American history since the founding of the National League in 1876.
The All-Time Eras Teams project is an interactive opportunity for all SABR members to participate in, debate with one another, and learn more about the iconic players and figures from different eras.
Voting for the Integration Era took place from July 24–August 10, 2026, and the team was revealed in an online webinar on August 18 with a presentation by acclaimed author Howard Bryant. More than 1,000 SABR members cast a vote on this ballot. The top vote recipients at each position were selected for the first team. Click here to view the full list of players included on the ballot.
Each ballot period will culminate with a virtual Zoom webinar which includes a presentation covering that era of American history prior to the unveiling of the team chosen by our members.
Learn more about the Integration Era team selected by SABR members below.
Outfielders
Willie Mays
Henry Aaron
Ted Williams
Infielders
Yogi Berra (C)
Willie McCovey (1B)
Jackie Robinson (2B)
Brooks Robinson (3B)
Ernie Banks (SS)
Starting Pitchers
Bob Gibson
Sandy Koufax
Warren Spahn
Juan Marichal
Whitey Ford
Relief Pitchers
Hoyt Wilhelm
Roy Face
Manager/Executive
Casey Stengel
Bill Veeck
Second Team
- Outfielders: Mickey Mantle, Roberto Clemente, Stan Musial
- Infielders: Roy Campanella (C), Harmon Killebrew (1B), Bill Mazeroski (2B), Eddie Mathews (3B), Luis Aparicio (SS)
- Starting Pitchers: Ferguson Jenkins, Robin Roberts, Don Drysdale, Gaylord Perry, Jim Bunning
- Relief Pitchers: Bobby Shantz, Dick Radatz
- Manager: Walter Alston
- Executive: Walter O’Malley
Third Team
- Outfielders: Frank Robinson, Al Kaline, Carl Yastrzemski
- Infielders: Bill Freehan (C), Gil Hodges (1B), Nellie Fox (2B), Dick Allen (3B), Pee Wee Reese (SS)
- Starting Pitchers: Early Wynn, Don Newcombe, Mickey Lolich, Bob Lemon, Jim Kaat
- Relief Pitchers: Lindy McDaniel, Ron Perranoski
- Manager: Leo Durocher
- Executive: George Weiss
Team Reveal and Video Presentation
Click here to watch the unveiling of the Integration Era team and a presentation by acclaimed author Howard Bryant.
More about the Integration Era (1947-1972)
No one can doubt the immense courage shown by Jackie Robinson when he took his position at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947. Robinson was the first Black American to play what was then defined as major league baseball at a time when baseball was dominant in American culture — truly the National Pastime — but an institution which had been segregated by race.
Even after Robinson’s debut, however, it took 12 more years before every team in the American and National Leagues integrated. Robinson had by then completed his 10-year Hall of Fame playing career. There was gain, but there was loss as well: the vibrant Negro Leagues lasted only a few more years after that.
In addition to the players who played the game, baseball changed in many other monumental ways during this era — with franchise relocation, expansion, and the rise of the players union. The Giants and Dodgers moved west to California following the 1957 season and eight new teams were added in the 1960s, including one in Canada.
The era ended with a significant milestone: the US Supreme Court’s ruling in a case challenging baseball’s reserve clause, which tied players to their original team forever. Curt Flood’s landmark case helped set in motion the establishment of free agency for all major leaguers in the 1970s.
Further Reading
