Top 5 N.C.-native baseball stars

North Carolina has a long and interesting baseball history, producing many great players along the way. We think these are the best five to ever come from the Tar Heel state. Feel free to argue otherwise.

5. BUCK LEONARD: Born in Rocky Mount, Leonard was known as the “Black Lou Gehrig,” since he played first base and batted behind Josh Gibson, the “Black Babe Ruth” in the lineup of the legendary Homestead Grays of the Negro National League. He played from 1933-52, and is in the Hall of Fame.

4. JIM “CATFISH” HUNTER: The Hertford native won 224 games from 1965-79, picking up a Cy Young Award along the way. A Hall of Famer, Catfish played in five World Series with Oakland and the Yankees, and appeared in eight all-star games.

3. LUKE APPLING: The High Point native was a career .310 hitter as a shortstop for the Chicago White Sox (1930-50). He won two American League batting titles, once with a mark of .388, and was an all-star seven times. A Hall of Famer.

2. GAYLORD PERRY: He came out of Williamston to win 314 games from 1962-83. He collected two Cy Young Awards and was a five-time all-star, but Perry was most famous for throwing the best illegal spitball in the game, and getting away with it. Also in the Hall of Fame.

1. HOYT WILHELM: Born in Huntersville, Wilhelm went on to revolutionize relief pitching, becoming one of the first pitchers to specialize in closing out games. His 124 victories in relief is still the record. His money pitch was the knuckleball, and he may have thrown it better than anyone. He also had success as a starter, once throwing a no-hitter. He pitched in the majors from 1952-72, until he was almost 50, and appeared in more than 1,000 games.

--Cliff Mehrtens and Stan Olson