R.A. Dickey's Achievment Dwarfs the Deformed List

This past week's crowning of R.A. Dickey as National League Cy Young award winner sets the Tennessee native near the top of another rather select list of major leaguers…those who succeeded despite physical deformities.  These men didn’t overcome bad knees, a la Mickey Mantle, or end a dominant career with a bone on bone elbow like Sandy Koufax…. No these men had actual missing (or in 1 case extra) parts.  Some achieved great things in their careers, but few have been feted as immortally as Dickey has been for his 2012 performance. Mordecai (Three Fingers) Brown was a pitcher who excelled for the Cubs in the early 20th century, winning 20 or more games in six consecutive seasons, including totals of 29 and 27 in consecutive years, while winding up with a career ERA of 2.06.  Brown suffered his disability (memorialized by his thoughtful nickname) as a result of accident (or two in his case) as opposed to birth.  An Indiana native, Brown lost most of his index ...