Recently, the National Baseball Hall of Fame announced this year’s Golden Era Ballot. The Golden Era Committee replaced the Veteran’s Committee in 2010 and specifically looks at the players/contributors from 1947 to 1972. This vote takes place every three years, and 75 percent is required of the 16 members to earn induction. In 2011, the first year instituted, the late Ron Santo was chosen.
We are going to take a quick look at the ten men chosen for the ballot, and list them in order of rank on our website:
Gil Hodges, Ranked #15. Received as high as 60.1 % votes for the Hall of Fame in both 1976 and 1981. 8 All Star Games, 3 Gold Gloves, 2 World Series Rings. 44.9 bWAR, 370 Home Runs, .273/.359/.487 Slash Line. Dodgers 1943, 1946-61 & Mets 1962-63. Hodges received 9 votes on the 2011 Ballot.
Minnie Minoso, Ranked #26. Received as high as 21.1% votes for the Hall of Fame in 1988. 7 All Stars, 1 Hits Title, 1 Doubles Title, 3 Triples Titles, 3 Stolen Bases Titles. Career bWAR on 50.1, 186 Home Runs, .298/.389/.459 Slash Line. Indians 1949 & 1951, White Sox 1951-57, Indians 1958-59, White Sox 1960-61, Cardinals 1962, White Sox 1964 & 1976 & 1980. Minoso received 9 votes on the 2011 Ballot.
Dick Allen, Ranked #27. Received as high as 18.7% votes for the Hall of Fame in 1996. 1972 American League MVP, 1964 National League Rookie of the Year, 7 All Star Games, 2 OBP Titles, 3 Slugging Titles, 4 OPS Titles, 2 Home Run Titles, 1 RBI Title. Career bWAR of 58.7, 351 HR, .292/.378/.534 Slash Line. Phillies 1963-69, Cardinals 1970, Dodgers 1971, White Sox 1972-74, Phillies 1975-76 & Athletics 1977. This is Allen’s first time on this Ballot.
Jim Kaat, Ranked #30. Received as high as 29.6% votes for the Hall of Fame in 1993. 3 All Stars, 1 Wins Title, 16 Gold Gloves, 1 World Series Ring. 45.3 bWAR, 283 and 237 Record, 2,461 Strikeouts. Senators/Twins 1959-73, White Sox 1973-75, Phillies 1976-79, Yankees 1979-80 & Cardinals 1980-83. Kaat had 10 votes on the 2011 Ballot.
Tony Oliva, Ranked #38. Received as high as 47.3% vote for the Hall of Fame in 1988. 1964 American League Rookie of the Year, 8 All Star Games, 1 Gold Glove, 3 Batting Titles, 1 Slugging Title, 5 Hits Titles, 3 Doubles Title. 43.0 bWAR, 220 Home Runs, .304/.353/.476 Slash Line. Twins 1962-76. Oliva received 8 votes on the 2011 Ballot.
Luis Tiant, Ranked #40. Received as high as 30.9% vote for the Hall of Fame in 1988. 3 All Star Games, 2 Earned Run Average Titles, 1 WHIP Title. 66.1 bWAR, 229 and 171 Record, 2,416 Strikeouts. Indians 1964-69, Twins 1969, Red Sox 1970-78, Yankees 1979-80, Pirates 1981 & Angels 1982. Tiant received 3 Votes on the 2011 Ballot.
Ken Boyer, Ranked #53. Received as high as 25.5% votes for the Hall of Fame in 1988. 1964 National League MVP, 7 All Star Games, 5 Gold Gloves, 1 RBI Title, 1 World Series Ring. 62.8 bWAR, 255 HR, .293/.356/.475 Slash Line. Cardinals 1955-65, Mets 1966-67, White Sox 1967-68 & Dodgers 1968-69. Allen received 3 votes on the 2011 Ballot.
Billy Pierce, Ranked #71. Received as high as 1.9% votes for the Hall of Fame in 1971. 7 All Star Games, 1 Wins Title, 1 Earned Run Average Title, 1 Strikeouts Title, 1 WHIP Title. 211 and 169 Record, 1,999 Strikeouts. Tigers 1945 & 1948, White Sox 1949-61 & Giants 1962-64. This is Pierce’s first time on this Ballot.
Maury Wills, Ranked #72. Received as high as 40.6% votes for the Hall of Fame in 1981. 2 Time World Series Champion with the Dodgers. 1962 National League MVP, 7 All Star Games, 6 Stolen Bases Titles, 1 Triples Title. 39.5 bWAR, 586 Stolen Bases, .281/.330/.331 Slash Line. Dodgers 1959-65, Pirates 1967-68, Expos 1969 & Dodgers 1969-72. This is Wills first time on the Ballot.
Bob Howsam. Unranked. Founder of the Continental League which heped to cause MLB expansion from 16 to 20 Teams. General Manager of the Reds from 1967 to 77 and architect of the “Big Red Machine” winning two World Series Rings. Howsam is unranked as our site currently only ranks players.
Charlie Finley, Allie Reynolds and Buzzie Bavasi all received 3 votes in 2011, but did not return to this ballot.
Dennis O, who will be blogging for us here soon at Notinhalloffame.com, had a few things that he wanted to add, regarding a few players who may have been worthy of consideration for these spots:
Bert Campaneris: The best Base Stealer of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Between 1965 and 1972 Bert Campeneris won 6 of 8 Stolen Base titles and also had one late career 50+ Stolen Base season and finished with 649 Steals. He had 62 SB in a season and did that twice. A decent hitter with 2,000 Hits and a little pop in his bat. Smooth Fielder.
Mickey Vernon: Best fielding First Baseman of any era. He holds the record for the most double plays participated in by a First Baseman; a record that has stood since 1959. Vernon could turn well-placed bunts into outs and he could stop the hard one-hop smash that would have eaten up most First Basemen and turn it into a 3-6-3 Double Play. A lifetime .286 Hitter. Hit. 300 only four times, but he could occasionally “dial it up” leading the AL in hitting twice in 1946 (.353) and in 1953 (.337). Played from 1939 to 1960 and is a four decade player.
Vada Pinson: Had Doubles to Home Run power and was great batting #3 in the Red’s lineup ahead of Frank Robinson. Had over 2,500 Hits.
Roger Maris: 61 in ’61. Enough Said!
Lou Burdette: 203-144; a .590 Winning Percentage. Two 20 Win Seasons and win totals in the high teens several times. Famous for his 3 Wins in the 1957 World Series, including a Game 7 shutout over the Yankees, he had two Shutouts and three Complete Games with a 0.67 ERA.
Elroy Face: Somehow, Hoyt Wilhelm has gotten the credit of being the best Reliever in the Majors of the late 50’s and early 60’s, when Face actually was.
Danny Murtaugh: Led the Pittsburgh Pirates to the 1960 and 1971 World Championships and numerous division titles. He would have accomplished much more and probably have been elected to the Hall of Fame already if not for his sudden at age 59.
Thanks again to Dennis O., for adding some input. We certainly encourage you all to do the same!
Of note the sixteen men who will be voting on this committee are:
Hall of Fame players, Jim Bunning, Rod Carew, Ferguson Jenkins, Al Kaline, Ozzie Smith and Don Sutton. Executives, Pat Gillick, Jim Frey, David Glass, Roland Hemond and Bob Watson. Media & Historians, Steve Hirdt, Dick Kaegel, Phil Pepe and Tracy Ringolsby.
What do all of you think will transpire with this vote?
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