With all the talk about the upcoming Hall of Fame vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame, it is easy to forget at the Winter Meetings that will happen on December 6th and the 7th, that the Veteran’s Committee will be meeting to discuss other nominees for Cooperstown.
This year the committee in question is the Pre-Integration Era Committee, which reflects players and administrators prior to 1947, the year in which the color line was breached by Jackie Robinson.
Before we get into the candidates they are discussing, it is worth noting a regular criticism that has been made is that these are players who at this point, nobody on the committee has seen live, and during a time when great African-American players were not allowed to participate.
Still, this is a committee that three years ago inducted three people (especially notable as the writer’s ballot yielded nobody) with former player, Deacon White, umpire, Hank O’Day and executive, Jacob Ruppert were chosen.
16 men comprise the Pre-Integration Era committee, which are:
Chuck Armstrong (Former President of the Seattle Mariners), Bert Blyleven (Hall of Fame player), Bobby Cox (Hall of Fame manager), Bill DeWitt (Managing Partner of the St. Louis Cardinals), Pat Gillick (Hall of Fame Executive), Steve Hirdt (Elias Sports Bureau), Rick Hummel (St. Louis Post Dispatch), Gary Hughes (Boston Red Sox Scout), Peter Morris (Historian), Phil Niekro (Hall of Fame player), Jack O’Connell (BBWAA), Claire Smith (Historian), Tal Smith (Former Executive), T. R. Sullivan (Historian), Gary Thorne (Historian) and Tim Wendell (Historian).
To get inducted, a candidate must receive 75% of the vote, thus obtain at least 12 votes.
The ten candidates are:
Doc Adams, a very early player in New York and multi-time president of the New York Knickerbockers. Adams is credited with many of the modern rules of the game including instituting the Shortstop position, placing bases 90 feet apart and eliminating outs being recorded after one bounce.
Sam Breadon, the owner of the St. Louis Cardinals from 1920 to 1947. The Cardinals would win six World Series Championships in that time frame. Breadon was on the 2013 ballot but received three votes or less.
Bill Dahlen, a Shortstop who was a World Series winner in 1905 and is currently a sabremetric darling. Dahlen was on the 2013 ballot and received 10 votes. He is ranked #8 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Wes Ferrell, a Pitcher who was a two time All Star. Ferrell was on the 2013 ballot and received 3 votes or less. He is ranked #26 on Notinhalloffame.com.
August Herrmann, a former executive who was the President of the Cincinnati Reds from 1902 to 1927.
Marty Marion, a Shortstop who was a former MVP who won three World Series Championships. Marion was on the 2013 ballot and received 3 votes or less. He is ranked #69 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Frank McCormick, a First Basemen who is a former MVP and eight time All Star. He is unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Harry Stovey, a First Basemen who led the NL in Home Runs in 1891. Stovey was ranked in the past by Notinhalloffame.com, however was removed upon the elimination of all 1800’s players.
Chris von der Ahe, who was the owner of the St. Louis Brown Stockings, which are now known as the St. Louis Cardinals.
Bucky Walters, a Pitcher who won the World Series in 1939 and the National League MVP in 1940. Walters was on the 2013 ballot but received 3 votes or less. He is ranked #65 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Based on the 2013 vote, it is possible that Dahlen may have a decent shot at induction, but it is more conceivable that a goose egg appears instead.
What will happen with this group, and are the criticisms correct and should the Pre-Integration period cease generating discussion?
As always, eyes will be on Cooperstown this winter and the prospects of membership growth!
A look at the Pre-Integration Baseball HOF Candidates
- Written by Committee Chairman
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Published in Not in Hall of Fame News
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Read 2466 times
05 Dec
2015
2015
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