Baseball
Established in 1936, and currently based in Cooperstown, New York, the Baseball Hall of Fame may be the most prestigious of any Sports Hall of Fame. Although Baseball may have taken a backseat to Football in recent years, there is no doubt that Baseball’s version of the Hall of Fame is by far the most relevant and the most difficult to get enshrined in. At present, a player has to receive seventy five percent of the votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America, which has proven to be no easy task. Failing that, a player could be inducted by the Veterans committee, though few have been inducted this way. Our list will focus on the players only, and although we could easily do a tally focusing on mangers, broadcasters or other vital personnel, as always it is far more enjoyable to discuss the merits of those on the field as oppose to those off of it.Until Then, Let’s get some peanuts and cracker jacks and cast some votes of our own!
Sincerely,
The Not in Hall of Committee.
There were two Pitchers in baseball who were named Dutch Leonard. The first was Hubert “Dutch” Leonard, who was a lefthander who had a 139-113 record with two World Series Championships with the Boston Red Sox. The second was Emil John “Dutch” Leonard, a righthander who may not have had a World Series Ring, but had a much longer tenure and was one of the better knuckleballers in baseball history.
Sam McDowell had one of the most unimposing, yet correct nicknames. When you hear the name "Sudden" Sam, you aren't sure what to think, but what does a "sudden" Pitcher mean? For McDowell, it is in reference to his rapid delivery and the strong odds that he would strike you out.
Camilo Pascual left Cuba in 1951 at the age of 17, and a year later, he was part of the Washington Senators farm system. Pasucal was impressive, and he made the main roster in Washington in 1954.
Silver King is quite the name, isn't it? This was the name of the man whose birth certificate stated, Charles Frederick Koenig, but doesn't this name sound more fun?
Lew Burdette was the star righthander for the Milwaukee Braves in the 1950s, but his career was a tad on the complicated side to dissect.
Lon Warneke played his entire career in the National League, splitting his run with rivals Chicago and St. Louis.
Cesar Cedeno played the first twelve of his seventeen-year career with the Houston Astros, and it was there where he established himself as one of the best baserunners of the 1970s.
One of the most underrated players in Baseball's history has to be George Uhle, a Pitcher who spent most of his career with the Cleveland Indians and won an even 200 Games.
Before there was Ernie Banks, there was Phil Cavarretta, who many in Chicago referred to as "Mr. Cub," before that was universally bestowed upon Banks.
Historically speaking, one of the most important Pitchers in Latin America is Dennis Martinez, and he was also one of the most tenured.
One of the most underappreciated members of New York Yankees folklore, Charlie "King Kong" Keller was known for his incredible strength and corresponding Home Runs, but he probably should be more known for his plate discipline. Keller would twice lead the American League in Walks and had an On Base Percentage over .400 seven times, six of which were enough to put him in the top ten that year. He would also lead the AL in OPS in 1943.
One of the more interesting characters of the game, David "Boomer" Wells, played 21 seasons in the Majors for nine different teams, three of which he had two stints. Wells longevity allowed him to amass a record of 239-157 with 2,201 Strikeouts, but don't view him as a "compiler."
James Leslie “Hippo” Vaughn appeared in two games for the New York Highlanders (later to be the Yankees) in 1908, and after a full year in the minors, he had a promising 1910 campaign with a 13-11 record and an ERA of 1.83. It wasn’t quite the springboard to greatness, as he struggled over the next three seasons, going back and forth from the minors, and bouncing to the Washington Senators and then the Chicago Cubs. In the Windy City, he would live up to that potential that New York fans saw in 1910.
When you have a name like Dizzy Trout, you expect that you have a unique and colorful character on your hands. Trout fit the bill, and while the validity of many of the stories surrounding him might not be valid, he was unquestionably an excellent Pitcher.
Matt Williams was a cornerstone of the San Francisco Giants for a decade (1987-96), where he played in the infield, switching between Third Base and Shortstop.
In 1931, Paul Derringer had a very good rookie year where he went 18-8 and helped his St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series. He had a poor 1932 season, and he was traded early in ’33 to the Cincinnati Reds, and his year ended with an abysmal 7-27 record. It would slowly turn around for Derringer after that.
While the career of Jose Canseco was beset with controversy regarding his steroid use, the players he would later accuse of taking PEDS, and his off-field shenanigans, there should be no doubt that during his prime, he was pegged as a future Hall of Famer.
Ted Kluszewski was a monster in his day. This was not just in regards to his tape measure Home Runs, but that he was such an imposing physical specimen that he cut off the sleeves of his uniform so that his arms could better move.
Lynwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was a Texas boy through and through, and when he joined the Detroit Tigers in 1933, the Michigan fans loved the superstitious Pitcher.