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.
Wilbur Wood began his first five seasons in the Majors with Boston and Pittsburgh, but he did not accomplish much of note. He was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1966, and after a year in the minors and developing the knuckleball, he would become one of the better Pitchers in ChiSox history. Wood essentially had two careers in Chicago, where he began as a closer, leading the American League in Games Pitched annually from 1968 to 1970, and in the bookend years, he was first in Games Finished. Wood moved the starting rotation, and from 1971 to 1974, he was…
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. From 1914 to 1920, Vaughn was one of…
Bobby Veach played most of his career with the Detroit Tigers, where he showed off a good bat and good speed.
Elston Howard's professional career began in the Negro Leagues with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1948, but the New York Yankees signed him in 1950. After two years in the military and two years in the minors, Howard debuted in pinstripes in 1955. Howard had learned how to be a Catcher, but with Yogi Berra in tow, he was used as a backup there. He would receive playing time in the 1950s, either as a backup in the Outfield or occasionally at First Base. Playing for the Yankees gave him national attention, and he was regularly named to the All-Star Games despite not…
Jimmy Key played his entire career in the American League East, dividing between three teams, Toronto, New York, and Baltimore, finding success with all three clubs. Key’s foray into the Majors first came with the Blue Jays, where he was used in late relief as a rookie. That year ended his bullpen days, as Toronto promoted him to the starting rotation, and he was an All-Star. Key would remain an essential figure in the Jays’ staff, winning the ERA Title in 1987 when he was the runner-up for the Cy Young. Key was again an All-Star in 1991, and the following year, he…
While Jason Giambi is better known as an inflated PED user, the fact remains that he was a very good hitter and a former American League MVP. Giambi would go to five consecutive All-Star Games and blast 440 Home Runs with a .516 career Slugging Percentage over a twenty-year career. He would also show solid plate discipline with three On Base Percentage Titles and retired with a very good 50.4 bWAR. As we predicted, Giambi did not escape the first ballot. That is a shame, as he had a career worthy of a second look from Cooperstown.
Dolph Camilli came up with the Chicago Cubs, and they arguably gave up on him as he was prone to strikeouts, and he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. With Philly, he still struck out a lot but was developing a strong power game. In 1935, through 1937, the First Baseman would have at least 25 Home Runs, and in the latter two years, he would bat over .310. In that last season, Camilli would have a league-leading On Base Percentage (.446). In what would be a surprise move, the Brooklyn Dodgers traded for him, and he would help the "Bums" become contenders. Camilli…
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." Wells was an excellent control pitcher who led the American League in BB/9 four times and was in the top ten in that stat 12 times. He also led the AL in SO/BB once (1998), and again, he was in the top ten in that metric 11 times. Wells, who threw a perfect game…
Larry Jackson played for some good teams, but never any great ones (he never played in the postseason). As such, Jackson never made the 200 Win club, but his value as an innings eater was essential to the success of many of his teams. Once Larry Jackson worked his way permanently into the Cardinals’ rotation, he seemingly never left. Jackson would become the ace of many average teams and would go on to set the modern record for right-handers in Wins without winning a pennant. Still, he parlayed his famous slider to a Cy Young runner-up in 1964, and though…
Lew Burdette was the star right-hander for the Milwaukee Braves in the 1950s, but his career was a tad on the complicated side to dissect. Burdette made his first appearance in the Majors for the Braves in 1950, but he was not a permanent member of the roster until 1952. Burdette became a top hurler in 1953, and from 1953 to 1961, he had at least 15 Wins every year but 1955. Burdette won the National League ERA Title in 1956 (2.70), and the year after, he was the World Series MVP in what would be the Braves' only World Series Championship…
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 move better. “Big Klu” debuted in the Majors in 1947 with the Cincinnati Reds, and the big First Baseman was a starter a couple of years later. From 1953 to 1956, Kluszewski was an All-Star and one of the premier hitters in the National League. Winning the Home Run Title in 1954 with 49, Kluszewski was also first in RBIs…
Matt Williams was a cornerstone of the San Francisco Giants for a decade (1987-96), during which he played in the infield, alternating between Third Base and Shortstop. Williams broke out in 1990 when he had 33 Home Runs, a league-leading 122 Runs Batted In, and he went to his first All-Star Game. 1990 also marked the start of a 10-year streak of at least 20 Home Runs, and he won the Home Run Title in 1994, which also began a three-year run of All-Star Game appearances. In 1991, 1993, 1994, and 1997, Williams won both the Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger,…
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. Rowe had his best year early, as in his second season, he posted a 24-8 record and led the American League in SO/BB (1.84). Rowe was fourth in MVP voting, and he helped the Tigers win the American League Pennant, though they lost to the Cardinals. The year after, Rowe was an All-Star, won the SO/BB Title again, and, more importantly, he helped Detroit win the World Series. The remainder of Rowe’s career was marked…
The story of Howard Ellsworth "Smoky Joe" Wood is typical in that we have a power pitcher who was dominant for a short time, only for arm fatigue to cause an early end of his pitching career (though he would continue to play, but we'll get to that later) Wood debuted for the Red Sox as a teenager in 1908, and in 1910, he went 12-13 with a 1.69 ERA. The year after, he won 23 games and led the American League in FIP (2.13) and SO/9 (7.5), and he was viewed as one of the hardest throwers in baseball. 1912 would…
Darryl Strawberry was at one time the most feared hitter in the National League, and a case could be made that he was also the most recognized. Drafted first overall in 1980, Strawberry debuted with the Mets in 1983, winning the Rookie of the Year. The electric Outfielder was an All-Star in 1984 and would be again the next six seasons in New York. Strawberry was one of the reasons that Mets fans came to the park, hoping to see one of his Home Runs, and every year as a Met, he delivered at least 25 of them, including a league-leading 39…
Brett Butler was only an All-Star once, but don’t let that fact mislead you into what was one hell of a baseball player. Playing from 1981 to 1997, Butler came up through the Atlanta Braves organization and won the first of his four Triple Crowns in 1983, his last year in an Atlanta uniform. The speedy Centerfielder had 38 Stolen Bases that week, and while he never finished first in that stat, that season began a 13-year streak of at least 25 SB. Butler was traded to the Cleveland Indians, where he again won the Triples Title (1986), but he returned…
From 1895 to 1899, Harry Davis was either a budding journeyman or a future star. He played for four different teams in the National League and had a 28 Triple year in 1897 while batting .305. Davis was in the minors for all of 1900, and Connie Mack, the owner/manager of the Philadelphia Athletics, saw him as a building block for his brand new American League franchise, and he was one of their first signees.
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Gavy Cravath did not make the Majors until he was 27, where he spent 94 Games in 1908. He did not make the best impression, and the following year he bounced around the minors, with stints with the Chicago White Sox and Washington Senators, before returning to the minors. It would have been easy to think that this would be it for the slow-footed Rightfielder, but he found a home in Philadelphia in 1912. The Phillies had an unlikely star in Cravath, who became one of the best power hitters of the dead-ball era. Philadelphia played its home games in the Baker Bowl,…
Mickey Vernon arrived in the Majors in 1939 with the Washington Senators, and he was entrenched as their starting First Baseman in 1941. Vernon would do well in the early 40s, with three straight 145-plus Hit seasons before World War II, and he would miss 1944 and 1945. When he returned, he would take his place in the upper tier of First Basemen. The popular player would be named an All-Star in 1946, leading the American League in Doubles (51) and Batting Average (.353), and he would place fifth in MVP voting. Vernon was an All-Star again in 1948 and would join the Cleveland…
