One of the main staples of this website is to discuss the overlooked.  We certainly are not the only ones to do this, as other websites and blogs discuss those they feel are Hall of Fame-worthy, but no matter how you slice it, it is hard to find anyone with more HOF credentials who has been completely abandoned than George Van Haltren.

A star of the last decade of the 1800’s, Van Haltren was a hitting machine who slapped away at singles like they were mosquitoes.  He was constantly in the top ten in multiple Batting categories, and he was a huge asset with his glove, as he led the league three times in outfield assists.  In addition, he could be called upon to pitch when needed and actually finished his career with a respectable won-loss record of 40- 31.  With over 2,500 career hits and 1,600 career runs, how is it possible that he is not even on the radar?

Another forgotten star in the pre-Babe Ruth era was Larry Doyle, who was easily amongst the most likable players of his era.  Not only was he a natural favorite, but he was also one of the most consistent players.

Larry Doyle was above average in almost every category and put together a monster 1912 campaign, during which he won the 1911 MVP.  Although he had many very good seasons, his three World Series appearances were less than stellar, and he failed to lead his team to any championship.  Had he kept to the standards he set from April to September, it could be imagined that Larry Doyle would have been a serious Hall of Fame candidate, as opposed to the remote possibility he is today.  He famously quipped that it “was good to be young and a Giant.” It would have been better to be labeled as immortal.

An argument has been made that Ross Barnes was the greatest baseball player of all time in the League.  Unfortunately, that aforementioned League was the National Association, not the current Leagues known today.

The argument about Ross Barnes’ skills is easy to make.  He led the Baseball Association in both traditional and sabermetric categories multiple times and was called the most valuable teammate among his peers; many of whom would go on to Cooperstown themselves.  In 1877, Barnes fell ill with a severe fever and was never the same player afterward.  He was out of baseball by age 31, and many have speculated that had he not suffered from poor health, he would have been elected as a pioneer of the game.  As it stands now, he is a forgotten workhorse of a bygone era, and bluntly, we are not even sure eligible, as he only played nine seasons.  We know what that means in this century, but is that still the case for Barnes?

If you think that all of the Turn of the Century Baseball Players who should be in the Hall of Fame are already in, then we ask you to think again.  We offer you the case of “Bad” Bill Dahlen, whose Hall of Fame campaign is being championed by sabremetricians and traditionalists alike.

At the time of Bill Dahlen’s retirement, he was the all-time League Leader in Games Played and was in the top ten in many other key offensive categories.  Granted, this was still early in the game’s history, but Dahlen remains entrenched in the top 100 in several categories.  Dahlen was adept at getting on base even when his Batting Average slipped.  While he was powerful in the dead-ball era of early baseball, his greatest gift was his glove, where he was one of the game’s first Defensive superstars.  Had he played today, he might have become well known for his surly demeanor, as he was antisocial and prone to outbursts.

On the last pre-1943 Veterans Committee Ballot, “Bad” Bill Dahlen did not fare well in the voting.  Dahlen may be considered a huge omission by many, but the Veterans Committee does not appear to be among those who think so.  It is unlikely that this will change the next time the vote is held on that era.