My Negro League Ratings

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  • bluesky5
    Registered User
    • May 2011
    • 20216

    My Negro League Ratings

    I'm going to post my rankings of NeL players in my personal HoF. I'd love some feedback from more knowledgeable folks just in case some of this doesn't jive with accepted opinion. I tried to do the best with the information I could gather or already knew.

    Do the rankings match with contemporary opinion?
    Are there any players/contributors I missed considered better/more important than ones I have listed?
    Did I get any of the outfielders in the wrong outfield position?

    Catcher
    1. Josh Gibson - Homestead Grays
    2. Louis Santop - Hilldale Daisies
    3. Biz Mackey - Hilldale Daisies
    4. Double Duty Radcliffe - Chicago American Giants
    5. Quincy Trouppe - KC Monarchs
    6. Bruce Petway - Chicago American Giants

    First Base
    1. Mule Suttles - St. Louis Stars
    2. Buck Leonard - Homestead Grays
    3. Ben Taylor - Indianapolis ABC's

    Second Base
    1. Home Run Johnson - Brooklyn Royal Giants
    2. Martin Dihigo - Habana Lions
    3. Frank Grant - Cuban Giants
    4. Charlie Grant - Philadelphia Giants
    5. Sol White - Philadelphia Giants

    Shortstop
    1. Pop Lloyd - Lincoln Giants
    2. Perucho Cepeda - Santurce Crabbers
    3. Willie Wells - St. Louis Stars

    Third Base
    1. Jud Wilson - Baltimore Black Sox
    2. John Beckwith - Chicago Giants
    3. Bill Monroe - Brooklyn Royal Giants
    4. Judy Johnson - Hilldale Daisies
    5. Ray Dandridge - Newark Eagles

    Left Field
    1. Turkey Stearnes - Detroit Stars
    2. Monte Irvin - Newark Eagles | NY Giants

    Center Field
    1. Oscar Charleston - Pittsburgh Crawfords
    2. Cool Papa Bell - Pittsburgh Crawfords
    3. Cristobal Torriente - Chicago American Giants
    4. Pete Hill - Chicago American Giants
    5. Spot Poles - Lincoln Giants
    6. Alejandro Oms - Cuban Stars East

    Right Field
    1. Willard Brown - KC Monarchs
    2. Chino Smith - Brooklyn Royal Giants

    Pitchers
    1. Satchel Paige - KC Monarchs
    2. Smoky Joe Williams - Homestead Grays
    3. Bullet Rogan - KC Monarchs
    4. Ray Brown - Homestead Grays
    5. Rube Foster - Chicago American Giants
    6. Bill Foster - Chicago American Giants
    7. Jose Mendez - Almendares Blues
    8. Dick Redding - Brooklyn Royal Giants
    9. George Stovey - Cuban Giants
    10. Leon Day - Newark Eagles
    11. Andy Cooper - KC Monarchs
    12. Hilton Smith - KC Monarchs
    13. Double Duty Radcliffe - Chicago American Giants

    Contributors
    (in no order)
    Bud Fowler
    Ed Bolden
    Sol White
    Buck O'Neill
    Alex Pompez
    Cumberland Posey
    J.L. Wilkinson
    Last edited by bluesky5; 03-12-2022, 01:02 PM.
    "No matter how great you were once upon a time — the years go by, and men forget,” - W. A. Phelon in Baseball Magazine in 1915. “Ross Barnes, forty years ago, was as great as Cobb or Wagner ever dared to be. Had scores been kept then as now, he would have seemed incomparably marvelous.”
  • Tyrus4189Cobb
    Gator wrastler
    • May 2007
    • 5586

    #2
    Not very knowledgeable on the Negro Leagues, but I don't think I'd have Bill Monroe as #1 third baseman.
    "Allen Sutton Sothoron pitched his initials off today."--1920s article

    Comment

    • bluesky5
      Registered User
      • May 2011
      • 20216

      #3
      Originally posted by Tyrus4189Cobb View Post
      Not very knowledgeable on the Negro Leagues, but I don't think I'd have Bill Monroe as #1 third baseman.
      You think Beckwith?
      "No matter how great you were once upon a time — the years go by, and men forget,” - W. A. Phelon in Baseball Magazine in 1915. “Ross Barnes, forty years ago, was as great as Cobb or Wagner ever dared to be. Had scores been kept then as now, he would have seemed incomparably marvelous.”

      Comment

      • jalbright
        Researcher/advocate/mod
        • Mar 2005
        • 23264

        #4
        Of the five you've listed, I'd list them
        1. Wilson
        2. Beckwith
        3. Dandridge
        4. Johnson
        5. Monroe

        The issue with the first two is whether their gloves would suffice. I think they would. Wilson certainly wasn't pretty, but he got the job done and had a pretty good arm. The way Negro League baseball was played, with a lot of small ball, his glove was more of a problem than it would have been in the majors. However, the small rosters made him acceptable in the Negro Leagues even with that style of play. Beckwith's glove is also questioned, but the man did play a lot of shortstop. He may have been overmatched at that spot, but I think if you moved him to third, he'd have been alright. Monroe's available batting data is weaker than his reputation by a substantial margin. I'm at least concerned that his hitting was no more than mediocre. Judy Johnson's hitting was about as good as it could be for someone who didn't have much power nor walk much. His glove was sterling, but he's Pie Traynor lite, and I don't regard that as a compliment. Dandridge had some power and a good glove, but available data shows a low walk rate, which undermines his value in my eyes.
        Seen on a bumper sticker: If only closed minds came with closed mouths.
        Some minds are like concrete--thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
        A Lincoln: I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.

        Comment

        • bluesky5
          Registered User
          • May 2011
          • 20216

          #5
          Thanks Jim!!!
          "No matter how great you were once upon a time — the years go by, and men forget,” - W. A. Phelon in Baseball Magazine in 1915. “Ross Barnes, forty years ago, was as great as Cobb or Wagner ever dared to be. Had scores been kept then as now, he would have seemed incomparably marvelous.”

          Comment

          • westsidegrounds
            Registered User
            • Sep 2003
            • 2606

            #6
            No Hank Thompson???

            Comment

            • Tyrus4189Cobb
              Gator wrastler
              • May 2007
              • 5586

              #7
              Originally posted by bluesky5 View Post
              You think Beckwith?
              No mine is Boojum. Again, hardly an authority on the matter
              "Allen Sutton Sothoron pitched his initials off today."--1920s article

              Comment

              • Tyrus4189Cobb
                Gator wrastler
                • May 2007
                • 5586

                #8
                Bluesky, you have neither Bingo DeMoss nor Newt Allen in your rankings for second base. May I ask why?
                "Allen Sutton Sothoron pitched his initials off today."--1920s article

                Comment

                • jalbright
                  Researcher/advocate/mod
                  • Mar 2005
                  • 23264

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Tyrus4189Cobb View Post
                  Bluesky, you have neither Bingo DeMoss nor Newt Allen in your rankings for second base. May I ask why?
                  Allen could hit, so the question is sensible in his case. BBref has records of 3016 PA, and his average is .227, OBP is .301, and slg is .278. Even if the Negro Leagues were as good as the majors, that's not a good offensive player. However, to add insult to injury, those marks are higher than he'd have earned in the majors. Why would you think a hitter of that quality is one of the best Negro Leaguers ever at a position?
                  Seen on a bumper sticker: If only closed minds came with closed mouths.
                  Some minds are like concrete--thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
                  A Lincoln: I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.

                  Comment

                  • Tyrus4189Cobb
                    Gator wrastler
                    • May 2007
                    • 5586

                    #10
                    Originally posted by jalbright View Post
                    Allen could hit, so the question is sensible in his case. BBref has records of 3016 PA, and his average is .227, OBP is .301, and slg is .278. Even if the Negro Leagues were as good as the majors, that's not a good offensive player. However, to add insult to injury, those marks are higher than he'd have earned in the majors. Why would you think a hitter of that quality is one of the best Negro Leaguers ever at a position?
                    I don't I just hear the names thrown around. After finishing my personal Hall of Fame, I remain unsatisfied with my NeL selections. I'm a small Hall guy, having therefore no desire to go bat crazy with NeLers. They are to be enshrined by the same strict standards as everyone else. Nineteen are enshrined thus far. Several NeLers stand on each side of the borderline; some I've warily inducted, some I've cautiously shut out.
                    "Allen Sutton Sothoron pitched his initials off today."--1920s article

                    Comment

                    • Sabo-metrics
                      Registered User
                      • Apr 2014
                      • 226

                      #11
                      I'm not saying all of these guys should be in the Hall, but here is my current ranking: ( I left bluesky's rankings on the left for reference)

                      (*edit updated since original post)

                      Catcher
                      1. Josh Gibson - Homestead Grays
                      3. Biz Mackey - Hilldale Daisies
                      2. Louis Santop - Hilldale Daisies
                      4. Double Duty Radcliffe - Chicago American Giants

                      Not ranked yet
                      5. Quincy Trouppe - KC Monarchs | Cleveland Indians
                      6. Bruce Petway - Chicago American Giants


                      First Base
                      1. Buck Leonard - Homestead Grays

                      Not ranked yet
                      3. Ben Taylor - Indianapolis ABC's


                      Second Base
                      2. Martin Dihigo - Habana Lions
                      NA Newt Allen -
                      3. Frank Grant - Cuban Giants (could move above Newt)
                      1. Home Run Johnson - Brooklyn Royal Giants - (could move above Newt)
                      3. Bill Monroe - Brooklyn Royal Giants (blusky had him at 3B)
                      NA Geroge Tubby Scales

                      Not ranked yet
                      4. Charlie Grant - Philadelphia Giants
                      5. Sol White - Philadelphia Giants


                      Shortstop
                      1. Pop Lloyd - Lincoln Giants
                      3. Willie Wells - St. Louis Stars
                      2. Perucho Cepeda - Santurce Crabbers


                      Third Base
                      5. Ray Dandridge - Newark Eagles
                      NA Oliver "Ghost" Marcelle -
                      4. Judy Johnson - Hilldale Daisies
                      1. Jud Wilson - Baltimore Black Sox
                      2. John Beckwith - Chicago Giants


                      Left Field
                      2. Mule Suttles - St. Louis Stars

                      Ranked with MLB
                      2. Monte Irvin - Newark Eagles | NY Giants


                      Center Field
                      1. Oscar Charleston - Pittsburgh Crawfords
                      2. Cool Papa Bell - Pittsburgh Crawfords
                      3. Cristobal Torriente - Chicago American Giants
                      4. Pete Hill - Chicago American Giants

                      Not ranked yet
                      5. Spot Poles - Lincoln Giants
                      6. Alejandro Oms - Cuban Stars East


                      Right Field
                      1. Turkey Stearnes - Detroit Stars (bluesky had him at LF)
                      1. Willard Brown - KC Monarchs | St. Louis Browns

                      Not ranked yet
                      2. Chino Smith - Brooklyn Royal Giants


                      Pitchers
                      2. Satchel Paige - KC Monarchs | St. Louis Browns
                      1. Smoky Joe Williams - Homestead Grays
                      5. Rube Foster - Chicago American Giants
                      3. Bullet Rogan - KC Monarchs (He's over Rube if you count hitting)
                      7. Jose Mendez - Almendares Blues
                      12. Hilton Smith - KC Monarchs
                      NA - John Donaldson -
                      6. Bill Foster - Chicago American Giants
                      4. Ray Brown - Homestead Grays
                      10. Leon Day - Newark Eagles
                      11. Andy Cooper - KC Monarchs
                      NA David Barnhill - (may move down, I don't see him ranked on anybody else's list)
                      13. Double Duty Radcliffe - Chicago American Giants
                      8. Dick Redding - Brooklyn Royal Giants (probably moving up)
                      NA Slim Jones (tough to rank because he was short-lived)

                      Not ranked yet
                      9. George Stovey - Cuban Giants
                      Last edited by Sabo-metrics; 03-06-2017, 08:30 PM.

                      Comment

                      • SWCBaseball
                        Registered User
                        • Jun 2018
                        • 247

                        #12
                        Catcher - Josh Gibson; Biz Mackey
                        First Base - Buck Leonard, Mules Suttles, Ben Taylor

                        Comment

                        • bluesky5
                          Registered User
                          • May 2011
                          • 20216

                          #13
                          Sabo-metrics, these rankings might have changed since I first posted that. I'm pretty sure I have Torriente & Pete Hill ahead of Cool Papa Bell.
                          "No matter how great you were once upon a time — the years go by, and men forget,” - W. A. Phelon in Baseball Magazine in 1915. “Ross Barnes, forty years ago, was as great as Cobb or Wagner ever dared to be. Had scores been kept then as now, he would have seemed incomparably marvelous.”

                          Comment

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