Duff Cooley

[Cowtipper]

Duff Cooley played in the big leagues from 1893 to 1905, hitting .294 with 1,579 hits, 102 triples, 224 stolen bases and 849 runs scored. He scored over 100 runs three times, hit at least 10 triples four times and stole at least 20 bases five times. From 1895 to 1898, he hit .323 with 447 runs scored and 105 triples, averaging 112 runs, 179 hits, 13 triples and 26 steals a year.

The outfielder, who led the league in at-bats in 1897 and in OF putouts in 1898, is statistically similar to one Hall of Famer, according to Baseball-Reference: Frank Chance. He is also similar to Lance Johnson, Chick Stahl, Chicken Wolf, Luis Polonia, Ginger Beaumont, Steve Brodie, Amos Strunk, Dan McGann and Max Flack. Through age 22, he was most similar to Hall of Famer Fred Clarke. He is ranked #1209 on the Fan EloRater, ahead of Bump Wills, Jim Essian and Charlie Comiskey, but behind Ivan Calderon, Dick Stuart and Doc Gessler.

What do you think about Duff Cooley? Should he be in the Hall of Fame? Did he have Hall of Fame potential?

[jjpm74]

What do you think about Duff Cooley? Should he be in the Hall of Fame? Did he have Hall of Fame potential?

Duff Cooley belongs in the Hall of Awesome Names.

[jalbright]

He came up at age 20 and rang up a career OPS+ of 103. He only had four seasons above average, never a WAR over 2.9 (per BBref), and over his career was below average. He did have problems staying in the lineup, whether due to health, his play or a combination of the two. What exactly would make anyone think he even had HOF potential?

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Duff Cooley belongs in the Hall of Awesome Names.

Yeah, his name sounds like he should have on the TV show "The White Shadow' as one of the Carver High's basketball players! "Now starting at point guard, Duff Cooley from Compton..."

[Cowtipper]

He came up at age 20 and rang up a career OPS+ of 103. He only had four seasons above average, never a WAR over 2.9 (per BBref), and over his career was below average. He did have problems staying in the lineup, whether due to health, his play or a combination of the two. What exactly would make anyone think he even had HOF potential?

1895 to 1898 wasn't too shabby. Only four players had at least 700 hits and 50 triples in that span: Ed Delahanty, Joe Kelley, George Van Haltren and Cooley. That's pretty impressive company.