Albright's musings

[jalbright]

Jud Wilson ELECTED BBF HOF

He has a solid array of accolades to point to:
1) He's been selected to the Baseball Think Factory "Hall of Merit";
2) He finished 26th in the SABR poll which attempted to rank Negro League luminaries;
3) he was named as both the third team first baseman and the third-team third baseman in the Pittsburgh Courier poll;
4) he was named as a Hall of Fame caliber player by 80% ot the Negro League historians polled for Cool Papas and Double Duties; and
5) Elected to Cooperstown in 2006.

The data we have on Wilson against major leaguers in exhibitons shows 31 hits in 86 at bats with 3 homers, a .360 average.

The Baseball Think Factory guys project Wilson as a career 336/431/447 hitter with 2845 career hits. That projection puts him behind only one man who has become eligible for Cooperstown who is not in: Harold Baines, with 2866 career hits. Baines was good, but not a comparable quality hitter 289/359/465 for his career, especially in terms of on-base ability. Another way of looking at it is there's only one eligible man with 2700 or more hits and a career average over .300 who isn't in Cooperstown. That one man is Al Oliver, a career 303/348/451 hitter with 2743 career hits. Oliver also loses out to the Wilson projection due to inferior OBP.

The BTF guys peg Wilson at 378 career win shares, a best five of 140, and top three of 34, 31 and 28. As a guy who favors career value, I'd put him above the excellent Ron Santo (322; 162; and 37, 36, and 32). If you are one who values peak over career, I'd say you should put him over Brooks Robinson (355; 130; 33, 27 and 25).

From pages 120-121 of William McNeil's Cool Papas and Double Duties:

Wilson . . . packed a solid 185 pounds on a squat 5' 8" body. He had massive shoulders and a huge chest that tapered down to a small waist, and short, bowed legs . . .

He led the . . . . Eastern Colored League in batting in his sophomore year, crushing the ball to the tune of .464. He followed with seasons averages of .394, .397, .358, .412, .375, .346 and .371 . . . [H]e [then] played two years with the Grays, hitting .362 and .370, before jumping to the Philadelphia Stars where he played for six years. All he hit in Philly was .354, .412, .309, .380 and .319. He added three more batting championships [in the two years he hit .412 and the one he hit .380}. . . . He also led the league in doubles, triples and home runs, once each.

When he retired from the Negro Leagues, he left behind a .354 lifetime batting average, the highest average for any player with more than 2000 at bats . . . .

Jud Wilson was primarily a hitter, but he could also handle himself in the field and on the bases. He had good speed and was an aggressive baserunner . . . . On defense, he played first base and third base, both acceptably. He was not flashy, and he was not graceful, but somehow he got the job done. At third base, he was noted for knocking balls down with his chest, then picking them up and throwing the runner out.

Jud Wilson made the annual trek south in the winter to play in the Cuban Winter League. He spent six . . . winters there and almost destroyed the pitching staffs [in that league]. He raked opposing pitchers for averages of .430, .333, .424, .397 and .363 . . . . In all, Wilson won two batting championships in Cuba (the two seasons over .400] . . . . He also led the league in runs scored twice, triples once, home runs once, and stolen bases once. His career batting average in Cuba was .372, which is the highest batting average in Cuban baseball history . . . .

He also played in the California Winter League against major league players during the winter of 1930-31 and he hit .469 in fifteen games. And he played one year in the Puerto Rican Winter League, where he hit .404 as a 45-year-old graybeard.

Overall, Jud Wilson hit .354 in the Negro Leagues with 30 doubles, 6 triples and 13 home runs [per 550 AB]. . . In Cuba, he averaged .372 with 27 doubles, 19 triples and 13 home runs [per 550 AB].

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Cannonball Dick Redding ELECTED BBF HOF

The accolades for him include:
1) Finishing on the second team in the Pittsburgh Courier poll;
2) Finishing 21st in the SABR poll ranking Negro League luminaries; and
3) Receiving mention as HOF worthy by 80% of the Negro League historians polled for Cool Papas and Double Duties.

The Baseball Think Factory guys project him for a 230-177 record, which yields 183 Fibonacci win points. Their projection goes on to calculate he earned 270 career win shares with a best 5 consecutive of 120 and a top 3 of 40, 33 and 27. I'd say that puts him between Hal Newhouser (264 career, 157 best 5 consecutive, top three of 38, 35 and 33 and 177 Fibonacci) and Ted Lyons (311 career, 110 best 5 consecutive, top 3 of 30, 26 and 23 and 168 Fibonacci).

William McNeil in Cool Papas and Double Duties describes Redding as being 6' 4" and weighing 210. He also indicates Redding utilized a "deceptive back to the batter windup that kept batters from digging in." page 108.

From Jim Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues, pages 654 -655:

One of the great pitchers of black baseball, Dick Redding's overpowering speed earned [him] . . . the nickname "Cannonball" . . . . During his prime years in the decade of the 1910s, he maintained a position among the top pitchers in black baseball . . . . Redding was credited with 30 no-hitters against all levels of competition . . . .

A hard worker with exceptional stamina, in his prime years he often pitched doubleheaders two or three days in succession. Redding usually finished what he started . . . . Although generally calm and collected on the mound, especially when protecting a lead, he sometimes lost his composure when opponents jumped off to a quick start from errors by his teammates. . . .

The advent of World War I interrupted Redding's career while still at its peak. . . . [H]e relied almost exclusively on his fastball and would not hesitate to use it to know a batter down to assert his dominion.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Lawrence (a Negro League historian) accumulated data on Negro League players for an APBA set of franchise all stars. Redding's data is for the New York Lincoln Giants, who he played for in his prime of 1911-1916. Lawrence's data have Redding winning 78% of his games against other top Negro League competition in those years with 8 strikeouts per nine innings in an era in which it was nearly seen as a mortal sin to strike out and a 4.0 strikeout to walk ratio. He was durable as well and earned a spot as a second team pitcher on the Pittsburgh Courier poll in 1952, a poll whose one notable flaw is its favoritism of players that the polled fans would have seen more recently than a comparative old timer like Redding.

I'll add to this a fine analysis by AG2004, which I have edited slightly:

1. Was he ever regarded as the best player in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best player in baseball?

There were some contemporaries who said he was among the best pitchers in baseball, which would put him among the best players in baseball.

2. Was he the best player on his team?

During his peak years, he was.

3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position?

He wasn’t the best pitcher in baseball at his peak – both Alexander and Johnson were better. However, he was the best pitcher in the Negro Leagues during the late 1910s.

4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races?

The question is not truly applicable in Redding’s case; there were no organized leagues for him to play in during his peak years.

5. Was he good enough that he could play regularly after passing his prime?

Yes.

6. Is he the very best baseball player in history who is not in the Hall of Fame?

No.

7. Are most players who have comparable statistics in the Hall of Fame?

Chris Cobb credits Redding with 267 career win shares, with his three peak seasons at 40, 33, 27. Since Redding was in the military during parts of the 1918 and 1919 seasons, we’ll take 1915-17 and 1920-21 as representing Redding’s best five consecutive seasons. That would give us 140 WS during those five years. (Cobb would give Redding about 18 WS for war credit. That would lower Redding’s peak to about 130-132 WS).

Career WS, contemporary P: Eppa Rixey 315, Red Faber 292, Burleigh Grimes 286, REDDING 267+war credit, Walker Cooper 266, Waite Hoyt 262, Carl Mays 256, Stan Coveleski 245, Babe Adams 243, Dazzy Vance 241, Dolf Luque 241. This is generally Cooperstown territory, with Coveleski and Vance also in the BBFHOF.

Top three seasons, contemporary P: Three Finger Brown 105, REDDING 100, Dazzy Vance 94, Red Faber 93, Carl Mays 92, Burleigh Grimes 91, Stan Coveleski 90, Smokey Joe Wood 90. Redding is in very good shape.

Top five seasons, contemporary P: Stan Coveleski 142, Carl Mays 140, REDDING 140, Wilbur Cooper 133, Shocker 128, Vaughn 128. Redding right at the cutoff line if we ignore the partial seasons of 1918 and 1919; he would fall between Cooper and Shocker if we give compensation for his time in the military, though.

8. Do the player's numbers meet Hall of Fame standards?

I don’t know. The 114 lifetime ERA+ Cobb would award him is a little low.

9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics?

The organized Negro Leagues didn’t get started until the second half of his career, which means the statistics from that time capture only the decline phase of his career, and miss his peak. We have decent statistics from the 1910s, though.

10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame?

No. Just among Negro League pitchers, I would rate Mendez ahead of Redding.

11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close?

Holway awards Redding with three George Stovey Awards, his Negro League equivalent to the Cy Young. A pitcher with Redding’s record would have been second in WS among AL pitchers in 1915, and second among NL pitchers in 1915, 1916, and 1917.

12. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the players who played in this many All-Star games go into the Hall of Fame?

By Cobb’s projections, Redding would have had four seasons that would have placed him among the top four pitchers in the NL, with another season placing him sixth. That’s a little low for pitchers. Redding would have had just two seasons among the top four pitchers in the AL, with one season at fifth and another at sixth. That’s really low.

13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant?

During his peak years, yes.

14. What impact did the player have on baseball history? Was he responsible for any rule changes? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way?

Not that I know of.

15. Did the player uphold the standards of sportsmanship and character that the Hall of Fame, in its written guidelines, instructs us to consider?

All the testimonials I have seen say Redding definitely upheld those standards.

CONCLUSION: Redding looks worthy of BBFHOF.

[jalbright]

Willie Foster ELECTED BBF HOF

His list of accolades is rather impressive:
1) enshrined in Cooperstown;
2) selected to the Baseball Think Factory "Hall of Merit";
3) on the first team in the Pittsburgh Courier poll; and
4) finished 18th in the SABR poll ranking luminaries of the Negro Leagues.

Bill James in his latest Historical Abstract indicates Foster was the best pitcher in the Negro Leagues in three different seasons, 1927, 1931, and 1932. The Baseball Think Factory guys calculate that he earned 49 Black Ink points in the Negro Leagues and 97 Gray Ink points.

The Baseball Think Factory guys project him as deserving of a 212-136 record, worth 205 Fibonacci win points. They also project him at 254 career win shares, 131 in his best 5 consecutive, and top three of 33, 28 and 27. In my opinion, those marks are deserving of a slot between Ted Lyons (311 career, 110 best 5 consecutive, top three of 30, 26 and 23 and 168 Fibonacci) and Jim Bunning (252 career, 100 best 5 consecutive, top three of 30, 27 and 26 with a Fibonacci of 163).

William McNeil on page 203 of Cool Papas and Double Duties says Willie Foster "is generally considered to be the greatest left-handed pitcher in Negro league history."

Fom Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues, page 292:

Willie Foster was a pitching star for the Chicago American Giants for over a decade. With near-perfect control and a wide assortment of pitches, [many] delivered with the same motion, the tall left-hander was at his best when the stakes were the highest. With a crucial game to win, Willie was the kind of pitcher a manager wanted on the mound. He was a smart pitcher who knew how to get the most out of his vast repertory of pitches, which included a blazing fastball, a fast-breaking drop, a sidearm curve, and a masterful change of pace.

Foster's post 1920 statistics from Shadows of Glory, expressed in 275 IP form:

games     GS  	CG  	IP  	hits  	runs  	ER  	ERA  	K  	BB  	WP  	HB  	SV  	W  	 L  	 Pct   
43 	30 	24 	275.0 	225 	103 	73 	2.40 	150 	76 	2 	5 	3 	21 	10 	.675

[jalbright]

Leon Day

He's got some useful accolades:
1) enshrined in Cooperstown;
2) 16th in the SABR poll ranking Negro League luminaries;
3) among the top 6 pitchers in a poll of members of the Negro League Museum; and
4) 6th among all pitchers of those Negro League players and historians polled for the all-time Negro League all-star team in Cool Papas and Double Duties.

I think it is useful to note that Bill James in his latest Historical Abstract indicates Day was the best pitcher in the Negro Leagues in both 1937 and 1946, while John Holway has him the best in only one season but the folks involved in making those selections for the 2005 ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia gave him that honor three times. . I also think it useful to note he is tied with Hilton Smith as the pitcher who pitched in the most Negro League All-Star games with six.

I think Smith belongs, but I couldn't comfortably place him with the starters, so I made him a reliever. I'd put Day above Smith, but below Willie Foster. The dart board stab at a far ranking for him is halfway between Foster and the end of the queue.

William McNeil at page 205 of Cool Papas and Double Duties , Day had the sixth highest winning percentage in the Negro Leagues among pitchers (I don't know the minimum number of decisions, sorry).

From Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues, page 223:

[A} consistently outstanding pitcher in the Negro National League during the late 1930s and 1940s, Leon Day was a heady pitcher whose money pitch was his fastball. The Newark Eagles' ace right-hander had a good curve and change of pace to complement his speed. A strikeout artist, he holds the strikeout record in the Negro National League, the Puerto Rican League, and the East-West All Star game.

Not only was Leon a great pitcher, but he was also a fast base runner . . . a good fielder [regarded as the best fielding pitcher in the league] . . . a [solid] hitter . . . and a recognized team leader (and one of the most respected and best-liked players on the club).

With the exception of catcher, the versatile athlete [fielded] every position well, and when not on the mound often started at second base, in center field or pinch hit.

Some data from Shadows of Glory, which was the product of the study of Negro Leaguers done for the 2006 Negro League vote for Cooperstown:

Please note that the data is limited to the American Negro Leagues (not Mexico or the winter leagues). I've also taken the career data and translated it to 275 IP. I used the ERA and winning percentage from the book, rather than calculating it from the data presented.

games     GS  	CG  	IP  	hits  	runs  	ER  	ERA  	K  	BB  	WP  	HB  	SV  	W  	 L  	 Pct   
44 	35 	21 	275.0 	235 	138 	91 	2.98 	154 	83 	1 	4 	3 	20 	10 	.661

[jalbright]

Pete Hill

He has some significant accolades to his credit, including:
1) Selected to the Baseball Think Factory "Hall of Merit"
2) Selected as the second team left fielder in the Pittsburgh Courier poll;
3) Named by 70% of the Negro League historians who have done significant work on the pre 1920 era as worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame (7 of 10);
4) Named MVP twice by John Holway and once by ESPN encyclopedia; and
5) Elected to Cooperstown in 2006

In the book Turkey Stearnes and the Detroit Stars, Richard Bak credits Hill with a .344 average with 9 doubles, 6 triples and 5 homers in 215 at bats in 1921 and 1922, when Hill was 41 and 42 years old! He also hit for a .307 average in Cuba. He led the Negro Leagues three times in average, led in Cuba in hits and runs twice each and average once, and in the California Winter League, he led in hits once.

The Baseball Think Factory guys compared him to Max Carey, and I'll go with that as my basis for ranking him.

From Riley's Biographical Encyclopedai of the Negro Leagues, page 381:

A left-handed batter, Hill was a great hitter, both for average and power. An amazingly consistent line-drive hitter who used the entire field and excelled in bunting for base hits, he was a superior contact hitter with a near perfect eye for the strike zone and seldom struck out. . . .[T]he first great outfielder in black baseball history. . . .

Hill was a complete ballplayer and . . . could field and run the bases as well as hit. The star center fielder was one of the fastest outfielders in the game, fielded flawlessly, and had a deadly arm. On the bases, he was a very fast, graceful runner and a good base stealer. But more than that, he . . . upset pitchers and infielders [when he was on the basepaths] like Jackie Robinson was to do . . . later. He was describes as a "restless type, always in motion, jumping back and forth, trying to draw a throw from the pitcher."

[He was part of the Cuban X-Giants when whey were dominant, then part of the Philadelphia Giants'] consecutive championships in 1905-1906. . .[He then went to the Leland Giants with Rube Foster, and in 1910, he again followed Rube, becoming part of the] cast the comprised the greatest talent in black baseball at the time . . . Hill, a smart ballplayer whose studied approach to the game made him Foster's choice as team captain . . . .[Hill outhit Pop Lloyd on that great 1910 squad, and at least arguably was its MVP].

Hill provided responsible leadership [during] his brilliant 27-year career.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Biz Mackey ELECTED BBF HOF OCTOBER 2005

He has plenty of accolades to point to:
1) Named as one of the two first team catchers in the Pittsburgh Courier poll;
2) came in second among catchers in a 1993 poll of members of the Negro League Museum;
3) finished 17th in the SABR poll ranking Negro League luminaries;
4) named the third best Negro League catcher of all time by Bill James in his latest Historical Abstract;
5) received mention as worthy of the Hall of Fame by 82% of Negro League veterans polled in Cool Papas and Double Duties;
6) received mention as worthy of the Hall of Fame by 100% of Negro League historians polled in Cool Papas and Double Duties;
7) Elected to Cooperstown in 2006.

The data provided by 2Chance on his performance against major leaguers shows Mackey getting 16 hits in 49 at bats with no homers for a .326 average.

The Baseball Think Factory guys project him as a career 301/359/393 hitter with 2495 career hits. There are only 5 or 6 major league players whose primary position was catcher who got over 2000 hits. I have to fudge, because some consider Joe Torre a catcher, but I don't since he spent so much time at other positions) and Ted Simmons, Fisk, Berra, Bench and Gary Carter. Of those catchers, only Torre averaged over .285 for his career, at .297. Personally, I think Torre is a HOFer, but as a manager, not a player.

The BTF guys project him at 290 career win shares, 105 in his best five consecutive years, and a top three of 25, 23 and 20. I'll place him ahead of Bill Freehan and Charlie Bennett in my catching queue at least.

According to William McNeil in Cool Papas and Double Duties, pages 102-103:

Negro League veterans would say, "If you want to know what Biz Mackey was like [defensively] as a catcher, just watch Campanella. Campy is a clone of Mackey." . . .
Biz Mackey could play in any league. In 1924-1925 he played in the Cuban Winter Leagues and hit a solid .309. He also played at least 11 years in the Californiia Winter League, against white teams comprised of major league players, and batted .366.

From pages 502-503 in Jim Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues:

Biz Mackey was an incredibly talented receiver who remained cool under pressure, and his defensive skills were unsurpassed in the history of black baseball. Considered the master of defense, he possessed all the tools necessary behind the plate, but gained the most acclaim for his powerful and deadly accurate throwing arm. He could snap a throw to second from a squatting position and get it there harder and with more accuracy than most catchers can standing up. Mackey['s] . . . pegs to the keystone sack were frozen ropes . . . arriving on the bag feather soft. . . .

Mackey was intelligent, had a good baseball mind, and employed a studious approach to the game. The ballpark was his classroom, and inside baseball was his subject of expertise. He relied on meticulous observation and a retentive memory to match weaknesses of opposing hitters with the strengths of his pitching staff. An expert handler of pitchers, he also studied people and could direct the temperaments of his hurlers as well as he did their repertories.

He . . . utilized good-natured banter and irrelevant conversation to try to distract a hitter and break his concentration at the plate, and was a master at "stealing" strikes from umpires by framing . . . pitches. Pitchers recognized his generalship and liked to pitch to the big, husky receiver who . . . was surprisingly agile behind the plate. This . . . coupled with his soft hands, enabled the versatile athlete to play often at shortstop, third base, or in the outfield, and although lacking noteworthy range, he proved adept at any position. He was also a smart base runner and, although not fast, pilfered his share of bases.

In his prime, the switch-hitting Mackey was [a dangerous hitter] . . . as evidenced by a .423 average . . . [in] 1923. Biz followed this campaign with averages of .337, .350, .327, .315, .327, .337, .400 and .376 for the years 1924-31.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

John Beckwith

His list of accolades is short, which I would ascribe as largely due to his prickly personality:
1) Elected to Baseball Think Factory's "Hall of Merit";
2) Second team in the Pittsburgh Courier poll in a "utility" role;
3) finished 36th in the SABR poll ranking Negro League luminaries; and
4) Elected to the BBF HOF.

Everybody agrees the man could flat out hit. In 119 at bats against major leaguers, he hit .311. The Baseball Think Factory guys project that for his career he was a 333/387/522 hitter who would have amassed 2451 hits. There's no one who hit .300 for his career while slugging .500 for his career with over 2000 career hits who has failed to make Cooperstown. Big John bests those marks easily.

The BTF guys translate those career marks to 315 career win shares, 136 in his best five consecutive seasons and a top three of 30, 28 and 27. I'd say those marks put him behind Brooks Robinson (355 career; 130 best 5 consecutive; and top three of 33, 27 and 25) and Stan Hack (318 career, 140 best 5 consecutive; and a top three of 34, 33 and 31). However, those marks easily best Pie Traynor's 271 career, 119 best five consecutive and a top three of 28, 26 and 26.

There are some other key points of evidence that I'd like to mention: John Holway named him an all-star five times in the days before a Negro League all-star game, and also named him an MVP once. In the Negro Leagues, he led in average and homers once each, and in the California Winter League, he led in homers twice.

William McNeil on page 95 of Cool Papas and Double Duties writes:

Beckwith was a big moody individual, standing 6' 3" tall and weighing in at a muscular 230 pounds, he was ready to fight at the slightest affront. he battled with his teammates, with players on other teams, and with umpires . . . . As a result, the powerful slugger moved around frequently, playing with no less tha 14 teams over a storied 23 year career . . . [Some, though] thought Beckwith's [reputation for a] bad attitude was a bum rap.

The fact he served as a manager would also seem to indicate his reputation was a bit overblown.

Riley on page 70 of his Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues says:

During his prime, Beckwith was regarded as one ot the top players by his peers, and he possessed sufficient versatility afield to play almost any position. However he did not excel [defensively] at any position.

Beckwith was amazing with a bat in his hand. Listen to this from William McNeil's Baseball's Other Stars, page 59:

His .356 career batting average, one of the highest ever recorded in the Negro Leagues, included a league leading .430 om 1930. He also captured two home run crowns in '30 and '31. Beckwith's extra base output was awesome, averaging 33 doubles, eight triples and 30 home runs for every 550 at bats [in his career].

I'll also add this by AG2004:

1. Was he ever regarded as the best player in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best player in baseball?

No.

2. Was he the best player on his team?

During his prime, with the exception of the Harrisburg Giants years (they had Oscar Charleston), he usually was. However, he played for the Chicago American Giants, Baltimore Black Sox, Harrisburg Giants, and Homestead Grays during a five-year period in his prime.

3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position?

Cobb’s projections indicate that Beckwith would have had more win shares than any major league 3B in 1923, 1924, 1925, 1929, and 1931, and would have finished second in 1921, 1922, and 1927. There were ten seasons when Beckwith’s win share projections would have ranked him higher than any AL third baseman (including 1928 and 1930). He was the best 3B in the Negro Leagues during the 1920s, and possibly the best in baseball as well.

4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races?

Not really.

5. Was he good enough that he could play regularly after passing his prime?

Yes.

6. Is he the very best baseball player in history who is not in the Hall of Fame?

He is not the best player outside the BBFHOF.

7. Are most players who have comparable statistics in the Hall of Fame?

I’m using Chris Cobb’s partially regressed figures; in Cobb’s opinion, the fully regressed projections push the value of Beckwith’s best individual seasons down too far, although they don’t affect the value of his five best consecutive seasons.

Career win shares, 3B: Tommy Leach 329, Graig Nettles 322, Ron Santo 322, BECKWITH 318, Stan Hack 318, Home Run Baker 301, Buddy Bell 299. This is generally BBFHOF territory.

Best three seasons, 3B: Stan Hack 98, Sal Bando 96, Heinie Groh 95, BECKWITH 92, Bobby Bonilla 91, Paul Molitor 89, Darrell Evans 87, Tommy Leach 87, Howard Johnson 87, Ken Boyer 86, Brooks Robinson 85, Art Devlin 85. Beckwith is in the cutoff area.

Best five consecutive seasons, 3B: Sal Bando 143, Stan Hack 140, BECKWITH 136, Paul Molitor 133, Howard Johnson 133, Bobby Bonilla 132, Ken Boyer 131, Brooks Robinson 130, Jimmie Collins 129. Again, Beckwith is in good company.

8. Do the player's numbers meet Hall of Fame standards?

We don’t have adequate information to answer this question. However, while he is not in Cooperstown, Beckwith is a member of the Hall of Merit.

9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics?

Beckwith may have been a disruptive influence on his teams.

10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame?

One could make the argument that he is the best 3B outside the BBFHOF. Of the players at his position with at least 290 win shares (earned or, for Negro Leaguers, MLE equivalents), Beckwith easily has the best peak.

11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close?

He had two seasons which project to 30+ win shares. Holway lists him as his Eastern MVP for 1925.

12. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the players who played in this many All-Star games go into the Hall of Fame?

Holway lists Beckwith as an All-Star four times. However, Beckwith had nine seasons which project to 20+ win shares. Having nine such seasons is a good sign for Beckwith.

13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant?

At his prime, yes.

14. What impact did the player have on baseball history? Was he responsible for any rule changes? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way?

Not that I know of.

15. Did the player uphold the standards of sportsmanship and character that the Hall of Fame, in its written guidelines, instructs us to consider?

Beckwith once punched out teammate Bill Holland after Holland criticized him for making an error.

On the other hand, Beckwith was generally the manager of his teams from 1924 to 1942, so Bill James’ and Riley’s assessments of his character is excessively negative. He did jump from team to team very often in the 1920s, probably because he wasn’t willing to accept poor treatment or a lower salary than he thought he was worth. Al Fennar, who knew Beckwith for 25 years, admitted that Beckwith had a temper and would jump all over slackers, but would help young players who worked hard.

CONCLUSION: If Beckwith’s character were really as bad as Bill James described, then there would be an argument for leaving him out despite his record. But James got his information secondhand, and, in this case, the information he received was very poor. Beckwith belongs in the BBFHOF.

[jalbright]

Hilton Smith

His list of accolades is nice:
1) enshrined in Cooperstown;
2) among the top 6 pitchers in a 1993 poll of Negro League Museum members; and
3) 26th in the SABR poll which ranked Negro League luminaries.

He pitched in six Negro League All-Star games, which ties him for the most ever in that category with Leon Day. He is also named as the best Negro league pitcher of 1939, 1941 and 1942 in the latest Bill James Historical Abstract. John Holway and the ESPN encyclopedia also both give him three mentions as the pitcher of the year in his league. He led the Negro Leagues three times in wins, four in won/loss percentage, and 2 times in ERA. All of the above provide solid arguments for his greatness.

His career marks in the Negro Leagues per Shades of Glory translated to a 275 IP rate are as follows:

 games     GS  	CG  	IP  	hits  	runs  	ER  	ERA  	K  	BB  	WP  	HB  	SV  	W  	 L  	 Pct   
49 	28 	18 	275.0 	228 	103 	52 	1.68 	159 	33 	2 	4 	2 	24 	11 	.696

That 1.68 ERA is worth chewing on, as are the 24-11 record, .696 winning percentage, and 159/33 Ks to BB mark. Remember, those are all career averages per 275 IP--and he pitched from 1932-1948, so it isn't like he had a short career.

Then we get to the Baseball Think Factory projection: 174-123 career record, worth 153 Fibonacci win points. His win share projections are 207 for his career, a best 5 consecutive of 131 and a top three of 38, 36 and 28. The 38 and 36 win share years jump out at you, but nothing else does.

With those projected marks, it's hard to place him among the starters. I think a major problem is the relatively low number of decisions, at least in a Hall of Fame context. I believe a big reason for this is the fact he relieved Satchel Paige so often. More on that later. My resolution of the issue is to place him at the bottom of my queue of releif pitchers.

Jim Riley indicates Smith often pinch hit and played first base or in the outfield.

William McNeil's thumbnail on him at page 112 of Cool Papas and Double Duties has the follwing:

Hilton Smith is [best] known as Satchel Paige's relief man. For years, when Smith toiled for the Kansas City Monarchs, he would come into a game in the fourth or fifth inning to relieve Paige who had started. Paige was the number one drawing card in the league, and when he was scheduled to pitch, it increased attendance [dramatically]. So Satch would start about half the team's games to bring the crowd in, then leave after three or four innings . . .

The tall, slender right hander reportedly had the best curve ball in the league, and set it up with a rising fastball, a good sinker, an a change. He pitched both sidearm and overhand equally well and had good control.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Dobie Moore

He really doesn't have many accolades, because he only played seven years in the Negro Leagues. However, that misses the fact Moore was making a living for the excellent 25th Infantry Wreckers team from 1916, several years before he joined the Negro Leagues. Truthfully, for an Afro-American of the day, his career path represents a realistic way of making a living as a ballplayer.

The Wreckers of that time were a heck of a team. They often faced Pacific League teams, and won the lion's share of those games. In 1913, the only team to beat them in 21 games was made up of major leaguers and Pacific League all-stars. They achieved such renown that the Spalding Company offered to sponsor a tour of the team, but the Army declined.

Moore led the California Winter League in hits twice, and homers and average once each. In the Cuban Winter League, he led in hits once. In the Negro Leagues, John Holway named him an all-star in all six of his complete seasons, and he was in the top five in homers four times. It is important to remember this is from a good defensive shortstop who also hit for a high average.

The Baseball Think Factory guys project him at 252 career win shares, starting in 1917, a best five consecutive of 155 and a top three of 36, 34 and 31. I think those marks leave him behind Barry Larkin (314; 130; and 32, 31 and 30), but ahead of Vern Stephens (265; 129; and 34, 32 and 27) and Lou Boudreau (277; 135; and 34, 32 and 30).

William McNeil writes this of Moore on pages 105 and 106 of Cool Papas and Double Duties:

"Dobie" Moore was a great shortstop whose brilliant career was cut short [by injuries suffered in an unfortunate incident] . . . [The 25th Infantry team] dominated the amateur sports world during the teens. The 25th included a number of players who would eventually leave the Army to [lead the Kansas City Monarchs to Negro League championships] . . . There was pitcher Bullet Joe Rogan, first baseman Lemuel Hawkins, second baseman Bob Fagan, and outfielders Oscar "Heavy" Johnson and Hurley McNair [in addition to Moore].

Moore . . . was a sensational all-around ballplayer with a deadly bat and a trusty glove [well before going to the Monarchs] . . . After Casey Stengel played an exhibition game against the 25th in 1919, he recommended Moore and several other players to J. L. Wilkinson, owner of the Monarchs . . . .

It didn't take Dobie Moore long to be recognized in the Negro National League. In addition to playing brilliant defense, he scorched the ball at the plate, with extra-base power. . . . [The 5' 11", 230 pound slugger hit .367 in 1922 and followed that season with averages of .358, .470, .326 and .381. In 1924, he captured the batting championship with his .470 average and also took the home-run crown . . . He was the Monarch's clean-up hitter for seven years.

[With the former 25th Infantry players leading the way] the Monarchs raced to three league titles and one [Negro] World Championship between 1924 and 1926 . . .

[On May 23, 1926, Moore became involved in a domestic dispute in which he was shot in the leg by his girlfriend and jumped off terrace to escape. It's unclear whether the shot, the landing from the jump, or the combination did the damage, but the bones in his leg were shattered into six pieces (See Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues, page 566]

In any case, a magnificent baseball career ended abruptly. The cold statistics say Dobie Moore had a career batting average of .355. with 32 doubles, 14 triples and 15 home runs for every 550 at bats. He was, according to all accounts, one of the top four shortstops in Negro League history [with Lloyd, Wells and Lundy] . . . but Dobie Moore could outhit all of them [for average] and was the greatest power hitter of the four, making him the best all-around shortstop in the annals of Negro league baseball.

[jalbright]

Alejandro Oms

The Baseball Think Factory guys have estimated him as a career .330 hitter with about 2747 hits. They place him as a Hugh Duffy type outfielder. As I noted in the Jud Wilson comment, there's only one man with an average over .300 and over 2700 hits who isn't in Cooperstown, Al Oliver. Oliver has less power than the Oms projection, a lower average, and a significantly lower OBP. In short, there's good reason to prefer Oms to Oliver. They've done his Win Shares, and at 340 career, 88 for his top 3 and 140 for his best five consecutive leaves him behind Lou Brock (348, 91, 134), but ahead of Duffy (295, 90, 144). They hit that one pretty well with the Duffy comparison.

Oms' record in Cuba is most impressive:
--He played there 18 seasons (not counting a 1 AB stint in 1946 after 5 years of not playing)
--He is third in career batting average at .345
--He holds the record for the longest hitting streak, at 30 games
--He holds the record for the most consecutive seasons (8) with a batting average over .300
--He shares the record for the most seasons (11) with a batting average over .300
--He was the MVP of the 1928-1929 winter season
--He led the league in batting average 4 times, 2 of them consecutively
--He led the league in doubles three times
--He led the league in stolen bases once
--He led the league in runs scored once, and
--He led the league in hits twice.
Source: Who's Who In Cuban Baseball, page 66 by Jorge Figueredo.

Jim Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues at page 588:

Oms was the centerfielder of the great outfield of the Eastern Colored League's Cuban Stars of the 1920s. He had exceptional range, and an accurate but not strong arm . . . . He also was a very fast base runner and a skilled base stealer but was best known for his batting ability. A left-handed batter, he . . . hit to all fields with power . . . . He began his Negro League career in 1921 and finished [in 1935] with a .332 average . . . in the United States.

He was a gentleman who controlled his temper, never arguing with an umpire. However, he did devise an unusual ploy to filter out anything he chose not to hear, pretending not to speak or understand English . . . .

A proven winner, he played on four [Cuban league] championship teams. For his remarkable diamond feats in his homeland, he was elected to the Cuban Hall of Fame in 1944.

Also, there's this to consider from AG2004:

Case to Consider: OMS, Alejandro

1. Was he ever regarded as the best player in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best player in baseball?

No.

2. Was he the best player on his team?

Alejandro Oms was generally the best position player on the Cuban Stars (East) during the 1920s.

Oms appears to have been the best position player on his Cuban league teams in 1924/25 (Santa Clara), 26/27 (Marinao), 27/28 (champions Habana), 28/29 (champions Habana), 29/30 (Santa Clara), and 31/32 (Habana). He may have edged Pablo Mesa for title of the best position player for San Jose in 1925/26. Oms was the second-best position player for Santa Clara in 1922/23, but Charleston was the team's leader that year.

Oms may have been the third-best position player for Santa Clara in 1923/24, but Oscar Charleston and Ollie Marcelle were ahead of him, and he was competing with Moore for being third-best. In 1928/29, Oms was better than teammate Jud Wilson.

3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position?

I’ll compare Chris Cobb’s projections for Oms with where he would be had he competed in the majors. Since Cobb’s method lowers the peaks and raises the valleys for Oms, I’ll list similar outfielders season by season as well.

*1921 – 29 WS. Oms is ahead of any major league CF (Speaker has 27) and any NL outfielder.
*1922 – 31 WS. Oms leads all OFs (Speaker and Ken Williams have 30).
*1923 – 27 WS. Second among AL CFs; third among NL OFs (Roush has 28; Youngs, 25).
*1924 – 26 WS. First among NL CFs (Carey has 25). Second among AL CFs (Cobb has 27).
*1925 – 27 WS. Fourth among AL outfielders (Cobb and Speaker each have 25); second among NL OFs (Wheat has 27, Carey 26).
*1926 – 23 WS. Fourth among NL outfielders.
*1927 – 26 WS. Fifth among AL OFs and second among AL CFs (Simmons 26); fourth among NL OFs(Stephenson 27, Harper 26, Lloyd Waner 25).
*1928 – 28 WS. Second among NL OFs and first among NL CFs (Wilson 28, L. Waner 26). First among AL CFs, third among AL OFs (Combs 28, Goslin 26).
*1929 – 29 WS. Third among AL outfielders, and first among AL CFs. Fourth among NL outfielders (Ott 31, O’Doul 31, P. Waner 30, L. Waner 27).

4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races?

Oms' teams generally weren't in close races; when they won, they won by a lot. However, when Santa Clara won the 1924 Gran Premio by 1/2 game, Oms had the third-best batting average on the team (and the top two spots were occupied by Oscar Charleston and Dobie Moore). In 1932/33, Habana and Almendares were tied for the league lead when the competition folded; Oms led Habana in batting average.

5. Was he good enough that he could play regularly after passing his prime?

Yes. Not only was Oms a regular in Cuba, but the various MLEs and projections indicate that Oms still could have been a major league regular through the age of 40 had it not been for the color line.

6. Is he the very best baseball player in history who is not in the Hall of Fame?

Given his career length and peak, Oms might be the best position player outside the BBFHOF.

7. Are most players who have comparable statistics in the Hall of Fame?

Chris Cobb credits Oms with 340 win shares from documented competition; however, Oms had a few undocumented years with sugar mill teams before appearing in the Cuban Winter League at the age of 26. Thus, Oms should get credit for 370+ career win shares. Major league CFs with totals close to 370 include Joe DiMaggio 387 (without war credit), Duke Snider 352, and Max Carey 351. This is Hall of Fame territory.

Oms is credited with 140+ win shares over his five best consecutive seasons (1921-25; we have no numbers for 1919 and 1920). We have Dale Murphy 150, Earl Averill 143, Jimmy Wynn 141, OMS 140+, Cesar Cedeno 140, Richie Ashburn 137, Vada Pinson 137, and Edd Roush 136. Oms is around the cutoff area, and may be a little higher than that.

Oms comes out to 89+ win shares in his best three seasons. As noted, Chris Cobb’s projections lower how players do in this category. Major League CFs with similar totals include Larry Doby 97, Dale Murphy 97, Edd Roush 96, Fred Lynn 94, Earl Averill 93, Kirby Puckett 92, Mike Donlin 91, Vada Pinson 90, Lenny Dykstra 90, Roy Thomas 89, Andy Van Slyke 88, Clyde Milan 88, Chick Stahl 87, Ginger Beaumont 87, and Richie Ashburn 86. Oms is around the cutoff territory when we account for the problems with the projection method used.

8. Do the player's numbers meet Hall of Fame standards?

We don’t have the information available. Oms did lead the Cuban league in batting average 3 times, doubles 3 times, home runs once, and stolen bases once.

Oms is not in Cooperstown. While he is in the Hall of Merit, he was on 25 ballots when he was elected in 2006, and received only 25% of all possible points.

9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics?

There are two key components here. First, Oms’ Negro League play in the 1920s came with the Cuban Stars (East). The Cuban Stars played a majority of their games, and sometimes all of their games, on the road. Since the home teams provided the umpires, this would lower the numbers of players on the team.

Second, Oms’ first season in the Cuban League is at the age of 26; Chris Cobb’s MLE projections give him about 29 win shares that year. Oms was the star of a Santa Clara club that won a regional championship in 1920-21. According to Roberto Gonzalez Echevarria, the club drew its players from the top sugar mill and amateur teams in the area. Since playing for a sugar mill team would provide year-round employment, it might well be preferable to playing in the Cuban League in the winter and independent Black clubs in the United States for those barred from organized baseball by the color line. If Dobie Moore gets credit for playing baseball for an Army team, Oms should also get credit for playing on a top mill/industrial team. This would give Oms at least 30, and perhaps more, career win shares.

10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame?

Oms could be the best CF outside the BBFHOF; he has a huge advantage in career win shares, and his five-year peak of 140 is pretty good.

11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close?

We don’t have MVP awards. Cobb projects one MVP-type-season for Oms, in 1922. However, Cobb admits his method evens out the peaks and valleys. Since Oms’ best seasons come out to 30, 29, 29, 28, 27, and 27 WS, and we don’t have projections for 1919 and 1920, Oms probably had around 30 MVP-type-seasons. That’s a very positive sign.

12. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the players who played in this many All-Star games go into the Hall of Fame?

Cobb’s projections give Oms nine seasons of 20+ win shares. Since Oms projects to 29 WS in 1921 and 31 WS in 1922, and was playing baseball professionally in 1920 at the age of 25 (although not in any documented competition), I figure Oms had ten or eleven seasons of play at an All-Star level. Since eight is the cutoff, this is a very good sign for Oms.

13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant?

Yes. A team with someone like Oms as its best player would most likely be in the pennant race most years. Cobb’s projections for 1921-29 have Oms averaging about 27-28 win shares per season, and those were the seasons between ages 26 and 34.

14. What impact did the player have on baseball history? Was he responsible for any rule changes? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way?

Not that I know of.

15. Did the player uphold the standards of sportsmanship and character that the Hall of Fame, in its written guidelines, instructs us to consider?

Oms was called “El Caballero,” or the gentleman, by his contemporaries, and certainly upheld these standards.

CONCLUSION: When I received information on Oms' Cuban league teams, I was able to determine that, at his best, Oms was usually either the best position player on his teams or trailed only BBFHOF members/serious candidates for that honor. In all other categories, Oms' record generally meets or exceeds the standards we have set for BBFHOF membership.

When we include his play for sugar mill teams, Oms comes out to 370+ career win shares. The only major league position player with at least 370 career WS who isn’t in the BBFHOF is Rafael Palmeiro, and his record is tainted by steroid use. Oms’ five year peak of 140 win shares is also solid. Oms proved himself fully worthy of induction into the BBFHOF.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Vic Harris--Negro League contributor

From Jim Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of Negro League Baseball page 361:

He was combative with umpires which contrasted with

the generally quiet approach he used with his players, never saying too much and preferring to inspire them by example to give their maximum effort. Although he was not noted as a brilliant strategist the players responded to the fiery manager by giving good performances on the baseball diamond.

The Grays won pennants every year from 1937-1945, and Harris led them to the first six, had to relinquish the head job for wartime work, and returned for the ninth. After two years without a pennant, he led them to another Negro League Series win. He had plenty of talent on hand to help him do that. But one cannot ignore that great talents are often accompanied by significant egos. He was able to keep that talent with those egos focused on the goal of staying on top. He was also a good if not great player, appearing in six East-West Negro League all-star games. In many ways, Joe Torre is a good analogy.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

C. I. Taylor--Negro League contributor ELECTED

From Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues, pages 763-764:

Acknowledged with Rube Foster as one of the two greatest managers of all time [in the Negro Leagues], contemporaries said that C. I. trained the players and Rube signed them. On the field, the master builder from Carolina was a strict disciplinarian and great teacher who brought out the best in his players . . . . In 1914, he . . . transferred his team to Indianapolis, where the club was sponsored by the American Brewing Company and called the ABCs. Immediately his baseball acumen was evident as he built and nurtured a team that was recognized as a perennial power . . . . Taylor knew how to handle men . . . . Taylor's brilliant career was abruptly terminated when he died at . . . age 47.

Notable accomplishments:
Won a championship in 1916
Brought Oscar Charleston, Dizzy Dismukes, Frank Warfield, Dave Malarcher and Biz Mackey among other Negro League stars into the top level of the Negro Leagues.

From BaseballLibrary.com:

C. I. Taylor was regarded by many . . . as the finest manager in black baseball history. He was patient and dignified, a strict disciplinarian and a good teacher, scrupulously fair and honest with his players. . . . Taylor's teams were perennial powers . . . . Taylor was also instrumental in the founding of the Negro National League.

From The Indianapolis ABCs by Paul Debono, pages 156 and 157:

C. I.'s greatest talent was recruiting and developing players. . . . Not only did Taylor develop players, but he developed managers. The list of Negro League managers who benefitted from his guidance at early stages of their careers is impressive: "Candy" Jim Taylor, "Bingo" DeMoss, "Dizzy" Dismukes, Oscar Charleston, Dave Malarcher, "Biz" Mackey, Otto Briggs and Frank Warfield all became noted managers in the Negro Leagues.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Frank Warfield--Negro League contributor

From page 815 of Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues:

He was a talented player with a fiery temperament.

[A]s a successful manager, [h]e proved to be a clever strategist, guiding Hilldale to consecutive Eastern Colored League pennants in 1924-1925 including a [Negro] World Series victory in the latter season. He also managed the Baltimore Black Sox to the only American Negro League pennant in 1929. His . . . temper made him quick to engage in arguments with umpires or to castigate a pleyer in view of spectators . . . . Regardless of his management methods, his results were good, and his success extended to Cuba, where he managed the 1924 Santa Clara team to the championship . . . . [One of the key moves he made in Hilldale was to move] Judy Johnson from shortstop to third base and put light-hitting but far-ranging and smooth-fielding Jake Stephens at shortstop.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Ed Bolden--Negro League contributor

From pages 91-92 in Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues:

A gentlemanly little man, he worked in the Philadelphia post office, and was the owner of the two best-known Negro League teams in the Philadelphia area, the Hilldale Daisies and the Philadelphia Stars. A shy, quiet and modest man who preferred working in the background instead of in the spotlight, [he] is best known as the owner of the Hilldale team that won the first three Eastern Colored League championships in 1923-1925 and the 1925 [Negro] World Series over the Kansas City Monarchs. As the founder of the Eastern Colored League, he was responsible for player raids by eastern teams on the more established Negro National League.

He took over operations for [Hilldale] in 1916, when [it] was a semipro team. The team attained [Negro] major league status the following season and wond a championship in 1921; then came the Eastern Colored League and three straight pennants. He suffered a nervous breakdown in 1927, and without his leadership the league folded the following spring.

After he recovered, . . . he organized the Philadelphia Stars . . . . Bolden again raided other clubs for players, and entered the Negro National League in 1934, winning the pennant in the first season in the league. In the championship the team defeated the Chicago American Giants. He remained at the head of the Stars until his death in 1950.

In addition to contributions to black baseball as a team executive, he also served as an officer in three different leagues: the Eastern Colored League, the American Negro League and the Negro National League.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Cumberland "Cum" Posey--Negro League contributor ELECTED BBF HOF

From pages 636-638 Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues:

The man who could properly be called the father of the Homestead Grays, his association with the ballclub had roots reaching virtually to the team's inception, and his genius made the Grays a successful franchise. Beginning as a player, he rose through the ranks, proogressing to manager, booking agent, business manager and owner of the ballclub . . . .

[I]n 1912 Posey took charge [of the Grays] and began booking enough games to permit the players to devote all their time to playing baseball.

Within the the next decade the Homestead Grays were the biggest attraction in independent baseball . . . . As more teams appeared, they patterned their operations after Posey's Grays. Posey's dynamic leadership kept the Grays near the top ot the talent pool, and under his guidance they became a team of major-league quality and a dominant dynasty in the Negro Leagues

[Until 1929] Posey split his time between playing and managing [in addition to running the team]. In 1929 he ended his career as an active player and became a bench manager until turning the team over to Vic Harris in 1937 and concentrating on the business end of the Grays . . . .

[W]hen the [American Negro League] folded [in 1930], he returned [the Grays] to independent play, picking up some more stars, including Oscar Charleston, Josh Gibson and Judy Johnson. . . .

Posey . . . had built a powerhouse by signing players from other teams, [but now] became the target for Gus Greenlee's similar tactics. Posey lost Charleston, Gibson and Johnson among other players to Greenlee's Pittsburgh Crawfords because he could not match Greenlee's salaries . . . . [With new financial backing] Posey . . . [eventually] lured Gibson back into the fold to form a dynamic power duo with Buck Leonard.

Posey continued to corral top players, keeping the Grays the class of the league [to the time of his death]

.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

J L Wilkinson--Negro League contributor ELECTED BBF HOF

From page 842 of Riley's Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues

A white businessman, he pioneered black baseball as the founder and owner of the Kansas City Monarchs, directing the team's destiny from . . . 1920 through the 1947 season. During this time the franchise had two dynasty periods, one in the '20s in the first Negro National League, and the other during the first decade of the Negro American League, beginning in 1937. During the interim, the Monarchs toured as an independent team . . . "scuffling" to remain solvent during the depths of the Depression. . . .

When [Wilkinson] first organized the Monarchs in 1920, Casey Stengel recommended several players from the 25th Infantry team . . . [including Bullet Rogan and Dobie Moore] and they formed a nucleus for his early teams.

Under Wilkinson's guidance the Monarchs captured ten Negro League pennants and two of the four Negro World Series in which they competed . . . .

During the Depression . . . Wilkinson helped pioneer night baseball, installing a portable light system on the beds of truck in 1930. The [purchase of this] system proved so successful that it . . . paid for [itself] during the team's spring training tour of the southwest.

After the color line in major-league baseball was eradicated, the Monarchs eventually sent 27 players into the major leagues, more than any other black team. Among those players were Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Ernie Banks and Elston Howard . . . .

During his years with the franchise, Wilkinson traveled with the team and looked after the best interests of the players, providing the best accomodations available and compensating the players [well]. He was well liked and respected for his honesty by both his players and executives from other teams.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Since I used so much material from the Baseball Think Factory guys on Negro Leaguers, I ought to provide a link to that material: http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/...ers_home_page/

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Now for some links for those Negro Leaguers who have been inducted into Cooperstown but not the BBF Hall:

Negro League HOFers not in BBF Hall

Leon Day
http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...D/Day_Leon.stm

Judy Johnson
http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?...d=693&pid=7030
http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...hnson_Judy.stm

Hilton Smith
http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ith_Hilton.stm

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Negro league standouts not in Cooperstown nor the BBF Hall:

Ed Bolden
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:B...+lanctot&hl=en
for more, read the Lanctot book discussed there

Dick Lundy
http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...Lundy_Dick.stm

Dick Redding
http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...dding_Dick.stm

The baseball library site also has links to other materials on the person in question

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Multiple listings among Bill James best Negro League players and pitchers for 1920-1949

In his latest Historical Abstract, Bill James gives lists for the best player and best pitcher in the Negro Leagues. Before 1920, he does several years at a time, and I don't quite know what to do with that. So I'll start with 1920.
The guys not yet in the BBFHOF who make the list more than once:

Pitchers

Hilton Smith 1939, 1941, 1942
Leon Day 1937, 1946
Nip Winters 1924 (tie), 1926

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

I'm going to take Bill Burgess' fine post on various ratings of Negro League greats and add to it my data from Bill McNeil's surveys in Cool Papas and Double Duties, but break it down by individual. The standards I will use are: top 3 per position among Negro Leaguers per Bill James Historical Abstract (BJN). top 3 teams in the Pittsburgh Courier poll (PC), Bill James top 100 of all time per the most recent Historical Abstract (BJ100), Cooperstown induction (HOF), SABR poll of top 40 Negro League players (SABR), 70% or more in McNeil's survey of Negro League Veterans (Vet), 70% or more in McNeil's survey of Negro League Historians (Hist), and 70% of historians specializing in the pre 1920 Negro Leagues as surveryed by McNeil (Pre). I'm going to list all 25 players I found who met at least two (2) of the above criteria who are not in the BBF HOF, together with the standards met and the results. PC 2d means a player was on the Courier's second team, and SABR 21 means he finished 21st in that poll. One other note, the Hist, Vet, and Pre polls all excluded players in Cooperstown at the time of the poll. Here goes, in alphabetical order:

Newt Allen: BJN 2d 2B, PC 2d, SABR 37th

John Beckwith: PC 2d, SABR 36th

Leon Day: HOF, SABR 16th

Bingo DeMoss: BJN 1st 2B, PC 2d, SABR 37th

Pete Hill: 70 Pre, PC 2d, HOF

Judy Johnson: HOF, BJN 2d 3b, PC 2d, SABR 15th

Dick Lundy: 75% Vet, 96% Hist, BJN 3d ss, PC ed, SABR 24th

Oliver Marcelle: 80% Hist, BJN 3d 3B, PC 1st

Jose Mendez: 72% Hist, SABR 34th, HOF

Bruce Petway: PC 2d, SABR 40th

Cannonball Dick Redding: 80% Hist, PC 2d, SABR 21st

Hilton Smith: HOF, SABR 28th

Ben Taylor: 80% Hist, BJN 3d 1B, PC 2d, SABR 33d, HOF

Hope this compilation helps somebody. Whaddayaknow--my 100th post.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

As for how many Negro Leaguers should be honored, we should think about the fact that the economically disadvantaged have been more successful in sports than their wealthier brethren in general throughout history, given the opportunity. This makes sense because rich kids, when faced with adversity in the game, far more often decide they can go to school, get an education, and get a good paying job than their poorer counterparts do. The fact players from poorer backgrounds perceive they have a lack of options is a powerful motivator for success--and it shows.

The Irish were dominant in early baseball--they were the new immigrants then. When the Italians were the new immigrants, there were soon an awful lot of them in baseball--and so on. There are very few groups of people who were more economically disadvantaged than Afro-Americans during the time of the Negro Leagues. Further, the Negro Leagues, though they didn't pay what the majors paid, provided rather high-end salaries for what their players could expect to make outside of baseball, especially if they were poor southerners with substandard educations like the south often provided to Afro-Americans (if they provided any at all).

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

A key issue with single season Negro League numbers is seasons were often 50-60 games long. That's late May, early June in the modern majors--and look how often you've got numbers that just won't hold up over the course of a season. Guys who get hot for 10-12 games haven't had the chance for the longer season to take some of the air out of those stats.

From Holway's book The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues, in 1919, no team is credited with more than 30 games. In 1920, KC is high with 78 games in a league of eight teams, five of which played less than 50 games. The east didn't have a team with 25 games. In 1921, KC leads the west with 116 games in a 8 team league, 4 of which had less than 80 games. In the East, the high is 62 games, but none of the other 5 teams have over 42. In 1922, Indianapolis lead the west with 79 games, but five of the eight teams had less than 60. In the east only one team had more than 40, at 44. In 1923, KC leads with 80 games, but of the 9 teams listed, only 3 had over 70 games. in the East, the high was 49. In 1924, the high is Chicago with 92 but only 3 of the 9 teams had over 75 games. In the East, the high was 99, but four of the teams had 64 or less games. It goes on like this--maybe sixty games on the nose is wrong, but it's close to the "average". The bottom line is, you've got to look at how many games support the averages that are quoted--and who those hits came against, since some people count semipro games to get however many homers they say Josh Gibson hit. In a way, he did hit that many, but it's deceptive because of the quality of opposition.

Some examples from Holway's book:

West 1920, Jimmie Lyons .399 in 61 games
West 1921, Charlie Blackwell .484 in 92 games
West 1922, Heavy Johnson .451 in 77 games
West 1923, George Scales .433 in 62 games
West 1924, Bullet Rogan .470 in 87 games

East 1926, Jud Wilson .351 in 92 games
East 1927 Chino Smith .435 in 40 games
East 1928, Pop Lloyd .563 in 38 games
East 1929, Chino Smith .464 in 56 games

1936 Patterson .694 in 7 games
1940 Jesse Williams, .430 in 35 games
1941 Irvin .382 in 34 games he was bested that year by Bill Hoskins of Baltimore, who hit .412 in 57 games, according to Holway
1942 Bostick .442 in 24 games
1943 Gibson .449 in 59 games, though bested by Tetelo Vargas (per Holway) at .484 in 39 games.

Jim Albright

[jalbright]

Negro League teams had limited rosters (15 or less, typically) and went with three main pitchers. They'd use a lesser guy in a lot of innings against the semipros, though the stars would pitch a little--but take it easy both to save their arms and in hopes they could get a booking next year. League games were spaced out over several months.

Just like in the majors of the time, Negro Leagues used their aces as closers in tight games. So, yes, Negro League star pitchers picked up decisions that way, just like Lefty Grove did. I have to believe that the way Negro League pitchers were used, they had to pace themselves to keep earning the higher incomes playing baseball professionally afforded them. So if they were ahead by 3-4 runs, they probably tried to get by with less than their best--which would have helped hitters. Late in a tight game, or in a playoff, that wouldn't be an issue--but it had to come up a lot during the year.

im Albright

[jalbright]

Perucho ("The Bull") Cepeda

This man is Orlando ("The Baby Bull") Cepeda's father. According to Jim Riley, many observers feel the elder Cepeda was the better ballplayer. This Cepeda never played in the states, as he was a proud man with a temper. He realized a black man with those traits could easily get into serious trouble in the States in those days, so he never came and played here, despite repeated offers. I don't even see that he played in Cuba or Mexico, which surprises me. Anyway, when the Puerto Rican Winter League started, he was already 32. He played shortstop, and according to William McNeil's Baseball's Other Stars, he was a good fielder. In his first five seasons in the Puerto Rican Winter League, Cepeda did the following despite quality opponents like Satchel Paige, Leon Day, Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Tetelo Vargas, Francisco Coimbre and Roy Campanella (I don't know if any of them were there all five years--but there were some very good ballplayers in the PRWL at the time):

Won two MVPs
Won two batting titles and finished third twice
Won three RBI titles and finished second once
was second in HR once
Led in triples once and was third once
was third in runs scored once and fourth twice

According to a book in Spanish by Jose Crescioni Benitez, Cepeda's totals for his first four years are as follows:

AB	H	2B	3B	HR	avg	slg
713	293	43	22	9	0.411	0.571

That sure impresses me. After those first four years, it looks like he tailed off due to age. He at least played in the Dominican Republic in the 1930's, including in that fabulous 1937 season when so many Negro League greats played there.

We can add to that this from AG2004:

More information on Perucho Cepeda, a shortstop (and, in his 30s, outfielder) from Puerto Rico.

From 1938 until 1942 - the first five seasons for which we have statistics for Cepeda - he accomplished the following in the Puerto Rican Winter League against some of the top talent from the Negro Leagues:
(repeating information provided above)

The people at baseballthinkfactory have come up with major league equivalents for pre-integration Puerto Rican legends Francisco Coimbre and Perucho Cepeda, both of whom would appear to be HOF candidates based on their reputations. Based on the projections alone, Coimbre doesn’t seem quite worthy of the BBFHOF, so I won't mention him any futher here. However, these are the win shares produced for Cepeda:

1938 (Age 32) 36
1939 (Age 33) 26
1940 (Age 34) 31
1941 (Age 35) 20
1942 (Age 36) 13
1943 (Age 37) 1

Unfortunately, we have no statistics whatsoever for Puerto Rico prior to 1938. We do know, however, that Cepeda played professionally around the Caribbean for at least a decade before 1938, and he was called “The Babe Ruth of Puerto Rico” for being the best baseball player on the island.

Looking at what he did from age 32 onwards, and knowing that he played on the 1937 Ciudad Trujillo team in the Dominican Republic, it seems reasonable to assume that Cepeda would have racked up the equivalent of four or five seasons with 30+ win shares during his career, which is certainly BBFHOF territory. No eligible major leaguer with five such seasons is outside the BBFHOF. Of those with four such seasons, only Charlie Keller, Jimmy Wynn, and Bobby Bonds are outside the BBFHOF. All three were outfielders; Cepeda, however, was a shortstop during his prime. Furthermore, Cepeda had a full career (Keller didn't), and had a great reputation (Wynn didn't).

[For those who are curious, Stan Hack is the only eligible major leaguer at 2B, 3B, or SS with three 30+ win share seasons not in the BBFHOF. There are only two eligible major league shortstops with two 30+ win share seasons not in the BBFHOF: Hughie Jennings and Vern Stephens.]

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Also, it seems even more reasonable to assume that Cepeda would have earned at least 40 win shares total at ages 30 and 31, and would have averaged at least 22 win shares per season from ages 24 to 31. Given his reputation before the PRWL started, we know that he wasn't a late bloomer, and we do have MLEs for Cepeda from age 32 onwards, so this would most likely underestimate his real ability. This would give Cepeda at least 303 career win shares, at least 133 win shares in his best five seasons, and at least 93 win shares in his best three seasons. Since I'm being very conservative in setting these minimums, he was most likely better than that.

Now, these shortstops are in the BBFHOF:

Barry Larkin. 346 career WS, 130 in best five seasons, 32, 31, 30 in best three seasons.

Ozzie Smith. 326 career WS, 123 in best five seasons, 33, 25, 23 in best three seasons.

Alan Trammell. 318 career WS, 132 in best five seasons, 35, 29, 26 in best three seasons.

Pee Wee Reese. 314 career WS plus war credit, 134 in best five seasons, 32, 27, 26 in best three seasons.

Lou Boudreau. 277 career WS, 135 in best five seasons, 34, 32, 30 in best three seasons.

Thus, in all probability, Perucho Cepeda was at least the equal of fellow shortstops Larkin, Smith, Trammell, Reese, and Boudreau, all of whom are members of the BBFHOF. Do we have all the statistics to make this absolutely certain? Unfortunately not. But the statistics we do have for Cepeda, as well as the reputation Cepeda had before he compiled our available numbers, lead me to believe that Cepeda belongs in the BBFHOF.