The Hall of Corrections, Election #2

[Freakshow]

It’s a crime that certain players are being left out of the Hall of Fame. This is the second in a series of polls to correct the situation. So far, we've decided that Ron Santo, Bert Blyleven and Dick Allen have earned a place in the HOF.

Recently, we completed the Hall of Mistakes, identifying the bottom 15% among the players in the HOF. We finished by electing Rollie Fingers and Tony Lazzeri as the 33rd and 34th worst players enshrined. Here’s the entire roster of Mistakes:

C (2) - Rick Ferrell, Ray Schalk
1B (2) - George Kelly, Jim Bottomley
2B (4) - Red Schoendienst, Johnny Evers, Bill Mazeroski, Tony Lazzeri
3B (3) - Fred Lindstrom, Judy Johnson, George Kell
SS (4) - Travis Jackson, Joe Tinker, Dave Bancroft, Phil Rizzuto
LF (2) - Chick Hafey, Heinie Manush
CF (2) - Lloyd Waner, Earle Combs
RF (5) - Tommy McCarthy, Ross Youngs, Harry Hooper, Kiki Cuyler, Sam Rice
P (10) - Rube Marquard, Jesse Haines, Chief Bender, Herb Pennock, Jack Chesbro, Waite Hoyt, Vic Willis, Andy Cooper, Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers

Now, we want to figure out who should replace them. For this election, players must be currently eligible for the Cooperstown Hall, except we will ignore the ten year rule. Also, players from the National Association (1871-75) and previous to this should be considered. Negro leaguers and other players from Black baseball in North America are also eligible, of course. Players retired after 2000 (Ripken, Gwynn, Raines, Henderson, etc.) are not eligible. Players on MLB’s banned list (Rose, J. Jackson, Cicotte, Chase, etc.) and players whose entire career was in Japan (Kaneda, Oh, Nomura, etc.) are also ineligible.

We will use the Hall’s criteria in deciding player’s merit. That means you should take into account the sum total of the man’s contributions both on and off the field. For example, if you think Curt Flood or Lefty O’Doul’s off-the-field influences were enough to boost his playing career, vote for him. But only if you think his playing career comprises the majority of his overall contribution; this is a player’s election.

Here are some suggestions as to whom to focus on. Players in bold are already chosen as Corrections (* marks players in BBFHOF):

The top 16 also-rans in BBWAA balloting for 2006
Jim Rice
Rich Gossage*
Andre Dawson*
Bert Blyleven*
Lee Smith
Jack Morris
Tommy John
Steve Garvey
Alan Trammell*
Dave Parker
Dave Concepcion
Don Mattingly
Orel Hershiser
Dale Murphy
Albert Belle
Will Clark

The 2005 Veterans Committee Balloting, 25 Players
Ron Santo*
Gil Hodges
Tony Oliva
Jim Kaat
Joe Torre*
Maury Wills
Vada Pinson
Luis Tiant
Roger Maris
Marty Marion
Ken Boyer
Joe Gordon
Carl Mays
Minnie Minoso*
Dick Allen*
Curt Flood
Wes Ferrell
Mickey Lolich
Don Newcombe
Sparky Lyle
Elston Howard
Bobby Bonds
Rocky Colavito
Thurman Munson
Smoky Joe Wood

18 Pre-1920 Stars Elected to the Hall of Merit (arranged chronologically)
Dickey Pearce
Joe Start
Lip Pike
Ross Barnes
Cal McVey
Ezra Sutton
Deacon White*
Paul Hines*
Charlie Bennett
Hardy Richardson
George Gore
Harry Stovey
Jack Glasscock
Bob Caruthers
Bill Dahlen*
Jimmy Sheckard
Sherry Magee*
Heinie Groh

4 More Pre-1920 MLB Players, in the All-Timeline HOF but not in the Coop
Pete Browning
Tony Mullane
Jimmy Ryan
George Van Haltren

5 “Top” Negro Leagues Candidates
John Beckwith
Grant Johnson
Dick Lundy
Dobie Moore
Dick Redding

16 Victims of the 5% Rule, Not Yet Eligible for VC Election
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Bobby Grich
Ron Guidry
Keith Hernandez
Fred Lynn
Graig Nettles
Al Oliver
Lance Parrish
Dan Quisenberry
Willie Randolph
Ted Simmons*
Ken Singleton
Rusty Staub
Dave Stieb
Lou Whitaker

19 Older Candidates Not Currently On VC Ballot
Tommy Bridges
Bert Campaneris
Norm Cash
Cupid Childs
Gavy Cravath
Larry Doyle
Bob Elliott
Bill Freehan
Stan Hack
Bob Johnson
Charlie Keller
Tommy Leach
Al Rosen
Wally Schang
Reggie Smith
Vern Stephens
Mickey Vernon
Bucky Walters
Jimmy Wynn

Let’s show the 103 players listed above by position:

P (22) – Blyleven, Bridges, Caruthers, Ferrell, Gossage, Guidry, Hershiser, John, Kaat, Lolich, Lyle, Mays, Morris, Mullane, Newcombe, Quisenberry, Redding, L. Smith, Stieb, Tiant, Walters, J. Wood.
C (10) – Bennett, Freehan, Howard, McVey, Munson, Parrish, Schang, Simmons, Torre, D. White.
1B (9) – Allen, Cash, W. Clark, Garvey, Hernandez, Hodges, Mattingly, Start, Vernon.
2B (8) – Barnes, Childs, L. Doyle, Gordon, Grich, Randolph, H. Richardson, Whitaker.
3B (11) – Beckwith, K. Boyer, Elliott, Evans, Groh, Hack, Leach, Nettles, Rosen, Santo, Sutton.
SS (12) – Campaneris, Concepcion, Dahlen, Glasscock, G. Johnson, Lundy, Marion, D. Moore, Pearce, Stephens, Trammell, Wills.
LF (9) – Belle, Browning, B. Johnson, Keller, Magee, Minoso, Rice, Sheckard, Stovey.
CF (11) – Dawson, Flood, Gore, Hines, Lynn, Murphy, Oliver, Pike, Pinson, Van Haltren, Wynn.
RF(11) – Bonds, Colavito, Cravath, Evans, Maris, Oliva, Parker, Ryan, Singleton, R. Smith, Staub.

Candidates are not restricted to these 103 of course. Eight players from the 64-Player VC Tournament that I ran a couple years back are not listed above: Urban Shocker, Tommy Bond, Bobby Veach, Lon Warneke, Herman Long, Jack Fournier, Allie Reynolds, and Lave Cross. Some others who were close to the list were Wally Berger, Sal Bando, Frank Howard, Buddy Myer, Jim McCormick, Jack Quinn and Billy Pierce.

Voters should list their top ten selections in order. We'll elect three players each election for awhile. Points will be assigned this way: 12-11-10-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.

With Santo, Blyleven and Allen no longer eligible, here is my list of the next ten most deserving candidates for the Hall:

1. Minnie Minoso
2. Bill Dahlen
3. Bobby Grich
4. Joe Torre
5. Paul Hines
6. Rich Gossage
7. Alan Trammell
8. Deacon White
9. Sherry Magee
10.Lou Whitaker

[RuthMayBond]

Let’s show the 100 players listed above by position:

P (21) – Lolich, Morris, Newcombe.
C (10) – Bennett, Howard, McVey.
1B (9) – Start.
2B (8) – H. Richardson.
SS (11) – Marion, Pearce , Wills.
CF (11) – Hines, Pike.
RF(10) – Maris.

Where did we get these from?

[Freakshow]

Where did we get these from?

They all come from other group's lists of leading candidates, printed in my introductory post.

[RuthMayBond]

They all come from other group's lists of leading candidates, printed in my introductory post.

Too late for other possible suggestions?

[Freakshow]

Too late for other possible suggestions?

Not at all. Who did you want to include?

[KCGHOST]

1. Pete Browning
2. Minnie Minoso
3. Tommy Bridges
4. Rich Gossage
5. Allan Trammell
6. Lou Whitaker
7. Mike Tiernan
8. George Gore
9. Hardy Richardson
10. Stan Hack

[RuthMayBond]

Let’s show the 100 players listed above by position:

I was kinda hoping for more like this. I won't mess with the Negro League selections since I'm not knowledgable enough

P (21) – Blyleven, Bridges, Caruthers, Ferrell, Gossage, Guidry, Hershiser, John, Kaat, DLeonard, (Lyle's gotta go too), Mays, JMcCormick, Mullane, Quisenberry, Redding, RReuschel, L. Smith, Stieb, Tiant, Walters, J. Wood.
C (10) – Freehan, Munson, Parrish, DPorter, Schang, Simmons, Sundberg, Tenace, Torre, D. White.
1B (9) – Allen, Cash, W. Clark, Garvey, Hernandez, Hodges, Mattingly, Powell, Vernon.
2B (8) – Barnes, Childs, L. Doyle, Gordon, Grich, Randolph, (maybe no replacement for H. Richardson), Whitaker.
3B (11) – Beckwith, K. Boyer, Elliott, Evans, Groh, Hack, Leach, Nettles, Rosen, Santo, Sutton.
SS (11) – Bartell, Concepcion, Dahlen, Glasscock, G. Johnson, HLong, Lundy, D. Moore, Campaneris, Stephens, Trammell.
LF (9) – Belle, Browning, B. Johnson, Keller, Magee, Minoso, Rice, Sheckard, Stovey.
CF (11) – Butler, (WDavis or Cedeno), Dawson, Flood, Gore, Lynn, Murphy, Oliver, Pinson, Van Haltren, Wynn.
RF(10) – Bonds, JClark, Colavito, Evans, Oliva, Parker, Ryan, Singleton, R. Smith, Staub.

Some others who were close to the list were (instead of Buddy Myer) Del Pratt. What say ya?

[Freakshow]

RMB--
It would help if you could highlight your additions. Also, remember players active after 2000 are not yet eligible.

[Freakshow]

I won't mess with the Negro League selections since I'm not knowledgable enough

Miss Manners gently suggests you follow the same policy for 19th century players.

[RuthMayBond]

Also, remember players active after 2000 are not yet eligible.

Who did I goof with?

[RuthMayBond]

Miss Manners gently suggests you follow the same policy for 19th century players.

Is Miss Manners implying that when it comes to 19th century players, I actually AM as dumb as I look? (it wouldn't take much to convince me to add Silver King). I'm sorry, you have to defend the pathetic nomination of Dickey Pearce.
Career slugging, .276.
Number of full seasons, five.
Number of 30+ RBI years, zero.
OPS+, 78.
Career RBI, 137.
Years after 1877, zero.
Sneaking him in the Hall, priceless
Dang, I left Hodges on

[Freakshow]

Who did I goof with?

I noticed Grace, Fernandez and Franco.

[Freakshow]

Dickey Pearce.
Career slugging, .276.
Number of full seasons, five.
Number of 30+ RBI years, zero.
OPS+, 78.
Career RBI, 137.
Years after 1877, zero.

If that's your sum of knowledge of Pearce, naturally you could not fathom him as a viable HOF candidate.

For now, here's his plaque at the Hall of Merit:

Dickey Pearce - 1931 - SS/C
Brooklyn Atlantics (1856-70); Brooklyn Excelsiors (1866); New York (NA) 1871-72; Brooklyn Atlantics (NA) 1873-74; St. Louis Brown Stockings (NA) 1875; St. Louis (NL) 1876-77
Cap: Brooklyn Atlantics
Almost overnight, tiny Dickey Pearce transformed the position of shortstop from one of little defensive contribution to one with a great responsibility for preventing runs. He expanded the area a shortstop covered, developed defensive positioning based on where the batter would normally hit the ball, refined defensive strategy at the position and showed how a shortstop should throw the ball accurately to first. Besides being a defensive marvel, the speedy Pearce was also an above-average batsman who is credited with inventing the bunt and fair-foul hit. In the few All-Star games of that age, he was named the starting shortstop in 1858 and the starting catcher (which he performed excellently and played many times during his long career) in 1861. Arguably the greatest player of his era at his prime, he was one of the game’s first professionals. Sparkplug of the great champion Atlantic teams of 1864 and 1865. NA leader for Games (1871).

[RuthMayBond]

For now, here's his plaque at the Hall of Merit:

Let's take a closer look at the plaque

Dickey Pearce - 1931 - SS/C
Brooklyn Atlantics (1856[/QUOTE]I bet they had awesome leagues then

<Almost overnight, tiny Dickey Pearce transformed the position of shortstop from one of little defensive contribution to one with a great responsibility for preventing runs.>

I'd like some evidence for this

<showed how a shortstop should throw the ball accurately to first.>

A little elucidation on this?

<the speedy Pearce was also an above-average batsman>

Based upon exactly what?

<who is credited with inventing the bunt>

<Arguably the greatest player of his era at his prime>

I hear Ross Barnes knocking

[Freakshow]

RMB--

Your additions to the candidates list are all solid players, certainly. Though I could be wrong, I don't think any of them is a serious candidate for election by our group.

I also think you would do well to reconsider Paul Hines. If you need any info on him, just ask the voters at the BBFHOF, who elected him in December.