AIR HOF project, 10th election (1949)

[jalbright]

This is the tenth election of the AIR (Actual Induction Rate) HOF. We're going to elect folks at the pace Cooperstown did, which means 3 players and no contributors for 1948. The contributors go quiet for a few elections (until 1953, when we'll have 4--we skip 1950 for everybody). Obviously, I'm not counting contributor votes this time, so there's no point in submitting them. I'll post a link to the 1945 election when contributors are voted on again.

This election will be open until Saturday February 2 at 7 am EST.

The link to the prior election is: http://www.baseball-fever.com/showth...ion-%281948%29

[jalbright]

1) BBF users in good standing may participate, provided they have not been banned from multiple projects in this forum. Anyone who has been told his or her votes will not count in more than one project in this forum will not have his or her vote counted unless he or she applies to the project manager for the right to vote and gets that request granted. However, if there is more than one vote being cast from any one computer or IP, it must be cleared in advance. Should there be unannounced multiple votes from the same IP, I will investigate the circumstances, and all user names involved may be barred from this project as a result, and all but one of the multiple usernames permanently banned from the site. I only anticipate exceptions for family members living in the same home, but I will entertain requests on other bases. Please note that I and the other mods who participate in the project have the capability of determining the IP from which posts come, and I for one intend to monitor same. I have had to deal with a single user manipulating a project with multiple votes, and I don't intend to repeat the experience.

2) Elections will require a six (6) voter quorum. If we drop below that level for the player portion of the ballot, the project ends. If it drops below that level solely for the contributors, that ends that portion of the project.

3) We will start in 1936, just as Cooperstown did. Each year Cooperstown elected a player, we will vote for our top 15 players ranked #1 through 15, Points will be awarded on the basis of 21 minus the rank, so first will be worth 20 ponts, 2d 19 points and so on down to 6 pts for 15th. We will induct the same number of players the Hall did in that year. Some years, the Hall inducted no one, and those years, we will not either. If a voter does not number his selections, I will try to get him/her to do so. If they do not do so before the end of the election period, I may in my sole discretion invalidate the ballot. I have included this provision in order to ease the process of recording the votes. On another point, I know, the 1936 backlog is huge--but that was a historical issue they couldn't avoid, so neither will we.

4) We will also have a contributor ballot, and will elect as many as were inducted that year. Contributors will be ranked 1 through6, with points awarded 9-8-7-6-5-4. Voters may choose to participate in either one of the ballots or both. There will be many years without a contributor ballot, as many years no contributors were inducted.

5) It is permissible to vote for a candidate on both the contributor and player lists.

6) You are allowed to change your ballot at any time the voting is open. However, if you change your ballot, you've got to notify me (jalbright) by PM or by a new post in the voting thread, or the changes likely will not be registered.

7) Players will become eligible at the earliest of the following three criteria:
a) the year of death plus two will be used if that yields an earlier date;
b) the first missed season after the player reaches age 40; and
c) five years after the player’s career ended.
Please note that the Negro Leagues will be considered ended in 1952 for purposes of this rule.

8) Contributors become eligible at age 65 or in the year of death plus two. whichever comes first.

9) Each election will run for approximately two weeks unless expressly altered by the project manager, contributors and players done simultaneously.

10) No one is excluded from being a candidate, regardless of the league they played in, except those elected in either the contributor or player ballots. At that point, they are removed from further consideration. If there are players who returned to the Negro Leagues or Japan after going to the majors, the departure from the majors will be their career end date for purposes of this project.

11) The standard for including a player on one's ballot is that the player must in the voter's opinion be among the very best eligible players (preferably the number voted on, but if a voter wishes to support someone they feel is 18th in a 15 person ballot instead of one of the top 15, it's too close for anyone to reasonably object. On the other hand, supporting the 30th best eligible candidate on a 15 person ballot is probably beyond the pale). I reserve the power to invalidate ballots which I do not feel are a reasonably knowledgeable, good faith effort to rank the players. One issue I am quite concerned about is that I do not want to see what clearly appear to be attempts to manipulate the ballot so as to elect a candidate. In isolation, I probably could live with this, but if it became a widely used tactic, the project would devolve into something I have no desire to be associated with. Moreover, I think that this position asks everyone else to cast legitimate votes so that you can manipulate the system to favor your pet candidates. I cannot accept that, as it strikes me as unfair to other voters. For example, you can't expect to favor even a legitimate HOF candidate like Bill Dahlen over Babe Ruth to get Dahlen elected without being asked to provide a reasonable justification for ranking Dahlen over Ruth. If you can provide a reasonable justification in that scenario, the ballot will stand. If not, you will be asked to make a change. I realize voters will sometimes have idiosyncratic choices, and I try to allow for that. However, a clear flouting of a consensus is apt to be met with a request that the ballot be justified pursuant to this rule. Certainly, a reasonable justification does not indicate in essence simply that you want Dahlen elected. Furthermore, if I invalidate multiple ballots by the same individual as failing to meet this rule, that individual will forever lose the right to have his/her ballots counted. Voters are encouraged to consider character, sportsmanship, and compliance with the rules and spirit of baseball in their rankings of players.

12) I will post lists of eligible players and contributors before each election. If you have a question about the eligibility of a candidate, please ask. I will provide a list of future eligibility dates as well.

13) My eligibility lists come from all persons in the BBF HOF, BBTF Hall of Merit, and Cooperstown, plus all persons getting a vote in a BBF HOF election in the past year and a half or in a BBWAA election. This is a relatively comprehensive list, and thus I must request that if you want another candidate included, you provide some justification for why said candidate is worthy of getting a vote in this project. The main area I think this might come into play is if a voter supports a person who was eligible for the final selections from the recent pre WWII or Negro League committees but not on my master list. That fact alone would serve as ample justification for putting said candidate on the list. We may learn more about Cuban ball or what have you and thus include others after a case is made for them, however. The contributor list is undoubtedly not as comprehensive, and this fact will be taken into consideration. For players, any request for a multiple time all-star in the all-star era will be approved. Players of that quality will generally be approved without much ado. However, when a player lacks that kind of qualification, I will likely ask for you to get a second from among our voters via a post in the current election thread. When in doubt, I will also require a second for suggested contributors. If a second is forthcoming, the player will be added. If not, the request will be rejected. I want to limit requests and seconds to players or contributors you actually might vote for.

14) Other than the sportsmanship and character issues, players are to be evaluated solely upon their play. I would prefer that if a player is qualified by his play standing alone that he be elected on that basis. However, a candidate may only be elected either as a contributor or a player, but not both. Contributors are the area where the entire body of work during his career in the sport, including his play, managing, scouting, executive, writing, broadcasting or other work in the sport is relevant. Contributors are to be ranked based on who the voter thinks is most worthy of induction into the Contributor group in this project.

15) Any ballot with two (2) or more spots unfilled with eligible candidates is invalid. In the event of the listing of ineligible names, I will try to notify the voter so that he/she can correct the ballot before the end of the voting period. If the change is made timely, it will count. If not, and there are two or more invalid names, the ballot will not be considered valid. If there is only one, the ineligible name will be stricken and all names after it on the affected ballot will be moved up one spot.

16) Any players listed beyond the 15th place for any ballot will be ignored. If more than one person is listed as tied for the last available place and the ballot is oversize, all names will be dropped, which may lead to the invalidation of the ballot.

17) Ties are not permitted in ballot listings. I reserve the right to invalidate ballots for use of ties in the rankings, be it within a single ballot or over the course of several ballots. If the voter does not correct such a listing voluntarily, except in the case of an oversize ballot tie for the last eligible place, if do not invalidate the ballot, I will choose the placement of the two "tied" candidates, generally preferring the candidate preferred by the other voters.

18) For any ties between candidates straddling the in/out line of selections, the first tiebreaker is the number of candidates. If there Is still a tie for first, the next consideration is the ranking of the candidates by the ballots cast. If there are more than two candidates tied, use a 2-1-0 or whatever is appropriate for the number of players tied system. If a voter does not list a candidate, he receives zero points in the tiebreaker procedure. Once one person separates from the tied group, restart with the remaining candidates until there are only as many candidates as the rules call for being elected. If it is still tied after that, those with the most #1 votes as the next step, then the most #2 votes and so on to see if that breaks the tie. If not, we will induct all candidates who remain tied at that point.

19) One thing we're going to have to be aware of is the timeline in the case of at least a few contributors. Two which jump out at me are Buck O'Neill, 1976, and Branch Rickey, 1946. I intend to eventually vote for both men, but in 1946, Jackie Robinson was still in Montreal. Really, Branch should wait until at least 1947 after Jackie's success in the majors to get credit for that move. If you think Rickey belongs in the top 5 in 1946 without his role in breaking the color line, that's fine--but he shouldn't get credit for that important success until it actually happened. Buck O'Neill did some important things up until 1976, but after that he was in Ken Burns' Baseball and he was instrumental in the establishment of the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame (both occurred in or around 1994). If you think he belongs based on accomplishments before those two things, that's perfectly acceptable, but please don't credit him with them before they actually happened.

[jalbright]

Here's the new class of players who become eligible in 1949:

Allen Johnny
Cepeda Perucho
Chandler Spud
Chapman Ben
Gibson Josh
Jurges Billy
Lombardi Ernie
Lopez Al
Newsom Bobo
Smith Hilton

[jalbright]

The official results for the holdover players last election:

95	Dahlen , Bill
93	Dickey, Bill
93	Walsh , Ed
91	Kelly , King
86	Dihigo, Martin
71	Torriente, Cristobal
68	Keeler , Willie
66	Brown , Mordecai
60	Caruthers , Bob 
56	Wheat , Zack
55	Radbourn, Charlie
44	Bell, Cool Papa
42	Burkett , Jesse
42	Clarke , Fred
37	Jackson , Joe
27	Jennings , Hughie
19	Ruffing, Red
18	Oms, Alejandro
17	O'Rourke , Jim
14	Barnes , Ross
13	Flick , Elmer
10	Vance , Dazzy
9	Johnson , Home Run
8	Galvin , Pud
8	Terry, Bill
8	Wright , George
7	Hines , Paul
7	Traynor, Pie
6	Bender , Chief
6	Cepeda, Perucho
6	Lyons, Ted

[jalbright]

Alphabetical list of those already inducted

Players
Pete Alexander
Cap Anson
Frank Baker
Dan Brouthers
Oscar Charleston
John Clarkson
Ty Cobb
Mickey Cochrane
Eddie Collins
Roger Connor
Sam Crawford
George Davis
Ed Delahanty
Jimmie Foxx
Frankie Frisch
Lou Gehrig
Charlie Gehringer
Goose Goslin
Lefty Grove
Billy Hamilton
Gabby Hartnett
Harry Heilmann
Rogers Hornsby
Carl Hubbell
Walter Johnson
Tim Keefe
Nap LaJoie
Pop Lloyd
Christy Mathewson
Kid Nichols
Eddie Plank
Bullet Joe Rogan
Babe Ruth
Al Simmons
George Sisler
Tris Speaker
Turkey Stearnes
Mule Suttles
Honus Wagner
Paul Waner
Smoky Joe Williams
Jud Wilson
Cy Young

Contributors
Doc Adams
Alexander Cartwright
Henry Chadwick
Rube Foster
Clark Griffith
William Hulbert
Ban Johnson
Bill Klem
Connie Mack
John McGraw
Al Spalding
Harry Wright

[jalbright]

Inductions by year

Players

1936: Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Tris Speaker, Honus Wagner, Cy Young
1937: Eddie Collins, Nap LaJoie, Babe Ruth
1938: Rogers Hornsby
1939: Pete Alexander, Cap Anson, Dan Brouthers, Pop Lloyd, Christy Mathewson, Smoky Joe Williams
1942: Oscar Charleston, Lou Gehrig
1945: Mickey Cochrane, Roger Connor, George Davis, Ed Delahanty, Charlie Gehringer, Lefty Grove, Kid Nichols, Al Simmons, Turkey Stearnes
1946: Frank Baker, John Clarkson, Sam Crawford, Frankie Frisch, Billy Hamilton, Harry Heilmann, Carl Hubbell, Bullet Joe Rogan, George Sisler, Paul Waner, Jud Wilson
1947: Goose Goslin, Gabby Hartnett, Tim Keefe, Mule Suttles
1948: Jimmie Foxx, Eddie Plank

Contributor
1937: Alexander Cartwright, Henry Chadwick, Connie Mack, John McGraw, Harry Wright
1938: Rube Foster, Al Spalding
1939: Doc Adams, William Hulbert, Ban Johnson
1942: Clark Griffith
1945: Bill Klem

[jalbright]

Current eligibles for election:

Adams	Babe
Adams	Sparky
Allen	Johnny
Altrock	Nick
Archer	Jimmy
Arlett	Buzz
Austin	Jimmy
Averill	Earl
Bancroft	Dave
Barnes	Ross
Barry	Jack
Bartell	Dick
Battin	Joe
Beaumont	Ginger
Beckley	Jake
Beckwith	John
Bell	Cool Papa
Bender	Chief
Bennett	Charlie
Benton	Larry
Berg	Moe
Bergen	Marty
Berger	Wally
Berry	Charlie
Bigbee	Carson
Bishop	Max
Blades	Ray
Blue	Lu
Bluege	Ossie
Bodie	Ping
Boley	Joe
Bond	Tommy
Bottomley	Jim
Bradley	Bill
Breitenstein	Ted
Bresnahan	Roger
Bridges	Tommy
Brown	Mordecai
Browning	Pete
Burkett	Jesse
Burns	George
Bush	Donie
Bush	Guy
Bush 	Joe
Cadore	Leon
Camilli	Dolph
Camnitz	Howie
Carey	Max
Carrigan	Bill
Caruthers	Bob 
Cepeda	Perucho
Chance	Frank
Chandler	Spud
Chapman	Ray
Chapman	Ben
Chase	Hal
Chesbro	Jack
Childs	Cupid
Cicotte	Eddie
Cissell	Bill
Clark	Watty
Clarke	Fred
Coakley	Andy
Collins	Jimmy
Collins	Shano
Combs	Earle
Conroy	Wid
Coombs	Jack
Cooper	Wilbur
Cooper	Andy
Coveleski	Stan
Crandall	Doc
Cravath	Gavvy
Creighton	Jim
Criger	Lou
Critz	Hughie
Cronin	Joe
Cross	Lave
Crowder	Al 
Cruise	Walt
Cuccinello	Tony
Cummings	Candy
Cuyler	Kiki
Dahlen	Bill
Danning	Harry
Daubert	Jake
Davis	Harry
Davis	Spud
Davis	Curt
Derringer	Paul
Dickey	Bill
Dihigo	Martin
Dinneen	Bill
Doak	Bill
Donlin	Mike
Donovan	Bill
Dooin	Red
Doyle	Jack 
Doyle	Larry
Duffy	Hugh
Dugan	Joe
Dunlap	Fred
Dykes	Jimmy
Earnshaw	George
Ehmke	Howard
Elberfeld	Kid
Elliott	Jumbo
Ens	Jewel
Evers	Johnny
Ewing	Buck
Faber	Red
Falkenberg	Cy
Ferrell	Wes
Ferrell	Rick
Fitzsimmons	Freddie
Fletcher	Art
Flick	Elmer
Fonseca	Lew
Foster	Eddie
Foster	Willie
Fraser	Chick
Frisch	Frankie
Galvin	Pud
Gelbert	Charlie
Gibson	Josh
Glasscock	Jack
Gleason	Kid
Gomez	Lefty
Gonzalez	Mike
Gore	George
Gowdy	Hank
Grant	Eddie
Grant	Frank
Grantham	George
Grimes	Burleigh
Grimm	Charlie
Groh	Heinie
Haas	Mule
Hafey	Chick
Hahn	Noodles
Haines	Jesse
Hallahan	Bill
Hargrave	Bubbles
Harris	Bucky
Herman	Babe
Herzog	Buck 
Hill	Pete
Hinchman	Bill
Hines	Paul
Hooper	Harry
Hoy	Dummy
Hoyt	Waite
Huggins	Miller
Irwin	Charlie
Jackman	Will
Jackson	Joe
Jennings	Hughie
Johnson	Home Run
Johnson	Judy
Johnson	Bob
Jones	Charley
Jones	Fielder
Jones	Sam P.
Jordan	Tim
Joss	Addie
Judge	Joe
Jurges	Billy
Kamm	Willie
Keeler	Willie
Kelley	Joe
Kelly	King
Kerr	Dickie
Killefer	Bill
Kilroy	Matt
Klein	Chuck
Kling	Johnny
Knabe	Otto
Kremer	Ray
Kress	Red
Kuhel	Joe
Lange	Bill
Larkin	Henry
Latham	Arlie
Lazzeri	Tony
Leach	Tommy
Leach	Freddy
Leever	Sam
Lewis	Duffy
Lindstrom	Freddie
Lobert	Hans
Lombardi	Ernie
Long	Herman
Lopez	Al
Lowe	Bobby
Lucas	Red
Lundy	Dick
Luque	Dolf
Lyons	Denny
Lyons	Ted
Mackey	Biz
Magee	Sherry
Mancuso	Gus
Manush	Heinie
Maranville	Rabbit
Marberry	Firpo
Marquard	Rube
Martin	Pepper
Mathews	Bobby
Mays	Carl
McAleer	Jimmy
McCarthy	Tommy
McCormick	Jim
McGinnity	Joe
McGowan	Bill
McInnis	Stuffy
McLean	Larry
McManus	Marty
McPhee	Bid
McVey	Cal
Meadows	Lee
Mendez	Jose
Meusel	Bob
Milan	Clyde
Miller	Dots
Miller	Hack
Miller	Bing
Moore	Dobie
Moore	Jo-Jo
Moran	Pat
Mostil	Johnny
Mullane	Tony
Murphy	Danny
Murray	Red
Myer	Buddy
Nehf	Art
Newsom	Bobo
O'Doul	Lefty
Oeschger	Joe
O'Farrell	Bob
O'Leary	Charlie
Oms	Alejandro
O'Neill	Tip
O'Neill	Steve
O'Rourke	Jim
Orr	Dave
Pabor	Charlie
Paskert	Dode
Pearce	Dickey
Pearson	Monte
Peckinpaugh	Roger
Peitz	Heinie
Pennock	Herb
Perdue	Hub
Perkins	Cy
Phillippe	Deacon 
Pike	Lip
Pipp	Wally
Poles	Spotswood
Pruett	Hub
Quinn	Jack
Radbourn	Charlie
Raymond	Bugs
Redding	Dick
Remsen	Jack
Rice	Sam
Richardson	Hardy
Ring	Jimmy
Ritchey	Claude
Rixey	Eppa
Robertson	Dave
Rolfe	Red
Rommel	Eddie
Root	Charlie
Roush	Edd 
Rucker	Nap
Rudolph	Dick
Ruel	Muddy
Ruffing	Red
Rusie	Amos
Ryan 	Jimmy
Santop	Louis
Schacht	Al
Schaefer	Germany
Schalk	Ray
Schang	Wally
Schreckengost	Ossie
Schulte	Frank
Scott	Everett
Scott	Jack
Selkirk	George
Severeid	Hank
Sewell	Joe
Sewell	Luke
Seymour	Cy
Sheckard	Jimmy
Sherdel	Bill
Shocker	Urban
Smith	Earl
Smith	Sherry
Smith	Hilton
Sparks	Tully
Stahl	Jake
Start	Joe
Steinfeldt	Harry
Stephenson	Riggs
Stovey	Harry
Street	Gabby
Suhr	Gus
Sukeforth	Clyde
Sutton	Ezra
Sweeney	Bill
Tannehill	Jesse
Taylor	Ben
Tenney	Fred
Terry	Bill
Thevenow	Tommy
Thomas	Ira
Thompson	Sam
Tiernan	Mike
Tinker	Joe
Toney	Fred
Torriente	Cristobal
Traynor	Pie
Turner	Terry
Uhle	George
Van Haltren	George
Vance	Dazzy
Veach	Bobby
Waddell	Rube
Walberg	Rube
Wallace	Bobby
Walsh	Ed
Wambsganss	Bill
Waner	Lloyd
Ward	John M.
Warfield	Frank
Welch	Mickey
Werber	Billy
West	Sam
Wheat	Zack
White	Deacon 
White	Sol
White	Will 
Whitehill	Earl
Williams	Cy
Williams	Ken
Williamson	Ned
Willis	Vic
Wilson	Hack
Wilson	Jimmie
Wilson	Jud 
Witt	Whitey
Wood	Joe
Wright	George
Wright	Glenn
Wyatt	Whit 
Yerkes	Steve
Young	Pep
Youngs	Ross
Zachary	Tom
Zimmer	Chief

[jalbright]

My ballot:

Players
1. Josh Gibson
2. Bob Caruthers
3. Alejandro Oms
4. Bill Dahlen
5. Charlie Radbourn
6, Cristobal Torriente
7. Hughie Jennings
8. Ed Walsh
9. Fred Clarke
10. Jesse Burkett
11. Martin Dihigo
12. Joe Cronin
13. Willie Keeler
14. Bill Dickey
15. Perucho Cepeda

[jjpm74]

Players:

1. Josh Gibson
2. Red Ruffing
3. King Kelly
4. Jim O'Rourke
5. Joe Cronin
6. Zach Wheat
7. Ross Barnes
8. Bill Dahlen
9. Bob Caruthers
10. Buck Ewing
11. Willie Keeler
12. Jesse Burkett
13. Bill Dickey
14. Fred Clarke
15. Ed Walsh

Contributors:

1. Jim Creighton
2. Frank Selee
3. Ed Barrow
4. Al Reach
5. J.L. Wilkinson
6. TBD in next applicable election

[Richard Stark]

My Ballot for 1949 -

1. Josh Gibson
2. Shoeless Joe Jackson
3. Three Finger Brown
4. King Kelly
5. Big Ed Walsh
6. Bob Caruthers
7. Buck Ewing
8. Old Hoss Radbourn
9. Joe Cronin
10. Bill Dahlen
11. Cristobal Torriente
12. Martin Dihago
13. Fred Clarke
14. Wee Willie Keeler
15. Cool Papa Bell

[Captain Cold Nose]

1. Josh Gibson
2. Cool Papa Bell
3. Buck Ewing
4. Mordecai Brown
5. Martin DiHigo
6. Bill Dickey
7. Zack Wheat
8. King Kelly
9. Ed Walsh
10. Cristobal Torriente
11. Charlie Radbourn
12. Bill Dahlen
13. Joe Cronin
14. Willie Keeler
15. Bob Caruthers

[TheMendozaLine]

1. Josh Gibson
2. King Kelly
3. Joe Cronin
4. Buck Ewing
5. Willie Keeler
6. Ed Walsh
7. Martin Dihigo
8. Cool Papa Bell
9. Mordecai Brown
10. Bill Dahlen
11. Charles Radbourn
12. Bill Dickey
13. Pud Galvin
14. Jesse Burkett
15. Zack Wheat

[chicagowhitesox1173]

1. Josh Gibson
2. Three Finger Brown
3. Joe Cronin
4. Bill Dickey
5. Buck Ewing
6. Jesse Burkett
7. Willie Keeler
8. Ed Walsh
9. Cool Papa Bell
10. Martin Dihigo
11. Cristobel Torriente
12. Zack Wheat
13. Bill Terry
14. Pie Traynor
15. Ted Lyons

[jalbright]

We now have a quorum.

[jalbright]

I'll follow up with the voter(s) who voted in this election but have yet to do so in this one over the weekend.

The next election will be 1951, so the incoming class is larger and deeper than usual. We'll be electing 2 players and no contributors in that election. The incoming class of players is:
Brown Ray
Crosetti Frankie
Dean Dizzy
Hack Stan
Harder Mel
Harris Vic
Herman Billy
Higgins Mike
Lee Bill
Leonard Buck
Mungo Van
Ott Mel
Paige Satchel
Rowe Schoolboy
Schumacher Hal
Sewell Rip
Sullivan Billy
Tobin Jim
Walker Dixie
Walters Bucky
Warneke Lon
Wells Willie
Whitehead Burgess