However, last December 7, the Pre-Integration Committee, meeting for the first time in three years, selected no new inductees for figures whose contributions took place primarily before 1947. Griffey and Piazza's election brings the total number of Hall of Famers to 312, and that amount may seem too large for some. Over the years, dozens of questionable figures have squeezed their way into Cooperstown, usually through the various incarnations of the Veterans Committee.
The first time the committee met, in December 2012, they selected three new Hall of Famers, each of whom were long overdue inductees. Deacon White, one of the premier catchers and third basemen of the first few decades of professional baseball, Hank O'Day, the first great umpire of the 20th century, and Jacob Ruppert, the owner responsible for building the Yankees into a dynasty in the 1920s and 1930s.
In 2015, the Pre-Integration Committee passed on 10 candidates who all had varying levels of fame, success, and Hall of Fame worthiness. 5 of those on the ballot are in my own personal Hall of Fame, Doc Adams, Samuel Breadon, Bill Dahlen, Wes Ferell and Harry Stovey. I might even come around on one of two others in the future, especially Gary Herrmann and Chris von der Ahe.
Doc Adams was instrumental in the foundations of baseball, serving as vice-president, and later president, of the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club from the 1840s to the 1860s. He helped establish many of the rules of the game which remain to this day, and was instrumental in the creation of the shortstop position. Named the Society for American Baseball Research's 2014 Overlooked 19th Century Legend, Adams' mere appearance on the ballot was looked at as a victory for historians, as the man who perhaps has the best claim to the title "Father of Baseball" was lost to history for years. Alexander Cartwright, a fellow member of the Knickerbocker's, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1938, and was declared the inventor of baseball by the U.S. Congress in 1953. However, his actual contributions dwarf those of Adams, along with other key Knick's figures like Louis F. Wadsworth, William Wheaton, William H. Tucker, and Duncan Curry. The later four will be addresses in part II of this post.
Bill Dahlen, sabermetrically, has one of the strongest Hall candidacies of any player in history. Playing mostly shortstop from 1891 to 1911, Dahlen accumulated 2461 hits and 1234 RBI, while playing sparkling defense for the Cubs, Brooklyn Superbas, Giants, and Boston Doves. His 75.2 career Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is the most among eligible shortstops, and the third-most among eligible position players, behind only Barry Bonds and Jeff Bagwell.
Harry Stovey's case looks promising, with the outfielder leading the league in runs scored, triples, and home runs four times. In fact, Stovey passed Charley Jones in 1885 to become the all-time home run leader. Dan Brouthers overcame Stovey in 1887 and 1888, before Stovey reclaimed the crown in 1889, holding the record until 1894. His main obstacle has been that seven years of his 14 year career was spent in the American Association, which although was a Major League at the time, has been regarded as inferior to the National League for much of its existence. Only Bid McPhee made the Hall of Fame after spending significant time in the AA, finally gaining entrance in 2000.
On the surface, Wes Ferrell looks like a borderline candidate at best. The owner of a respectable 193-128 win-loss record, Ferrell's main downside would be his 4.04 ERA, which would be the highest of any Hall of Fame pitcher. However, further inspection into his career paints Wesley Cheek Ferrell as a hidden gem among non-Hall of Famers. From 1929 to 1936, Ferrell was one of the two best pitchers in baseball, along with the legendary Lefty Grove. Winning 20 games six times, he finished just behind Grove in WAR during that time. Ferrell's secret weapon was his hitting ability. Unbelievable for a pitcher, he hit over .290 three times, including a .347 season in 1935. His combined WAR of 61.6 is 163rd all time. Wes is almost certainly a more deserving inductee than his brother, actual Hall of Fame catcher, Rick Ferrell. Wes had 31.8 more wins above replacement than Rick, and even had a comparable batting average (hitting .280 lifetime compared to Rick's .281). Not bad for a pitcher.
Sam Breadon became the principal owner of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1920. From 1920 until he sold his shares in 1947, the Cardinals compiled a .570 winning percentage, nine NL pennants, and six World Series championships. Though the presence of executives, specifically team owners, has been questioned by many, Breadon's accomplishments stack up or exceed many of execs already in Cooperstown. In fact, Breadon is comparable in many ways with Jacob Ruppert, who was one of three elected in 2012. Ruppert built the New York Yankees into a dynasty, winning the team's first seven titles. Breadon's Cardinals became the most successful National League franchise, and the team still has the most World Series crowns in the NL.
Adams, Dahlen and Stovey all received the most votes, with Adams falling short of election by two votes. Hopefully, the next time the committee meets, in December 2018, some of these worthy legends receive their due.
However, I believe there are several more worthy candidates from the pre-1947 era.
Here are 15 of the most deserving players who should appear on future ballots from the Pre-Integration Committee:
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| Ross Barnes in 1874 |
Ross Barnes: The premier position player of baseball's first professional league, the National Association, Barnes won three batting titles in the early 1870s, and was the most valuable player by WAR five times. Starting with Rockford in the 1860s, Barnes was the star of the Boston Red Stockings' four NA title winning teams. He joined the jump-start National League and the Chicago White Stockings in 1876, and became the league's best hitter as well. Four times batting over .400, his career .360 batting average jumps off the page coming from any era. Though he only played in nine professional seasons, his career began years before any professional leagues. Factoring in his role as pro ball's first great player, Barnes would be a worthy recipient of a Cooperstown induction.
Charlie Bennett: Catcher Charlie Bennett lacks many traditional career numbers that may have kept him from Cooperstown. With only 978 hits and a .256 average, his case, along with many on this list, requires a closer look. Bennett led the league in catcher's fielding percentage seven times, and his WAR of 39.1 ranks just behind Hall of Famer Buck Ewing among catchers during his career. His career was cut short by tragedy, as his legs were crushed by a train in early 1894. It's hard to tell how much he had left in the tank anyway, as he was already 38 at the time.
Pete Browning: Named SABR's first Overlooked 19th Century Legend in 2009, "The Gladiator" has been faced with the same issue plaguing Harry Stovey, spending eight years in the American Association from 1882 to 1889. A three-time batting champion, Browning's .341 batting average, .403 on-base percentage and 163 adjusted OPS+ (tied for 10th all time) all some of his major qualifications. Spending 10 seasons in Louisville, Browning is perhaps most famous for the claim that he was the first "Louisville Slugger" and received the first custom made baseball bat from Hillerich & Bradsby.
Bob Caruthers: "Parisian Bob" Caruthers' qualifications combine the best of the candidacies of Harry Stovey, Pete Browning and Wes Ferrell. Playing in just 10 seasons, and pitching in only nine of them, Caruthers went a crazy 218-99 with a 2.83 ERA from 1884 to 1892. Pitching with the St. Louis Browns of the American Association, he helped the club win three AA titles, and then won two more championships with the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. Among the top handful of pitchers in his era, Caruthers' hitting helps propel his Hall of Fame case. A career .282 hitter, he batted .347 from 1886 to 1887, leading the AA in OBP and OPS in 1886. His career 60.6 WAR placed him right near the aforementioned Wes Ferrell, and is good for 172 all time.
Jack Glasscock: Possibly the best bet to make his Pre-Integration Committee ballot debut in 2018, "Pebbly Jack" Glasscock is right up there with Bill Dahlen among underrated infielders from the dead-ball era. Shorter seasons in the 19th century make his 2041 career hits seem less impressive than they actually are, and his .290 batting average shows his skill at the plate. A standout defensive star, Glasscock topped the NL in shortstop fielding percentage six times, shortstop range factor per nine innings five times, and defensive WAR three times. He retired in 1895 while holding many defensive records.
Stan Hack: Third base is the most underrepresented position in Cooperstown, with players like Stan Hack being left out. Hack was the premier third baseman in baseball from 1932 to 1947, and it's really not even a competition. Hack blows away complimentary third basemen during that time period. Boasting a .301 career average, 2193 hits, solid defensive numbers, and a .347 batting average in 18 World Series games, "Smiling Stan" is one of the few deserving players from the 1930s who remain outside of the Hall.
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| 1887 Old Judge Paul Hines cigarette card |
Paul Hines: A consistent outfielder during pro baseball's first two decades, Hines racked up 2133 hits and a .302 average. He batted .358 in 1878 to lead to league, and practically delivered the same numbers again in 1879. He helped Old Hoss Radbourn and the rest of the Providence Grays win the 1884 championship, batting .302 with a .360 on-base percentage. He had the second-best WAR of any outfielder during his career, falling just short of Hall of Famer Jim O'Rourke.
Bob Johnson: The best left fielder in the league from 1933 to 1945, "Indian Bob" Johnson became famous with the Philadelphia Athletics as one of the few bright spots during a long stretch of losing seasons under Connie Mack. Once Mack traded Jimmie Foxx to the Red Sox, Johnson stood out as their best player, until he himself was shipped to the Washington Senators in 1943. A seven-time all-star, Johnson constantly ranked among league leaders in slugging percentage, OBP+ and home runs.
Sherry Magee: Just like Bob Johnson, Sherry Magee stands out as the most valuable left fielder of his era. Putting up strong offensive numbers with the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 20th century, Magee probably would have won the NL MVP had it been awarded that season. He topped the circuit in average, OBP, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, total bases, RBI, runs scored and offensive WAR that year. Hovering around 60 career WAR, Magee has been overlooked, while inferior outfielders from his era, such as Edd Roush, Elmer Flick and Ross Youngs have been in Cooperstown for decades.
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| Jim McCormick with the Chicago White Stockings |
Jim McCormick: In my opinion, there are four pitchers from the 1870s and 1880s who have legitimate Hall of Fame candidacies. We have already addressed one, Bob Caruthers, who has his outstanding offensive numbers to consider. Second is Tony Mullane, who appeared on the Pre-Integration Committee's ballot in 2012. Mullane has an interesting candidacy, with his 284 wins ranking fourth most among eligible Hall candidates, behind only Roger Clemens, Bobby Mathews (who we'll get to in a moment), and Tommy John. Mullane would almost certainly have won over 300 games had he pitched in 1885, but he was suspended for attempting to jump to Cincinnati. This probably cost him a plaque in Cooperstown decades ago, as he had won 30 or more games in each of the previous three seasons, and would win 33 and 31 more in 1886 and 1887. The problem with 19th century pitchers is that their insane workloads and high inning counts skew their career totals in wins and WAR, and it becomes complicated to truly separate dominance and greatness from simply being a compiler and a product of the era. Not much separates Mullane from Hall of Famer Mickey Welch, who won over 300 games, and Charlie Buffinton, who won 233 games over 11 seasons. All three have a WAR between 60.3 and 63.8, meaning probably that either all three should be in the Hall of Fame, or none of them should be.
Third, is the aforementioned Bobby Mathews, who has a fascinating candidacy. The main thing Mathews has going for him is his career win total, sitting at 297. It's a bit surprising that an overly generous Veterans Committee didn't elect Matthews back in the 1960s or 1970s. However, a problem for Mathews is that his prime years were spent in the National Association, which has never officially been given Major League status by MLB. Taking only his National League and American Association numbers, Mathews' career record of 166-136 looks unremarkable. Mathews pitched two years before the NA's first year of 1871, so taking those non-official numbers from 1869 and 1870 into account would easily push him over the 300 win marker. However, with the emergence of advanced sabermetrics denouncing the pitcher win stat in recent years, Mathews' case faces more scrutiny. 62.2 is his career WAR, which is good, but much like Mullane, Welch and Buffinton, it is hard to say how much of that value came from simply pitching hundreds of innings for a decade and and half. There is just too much of a discrepancy between this group of pitchers and the top-tier hurlers of the era, Old Hoss Radbourn, Tim Keefe, John Clarkson and Pud Galvin, who displayed more dominance over longer periods of time.
The best non-Hall of Fame pitcher from 19th century is Jim McCormick, who at first glance, appears to be in the same boat as Mathews and Mullane. His 265 wins are impressive, but unremarkable for the era. He never led the league in strikeouts, and only led in wins and ERA twice. Plus, he only played 10 years, which is never a good indicator of longevity or greatness. McCormick, however, was perhaps the single most valuable pitcher in baseball during the entire length of his career.
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| The 12 best pitchers, by Wins Above Replacement, from 1878-1887. (Courtesy of Seamheads.com) |
So why has there been no love for McCormick? I think it's mainly because his prime years were spent with the Cleveland Blues of the National Leagues. Here is Cleveland's final standings in the eight-team National League from 1879 through 1884: 6th, 3rd, 7th, 5th, 4th and 7th. In 1879, they went 27-55 and in 1884, the team finished at 35-77. McCormick was the best player on his team every season, and his teammates didn't help him very much at racking up the most important statistic for a pitcher at the time, wins. He was the second most valuable player in the entire league in 1879, behind only Boston's Tommy Bond, yet lost a league-leading 40 games.
By the time he joined the powerhouse Chicago White Stockings in 1885, he only had three years left in his arm. Had he spent more time with respectable clubs, he would be in the same category as the Hall of Fame pitchers of his era.
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| Cal McVey with the Boston Red Stockings |
Cal McVey: Joining Ross Barnes on the list is his longtime teammate Cal McVey. Playing a variety of positions in the 1860s and 1870s, McVey played on the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869 and 1870 before moving to the National Association with the Boston Red Stockings in 1871. Among the top handful of players in the country, McVey batted .346 in his professional career, hitting .431 in 29 games in 1871, and .380 in 1873. He had the highest WAR in the NA in 1874 among position players, and led the Association in doubles, RBI, slugging percentage, OPS and total bases in 1875. He would spend parts of three seasons as player manager with the Baltimore Canaries and Cincinnati Reds before his final season in 1879. McVey was a pioneering professional player on four early championship-winning clubs.
Dickey Pearce: One of the first successful ballplayers in history, Pearce began his long career in the mid-to-late 1850s, playing for the Brooklyn Atlantics. He helped turn shortstop into a key defensive position and popularized place-hitting and bunting. A smart, pioneering defensive player, Pearce's lack of complete statistics over his career create a complicated legacy, as it's not possible to truly judge everything he accomplished in the game. However, the shear length of his career, along with his innovating tactics and ideas, should help bring him back into the minds of baseball historians and fans.
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| 1921 Wally Schang Exhibits baseball card |
Wally Schang: Schang seems like the type of player who would have been elected years ago. A fine-hitting, sound-defensive catcher from 1913 to 1931, Schang played in six World Series, winning three, one each with the Philadelphia Athletics. Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. A .284 career batting average, .393 on-base percentage, 1506 hits, and a legitimate claim as the best catcher throughout the entirety of his career make Schang one of the most underrated players of the early 20th century.
Urban Shocker: Similar to Charlie Bennett, Urban Shocker's career ended abruptly, though unlike Bennett, so did his life. Debuting with the Yankees in 1916, Shocker eventually moved to the St. Louis Browns were he became one of the best pitchers in baseball. Seven times he finished in the top eight in pitcher WAR, eight times in the top 10 in ERA, and nine times in the top nine in WHIP. Traded back to the Yankees for 1925, he helped them reach the 1926 World Series. Heart failure led to his release in 1928, and he died that September at the age of 37.
Joe Start: Last on our list is "Old Reliable" Joe Start. A baseball veteran for 10 years before the first pro season of 1871, Start hit .360 that season. He would play another 15 seasons, hitting .299 with 1417 hits and two National League pennants with the Providence Grays. Start earned his nickname, as he was the oldest player in the league every season from 1878 to 1886. He should someday join Cap Anson, Dan Brouthers and Roger Connor, the three other premier first basemen of the time, in Cooperstown.
Part II will discuss more possible Pre-Integration Committee candidates for the Baseball Hall of Fame, with a look into worthy executives, pioneers and umpires.
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