Future Candidates for the Baseball Hall of Fame's Pre-Integration Committee, Part III

Part I and Part II of my analysis of some of the most deserving Pre-Integration candidates for the Baseball Hall of Fame detailed players, umpires, executives and pioneers from baseball's early era. Part III will cover many of those same categories, abet not from Major League Baseball and its ancestral organizations. Instead, this part will explore several individuals who face the toughest clime of any worthy Hall of Fame candidates, as they spent their careers in the Negro Leagues.

Not too long ago, this would have been no problem. From Satchel Paige's election in 1971, until the mass election of 17 Negro League players and executives in 2006, Cooperstown admitted 34 men (and one woman), whose primary contributions took place in black baseball. However, since that great day in 2006, there has not been any follow up on any Negro League candidates. None have been on any Veteran's Committee ballots, and players whose careers split the black and white leagues, like Minnie Minoso have been judged solely on their Major League numbers. 

Graham Womack interviewed Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson in January for Sporting News. When asked why the Hall has any plans to consider any more Negro Leagues figures in the future, Idelson replied:

"No, because in 2006 we had a special Negro Leagues election… It was 17 contributors in the Negro Leagues who were elected in 2006, and at that time, we indicated that that would be the final election for those who performed in the Negro Leagues unless new research came out that would warrant another look. We felt that the number of candidates eligible, whether they be players, managers, umpires, or executives, had been reviewed to the point where the top echelon had earned election, and the Negro Leagues research community endorsed that at the time. That’s why you had an election of 17."

That mindset is slightly troubling. New information is discovered constantly on figures from the past, and baseball is no exception. In the past few years alone, partial or full statistics for Negro Leaguers have been added to Baseball-Reference and Seamheads, allowing for people to explore ballplayers who have completely disappeared from the public consciousness. 


It's important to note that Negro League statistics need to taken with a grain of salt. For most players, complete statistics for their careers, especially for exhibition or off-season games, will never be known. That is why it's not fair to judge numbers put up in the Negro Leagues to numbers in MLB. Batting averages and available ERA data often isn't enough to accurately tell whether someone was a Hall of Famer or not. The Negro Leagues are more complicated than that. Anecdotes, stories, first person accounts, such as interviews from former players, or polls conducted during a players' career are invaluable tools to separate great players from the good ones.

Is it possible that the committee that met for the Class of 2006, apparently meant to be the last hurrah for the Negro Leagues, missed some people? The answer is almost certainly yes. The most famous person up for consideration at that time was the still-alive and highly beloved baseball ambassador Buck O'Neil. Most accounts indicate the Buck was good first baseman for the Kansas City Monarchs in the 1930s and 1940s. He later became a manager, a scout with the Chicago Cubs, and the first African-American coach in MLB history. Made famous for his work with the Negro League Baseball Museum, and his appearance on Ken Burns' Baseball documentary in 1994, O'Neil was the living embodiment of the Negro Leagues for much of his later life. His election would have been a celebration of not just his life and career, but all those associated with the Negro Leagues. Instead, he was skipped over. While he did give a joyful speech at the 2006 induction ceremony, it never felt quite right. He should have been there, but not as a special guest speaker. He should have been an inductee. 

O'Neil is just one of many great Negro Leaguers passed over, not just in 2006 and beyond, but the years prior to that. His case has been well documented, and if the Hall ever does consider Negro Leaguers, it would be shocking if he doesn't get elected at some point.

Instead, here are a 13 other candidates who should be allowed on a Hall of Fame ballot again, either from the Pre-Integration Committee, or a new Negro Leagues committee. 

John Beckwith: Starting off with John Beckwith, who played a variety of positions during his career, but mostly patrolled shortstop and third base. Known for his outstanding power, Beckwith was known for his tape-measure shots. His playing ability may have been overshadowed by his hot-temper and willingness to fight. He compares favorably to Hall of Famer among Negro League third basemen according to Win Shares leaderboards on Seamheads, tied with another member of this list, Candy Jim Taylor. Playing for a variety of teams from 1916 to 1938, as many players did in the Negro Leagues, he spent several years with the Chicago Giants and Baltimore Black Sox. Regarded by Hall of Famer Pete Hill as a "Demon at bat," his stats look impressive in any context.

William Bell during the 1924 Colored World Series (Wikimedia Commons)

William Bell: I'm a little higher on William Bell than historian James A. Riley is. Riley's work with the Negro Leagues is vast, and his book The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues is one of my favorite reference works. In ESPN's 20006 Baseball Encyclopedia, Riley ranked his top 100 Negro League players, separating them into five categories-Titans, Elites, All-Time Greats, Long and Distinguished Careers, and Short but Brilliant Careers. All those in the "Titans" category are in the Hall of Fame, with Biz Mackey finally joining his contemporaries in 2006. Most of the "Elites" are in Cooperstown, with many names who fell short of election winding up on my list.

William Bell falls down into the "Long and Distinguished Careers" section, among many names which didn't even make the second stage of the Hall's Negro Leagues screening process in 2005.

Maybe Riley's right, but I'm a big Hall guy. I don't even believe it would be the end of the world if the Hall elected all 94 of those names on that preliminary ballot, or at least the 39 names on the final ballot. Why that might be a tad rash, I can't imagine too many of those candidates are more unqualified than actual Hall of Famers Tommy McCarthy, Jesse Haines, and George Kelly, to just name a few.

But back to Bell, who was known as a winning pitcher for some of the league's best teams. Spending the bulk of his career with the Kansas City Monarchs, he possessed great control and a good fastball and curveball. Bell, along with Hall of Famers Jose Mendez and Bullet Joe Rogan, helped to lead the Monarchs to the 1924 Colored World Series title. Bell pitched in Cuba in the offseason, and later managed for several years, winding down his two-decade plus career with the Newark Eagles in 1948. Known for his skill at helping to teach younger players, he ranks among the all-time best in wins in the Negro Leagues.

Would he be the first name I'd put in the Hall if I had supreme control over the election process? No. But he's a perfect example of a player who had a great career, but was unable to show the world what he was truly capable of. I like William Bell.

Ed Bolden: Ed Bolden is one of favorite obscure Hall of Fame candidates. I believe I first became aware of Bolden from an article by John B. Holway titled "What if Effa Manley Had Been an Ugly Man?" Effa Manley, the part-owner of the Newark Eagles with her husband Abe, was elected to the Hall in 2006, becoming the first woman admitted to Cooperstown. Manley was probably elected more so because she was a rare woman in a position of power in a sport and culture dominated by men and her works for better scheduling, pay, and accommodations for players than her team's actual baseball accomplishments. I don't really have any problem with her election, but she's not in my own personal Hall. Maybe I'll come around to her, but this isn't supposed to be an anti-Effa Manley post. 

Instead, I bring up Manley because I just don't see how she is more qualified than Ed Bolden. I'm glad other Negro League executives like Rube Foster, J. L. Wilkinson, and recent electee to the Basketball Hall of Fame Cumberland Posey have received their due. To me, Bolden is in that category. Starting in 1910, he helped to build the Hilldale club from a semipro unit to a professional ball club. He also helped to found the Eastern Colored League, with Hilldale claiming the league's first three championships in 1923-1925. He later formed the Philadelphia Stars, who captured the Negro National League title in 1934. He was a champion of the cause for Negro League clubs to be fairly compensated when their best players were plucked for the Major Leagues, and was known as a shy, quiet, gentlemen.

John Donaldson: John Wesley Donaldson has a greater online presence than most Negro League players, with a collection of researchers referring to themselves as the "Donaldson Network," advocating for his election to Cooperstown. Donaldson became famous in the early 1910s thanks to his masterfully pitched games, including several no-hitters, and his huge strikeout totals against professional and semipro ball clubs. Countless newspaper clippings have showcased her exploits as one of the best left-handed pitchers, black or white, of his era. Pitching many years with J.L. Wilkinson's All-Nations team and the Kansas City Monarchs, before eventually transition to the outfield before his career ended. He also became the first full-time African-American scout in the majors, working with the Chicago White Sox in the 1940s and 1950s. Donaldson certainty has his supporters, and it should be no surprise.

Vic Harris with the Homestead Grays

Vic Harris: There has never been a Negro Leaguer ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame based primarily on their managerial career. Vic Harris has one of the best candidacies. A mainstay of the Homestead Grays, Harris started out as a infielder in 1923. By 1925 he was an outfielder with the Grays, known for his speed and slap hitting. By 1935, he became player-manager, and led Homestead to six straight Negro National League pennants. He captured another in 1945, and one last pennant in 1948, before his last season as skipper of the Birmingham Black Barons in 1950. This PDF from the Center for Negro League Baseball Research demonstrates Harris' managerial success. Vastly unappreciated by history, I think Harris is at or near the top of worthy Cooperstown candidates.

Grant Johnson: Coming back to Riley's list of greatest Negro Leaguers, Grant "Home Run" Johnson makes his "Elites" category, thanks to his stature as the first great shortstop in black baseball. Him spending much of his post-playing career in my hometown-area of Buffalo, NY doesn't hurt his standing with me, either. He apparently earned his nickname "Home Run" after smashing 60 homers with the semipro Findlay Sluggers. He helped form the Page Fence Giants in 1895, serving a captain. By 1905, he helped lead the Philadelphia Giants to two championships, before captaining the Brooklyn Royal Giants to a title in 1909. Impressive batting numbers highlight Johnson's available statistics, and place him on this list.

Dick Lundy: Next up is another shortstop, Dick Lundy. Lundy ranks in with the "Elites" in Riley's all-time list, just ahead of nine Hall of Famers in a row. Riley calls Lundy "the Negro Leagues' top shortstop of the 1920s." He ranks Lundy right up with John Henry Lloyd and Willie Wells as the three greatest at that position among Negro Leaguers. Seamheads ranks him as the 17th best player by Win Shares based on available numbers from 1896 to 1940. He spent a dozen seasons with the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants, also spending significant time with the Baltimore Black Sox. John McGraw once apparently said that he wished he "could paint that Lundy white," while declaring him the best shortstop in history, excluding Honus Wagner. He also managed during and after his playing career.

Alejandro Oms

Alejandro Oms: Outfielder Alejandro Oms was a star in two countries, both in his native Cuba and the United States. A member of the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame, José Méndez's induction in 2006 helps Oms case. Much of Mendez's career took place in Cuba, and it must have played a significant role in his election. Cuban League statistics have been lumped in with those of the Negro Leagues on Seamheads and Baseball-Reference, and black and dark skinned Latinos often split part of the year between the island and the mainland U.S. Mendez spent 14 years in the Cuban Winter League, and Cristóbal Torriente played played in parts of 12 seasons there. Between 1922 and 1946, Oms played in parts of 16 Cuban Winter League seasons. 

Regarded as a flashy and colorful player, his hitting was tremendous, and he was a key member of four Cuban championship clubs. One of the best handful of Cuban baseball players in history, while in the United States, he played for New York City's Cuban Stars East throughout the 1920s and early 1930s. His career in two countries easily places Oms in the discussion of overlooked Hall of Fame candidates. 

Spot Poles A stellar athlete with legendary speed, Spottswood "Spot" Poles drew comparisons to Ty Cobb and Cool Papa Bell. Racking up great numbers for some of the country's best black teams, including the New York Lincoln Giants and the Hilldale club, Poles also spent time in the Cuban Winter League. John McGraw listed Poles, John Henry Lloyd, Dick Redding and Cyclone Joe Williams as the four black players he would sign if he could. A prototypical leadoff hitter, Oms racked up steals and high batting averages throughout his career. 

George Scales: Scales spent his long career with countless clubs, including notable stints with the Lincoln Giants and Baltimore Elite Giants. Ranked among the greatest second basemen in Negro Leagues history. He made up for a lack in speed with a strong arm and ability to crush curveballs while at the plate. A middle of the order hitter with the Lincoln Giants, he later shared a lineup with the Homestead Grays that included Hall of Famers Joe Williams, Josh Gibson, Jud Wilson, and Oscar Charleston. By 1932, he organized and managed the New York Black Yankees, skippering them for parts of nine seasons.

His greatest managerial success came in the Puerto Rican Winter League, managing the Ponce Leones and Santurce clubs to seven pennants. It is unknown how much this work in Puerto Rice would play into Scales' Hall of Fame case, but I think it's certainly worth mentioning.

Candy Jim Taylor and C.I. Taylor: Brothers James Allen and Charles Isham Taylor were passed over by Cooperstown, while their talented younger brother Benjamin Harrison Taylor was honored in 2006. If both of the Taylor brothers someday join Ben in the Hall, they would become the first trio of brothers elected.

First, Candy Jim. As far as I can tell, no one man managed more years and more games in the Negro Leagues than him. Initially a catcher and third baseman, he won three championships in 1909, 1912 and 1916, before leading the St. Louis Stars in 1928 and the Homestead Grays in 1943 and 1944 to titles as a manager. Few had as long a career in baseball as Candy Jim, stretching from 1904 to 1948. Basically every season during that time, if a team needed a leader, Jim would be there. His 907-809-4 record in Negro League games, and 1094-892-10 record in all levels of competition dwarfs all other managers, including Vic Harris.

C.I. was the oldest of his baseball brothers, which includes non-Hall of Fame candidate Steel Arm Johnny. James A. Riley places C.I. with Rube Foster as one of the two greatest managers in Negro League history. Though his career was not as long as Candy Jim's, due mainly to C.I.'s early death in 1922, it was still impressive. Managing and playing with the Birmingham Giants starting in 1904, he moved to the West Baden Sprudels in 1910 before sticking with the Indianapolis ABCs until his death. His 1916 club won the Colored Championship of the West, thanks to the play of his brother Ben, Bingo DeMoss, Oscar Charleston, and Dizzy Dismukes. During World War I, when many of the ABCs best were drafted, Taylor took his new servicemen to Washington, D.C., showing them around the capital. This sense of country was likely instilled in the elder Taylor during to his service in the Spanish-American War.

Taylor was known for his reluctance to curse, and dressed well on and off the field. His business acumen helped him serve as the vice president of the new Negro National League in 1920. Every year, the Negro League Baseball Museum honors the best MLB manager in both leagues with the "Charles Isham 'C. I.' Taylor Legacy Award."

A 1923 Nip Winters card

Nip Winters: Many names could have made the last spot on this list. Dick Redding might be the most famous name missing. Newt Allen, Oliver Marcelle, Bingo DeMoss, Sammy T. Hughes, Bill Byrd, and executive Gus Greenlee deserve consideration as well, just to name a few. Another name, Bud Fowler, is almost certainly the greatest black ballplayer of the 19th century whose not in the Hall of Fame already. I've yet to really study him, so I held off on including him in this list.

I went with Winters, despite his relativity short career, which was only 13 years. He dominated the Eastern Colored League with the Hilldale club in the 1920s, thanks to a great curveball and good fastball. Winters' led Hilldale to three straight pennants, including a World Championship in 1925. Though the club would lose to the Monarchs in the 1924 championship, Winters pitched four complete games, winning three, in the series. Among the best lefties in Negro League history, Winters excessive drinking, along with a loss of control and diminishing fastball, led to his early departure from the game in 1933.


One last note concerns the Cuban League. Alejandro Oms made his way onto this list based partially on his success in Cuba, and José Méndez and Cristóbal Torriente might not have made Cooperstown had their careers there been judged. Jorge S. Figueredo's book Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History, 1878-1961 is fascinating, and holds many names completely unknown by even the most ardent of baseball fans and historians. A couple names stick out with the Cuban League. I am almost certainly leaving out many names, but I thought I would share just a few:

Al Cabrera with Almendares

Alfredo Cabrera: The only player mentioned who actually played in the Major Leagues, Al Cabrera played in one game for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1913. His real career, however, was in his native Cuba. As both a shortstop and manager, mostly with the Almendares club, Cabrera piloted the club to four championships. He was elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1942.  A great Buzzfeed article by Erik Malinowski explores Cabrera is much greater detail. 

Antonio María García: García was considered the best player in the early history of the Cuban League, and was among the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame's first inductees in 1939. He played from 1882 to 1905, and in the middle of his career was eyeballed by John McGraw, who hoped to bring the star catcher and outfielder to America.  

Tinti Molina: A catcher and first basemen beginning in 1894, Molina became a longtime manager, leading the Cuban Stars, Club Fé, Habana, and Santa Clara Leopards. His 1923-1924 Sanata Clara club is considered the greatest in Cuban League history, featuring Hall of Famers Oscar Charleston, José Méndez, with the club finishing with a .766 winning percentage. He was inducted into the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame along with Al Cabrera in 1942.

Eustaquio Pedroso: Pedroso sticks out on the Seamheads' Win Shares leaderboard, with his 197.1 placing him seventh based on available statistics. He is surrounded by Hall of Famers, and everyone in the top 13 are in Cooperstown besides him. He spent over 20 seasons in both Cuba and the U.S., primarily pitching with the Cuban Stars (West). While he was primarily a pitcher, he led the Cuban League in hitting in 1915-1916. He tossed a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers in 1909, and also defeated the New York Giants on two occasions in the winter of 1911. 

The Baseball Hall of Fame is my favorite place in the world, and it will continue to be. However, for the institution to completely cease to consider an entire era of baseball as long and complex and the Negro Leagues isn't fair to history. I hope they someday reconsider.