1928

This election ends Saturday. Lave Cross used up his eligibility.

1 Frank Baker
6 Chief Bender 8th
8 Roger Bresnahan 3rd
3 Ray Chapman
14 Jack Chesbro
3 Eddie Cicotte
3 Jack Coombs
3 Gavy Cravath
9 Mike Donlin
1 Art Fletcher
5 Bud Fowler
1 Jack Graney
9 Frank Grant 6th
3 Joe Jackson 4th
1 Hal Janvrin
4 Grant “Home Run” Johnson
1 Doc Johnston
3 Benny Kauff
10 Johnny Kling
2 Ed Konetchy 9th
5 Tommy Leach 7th
13 Sam Leever
11 Deacon McGuire
6 Chief Meyers
1 Clyde Milan
1 Otto Miller
9 Bill Monroe 5th
2 Dode Paskert
11 Jack Powell
6 Ed Reulbach
1 Dave Robertson
10 Cy Seymour
12 Fred Tenney
12 Roy Thomas 10th
2 Hippo Vaughn
5 Sol White
1 Possum Whitted
1 Smokey Joe Wood
1 Ralph Young

A couple of the first timers aren’t really very qualified, but I know how much Terry enjoys looking these wunderkinds up. I can’t deprive him of his fun.

Bob’s ballot:

What an uninspiring ballot. Only two cracked 300 Win Shares, Leach with 328 and Baker with 301. No pitchers with well over 200 wins. But there are about 15-20 of ’em that were quality players.

1. Frank Baker
2. Ed Konetchy
3. Tommy Leach
4. Roger Bresnahan
5. Roy Thomas
6. Gavy Cravath
7. Frank Grant
8. Sam Leever
9. Fred Tenney
10. Ray Chapman

I really wanted to vote for Clyde Milan, but let’s face it, if he was the Senators best position player, no wonder Walter Johnson didn’t get into any World Series in his prime. He was basically a lower case Brett Butler.

I really wanted to vote for Smokey Joe Wood, but let’s face it, he was just a one-year wonder. A really great one year, I’ll grant you. He was basically a lower case Jack Chesbro.

I really wanted to vote for Chief Bender, but let’s face it, he played on a really good team. He was basically a lower case Dave McNally.

I really wanted to vote for Joe Jackson…..no, I didn’t. He was basically a lower case Adolph Hitler (okay, so I exaggerate for effect).

Terry’s ballot:

1: Frank Baker– For some reason he wasn’t a popular Hall of Fame candidate (see Bender) before the VC inducted him in 1955.
2: Roger Bresnahan
3: Chief Bender– He outvoted Baker pretty much every year, and was elected two years before Baker. I dunno if they were right, but that’s what happened. Bender, among those who saw him play, was more respected than Home Run Baker. It wasn’t a mismatch, though. Neither one of them were getting a very big share.
4: Cy Seymour
5: Grant Johnson
6: Roy Thomas
7: Mike Donlin
8: Jack Chesbro
9: Hippo Vaughn
10: Ed Konetchy

Honorable Mention

Clyde Milan– I can see the argument that Konetchy was a little better, but in his time Milan was more valuable. Neither one of them are serious candidates for an exclusive Hall of Fame, but it’s a fairly thin year.

Smokey Joe Wood– Did he do enough, despite the injuries? His career WAR is pretty good for a short career guy, coming in just under 40. I want to take more time on him. If we can elect Addie Joss, we should at least take a hard look at him.

Other Stuff

Art Fletcher– The perfect E player, which is a reminder (to me at least) that an E player is basically an average player, but with a long career. Had he been an above average player in a long career, he would be at least a low D.

Jack Graney– Graney wasn’t any kind of hitter, but he walked a lot. Career splits were .250-.354-.342; from age 30 on it was .241-.364-.343; basically Gene Tenace without the power.

Hal Janvrin– Put a joker hat on him, he’d look just like Jughead from Archie Comics. I think they still print those things, I see ‘em in the grocery aisle.

Dave Robertson– He might have had something left in the tank when he left the majors. He was only 32, had hit .325 in 1921, and he put up some huge numbers in the mid 1920’s in the minors. Lots of guys had big years in the lower minors after leaving the majors, but Robertson might have been one of those guys who coulda pulled a “Zach Wheat” and become a superstar in the 1920’s.

Possum Whitted– I can’t decide whether he looks more like John Ritter, Beau Bridges or Val Kilmer. Does he have a kid whose name is Earl?

Results:

Nine ballots, the results:

107 Frank Baker
52 Roger Bresnahan
****************
39 Tommy Leach
37 Frank Grant
36 Bill Monroe
30 Joe Jackson
29 Chief Bender
29 Ed Konetchy
29 Frank Thomas
19 Bud Fowler
16 Gavy Cravath
14 Hippo Vaughn
12 Jack Chesbro
12 Ed Reulbach
12 Cy Seymour
10 Mike Donlin
8 Grant Johnson
8 Sam Leever
8 Jack Powell
8 Sol White
6 Art Fletcher
6 Chief Meyers
5 Eddie Cicotte
4 Benny Kauff
4 Deacon McGuire
4 Joe Wood
2 Ray Chapman
2 Fred Tenney
1 Clyde Milan