1956

The last (for a while, at least) of the really crowded new-comers ballots. I count 10 new names that might garner some mention by somebody.

Only two names of note drop off, Sam Rice and Rabbit Maranville, both using up their 15 years. Twelve men, which has to be a GOR record, stay on the ballot via the write-in save. There are eleven men who have been on the ballot for 10 years; whether that is a GOR record or not I have no idea, but it sure seems like a lot.

4 Newt Allen
1 Like Appling
12 Earl Averill
1 Sam Bankhead
13 John Beckwith
10 Wally Berger
5 Tommy Bridges
3 Ray Brown 7th
1 Bill Byrd
6 Dolf Camilli
4 Spud Chandler
2 Mort Cooper
6 Joe Cronin 3rd
4 Roy Cullenbine
13 Kiki Cuyler
1 Leon Day
10 Dizzy Dean
10 Wes Ferrell
2 Augie Galan
8 Lefty Gomez
1 Joe Gordon
1 Harry Gumbert
1 Frank Gustine
4 Stan Hack 5th
1 Tommy Henrich
4 Billy Herman 6th
1 Kirby Higbe
6 Bob Johnson
14 Judy Johnson
1 Ken Keltner
7 Chuck Klein
12 Tony Lazzeri
1 Buck Leonard
2 Buddy Lewis
4 Ernie Lombardi
12 Dick Lundy 10th
5 Ted Lyons
1 Biz Mackey
12 Heinie Manush
15 Firpo Marberry
3 Joe Medwick 9th
1 Eddie Miller
1 Double Duty Radcliffe
4 Red Ruffing
3 Hilton Smith
14 Pie Traynor
2 Dixie Walker
1 Bucky Walters
6 Lon Warneke
6 Jud “Boojum” Wilson 4th

Bob’s ballot:

1. Wilson
2. Mackey
3. Cronin
4. Appling
5. Leonard
6. Brown
7. Smith
8. Hack
9. Herman
10. Beckwith

Terry’s ballot:

1: Buck Leonard
2: Luke Appling– I had never noticed it before, but Appling would have most likely made it to 3000 hits had there been no WWII. He had 192 hits in 1943, none in 1944, 21 in 1945 and 180 in 1946. He finished with 2749.
3: Jud “Boojum” Wilson
4: Biz Mackey– I’m obviously no expert, but it’s possible that Mackey was the greatest catcher ever. Was he? Because if he was, this ranking is way too low.
5: Dizzy Dean
6: Joe Cronin
7: Joe Gordon
8: Billy Herman
9: Stan Hack
10: Joe Medwick

Leon Day– He was effective in the organized minors late in his career, despite some ugly k/bb ratios. For some reason I was reminded of Jim Maloney when I read his bio. Day might be a serious GOR candidate even in this crowded field, but I’m struggling to find good data. BBR only has a tiny bit of his career documented.

Tommy Henrich– He played for 8 Yankee pennant winners, but he only appeared in the World Series 4 times; he also missed 3 seasons for the War. Had he been reasonably healthy and available between 1937 and 1950 (his career span), I have no doubt that he would be in the Hall of Fame.

Results:

11 ballots; the results:

110 Buck Leonard
83 Luke Appling
***************
80 Biz Mackey
73 Joe Cronin
61 Jud Wilson
34 Joe Gordon
33 Ray Brown
31 Stan Hack
24 Wes Ferrell
17 John Beckwith
16 Dizzy Dean
16 Joe Medwick
14 Billy Herman
14 Dick Lundy
11 Hilton Smith
8 Bill Byrd
7 Chuck Klein
7 Ted Lyons
6 Newt Allen
6 Judy Johnson
4 Leon Day
4 Bob Johnson
4 Red Ruffing
4 Bucky Walters
3 Earl Averill
1 Heinie Manush