Results tagged ‘ Hall of Fame ’
Introducing: The MLB Hall Of Fame Class Of 1962.
Bob Feller: Pitcher, Cleveland Indians
266-162 record, 3.25 ERA, 3828 innings pitched, 2581 strikeouts
Even though he missed four years of the prime of his career due to WWII duty, Bob Feller still dominated during his 18-year career, all which was spent with the Cleveland Indians. Best known for the velocity of his fastball, Feller threw three no-hitters and 12 one-hitters during his MLB career, which were both records when he retired from the game. Feller was an eight-time AL All-Star, and also compiled six 20-win seasons (leading the league in each of those years), innings pitched five times, strikeouts seven times, complete games three times, and shutouts four times. On the all-time list, Feller ranks 53rd in games started (484), had the 52nd highest total of complete games (279), and 44 shutouts (35th all-time). What’s most important to most Indians fans is that he was on the last World Series team that played in Cleveland, back in 1948. Feller was destined for greatness when he debuted in August of 1936 when he struck out 15 St. Louis Browns hitters, fresh out of high school. After his dominance in the Major Leagues was through, he was voted into the Hall on his first ballot, receiving 93% of the vote.
Jackie Robinson: 2nd Baseman, Brooklyn Dodgers
.311 average, 947 runs scored, 1518 hits, 137 home runs, 734 RBI, 197 stolen bases
There are not enough words in the English language to state just how important Jackie Robinson was for the game of baseball. Without Robinson breaking the color barrier in 1947, the game would be entirely different today in 2012. In his short, 10-season career, he was able to amass quite an impressive career while being under the microscope of the American public in the height of racism in the United States. He hit over .300 six times, led the league in stolen bases twice, was named to six All-Star games, won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1947, the NL MVP in 1949, and helped the “next year” finally come for the Dodgers and their fans in Brooklyn with a World Championship in 1955. Robinson could do it all with his athletic ability; he became the first athlete in the history of UCLA to letter in four sports in the same year. Those sports were football, baseball, basketball, and track. To honor this trail blazer, his uniform number 42 is retired by all of Major League Baseball, preventing any future player to put that number on their back in a professional baseball game…except on Jackie Robinson day, of course.
Edd Roush: Center Fielder, Cincinnati Reds
.323 average, 1099 runs scored, 2376 hits, 68 home runs, 981 RBI, 268 stolen bases
Even though he was known for his defense while patrolling center field, Edd Roush hit over .300 for eleven consecutive seasons, while winning the batting title in two of those years. During his 18-year career, he was able to show why he was such a treat to watch out in the outfield. As a center fielder, 1,286 career games, which ranks 45th all-time. He racked up 155 assists, which ranks 5th all-time, while recording 3,166 put outs (46th all-time). Roush won a World Series with the Cincinnati Reds in 1919, when the Chicago White Sox threw the Series in the famed “Black Sox Scandal.” However, the star center fielder claimed up until the day that he died that even if the White Sox played the way that they should have, the Reds would have still come out victorious. What I thought was the most interesting fact about Edd Roush was that he used a huge, 46-ounce bat during his MLB career, and claimed that he never broke a bat during his entire 18-year career.
Come back next week, as we take a look at the class of 1963, when four inductees were welcomed into Cooperstown.
Introducing: The MLB Hall Of Fame Class Of 1961.
The class of 1961 contained only two new inductees, but it was the cream of the crop for center fielders, with Max Carey and Billy Hamilton being enshrined into baseball immortality.
Max Carey: Center Fielder, Pittsburgh Pirates
.285 average, 1545 runs, 2665 hits, 70 home runs, 800 RBI, 738 stolen bases
Max Carey was an extremely talented center fielder that played for 20 seasons in the MLB, with 17 of those seasons being with the Pittsburgh Pirates. This legendary player was voted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee, and rightfully so! He compiled over 2,600 career hits, hit over .300 in a season six times, and led the league in steals on ten different occasions. Even though he wasn’t known for his offense, he is 42nd on the all-time list for career triples (159), 9th all-time in stolen bases (738), and 13th in career sacrifice hits (290). During his career in the league, he patrolled the outfield for 2,421 games, which is the 12th highest total in history. During that time in the field, he registered 3,201 put outs and 133 assists. He helped the Pirates win the World Series in 1925 with a .343 regular season averaged, then kicked it into high gear with a .458 average in the post season. All those great players bring it to another level when the stakes are high, and that’s what Carey was able to do.
Billy Hamilton: Center Fielder, Philadelphia Phillies
.344 average, 1691 runs, 2157 hits, 40 home runs, 742 RBI, 937 stolen bases
Billy Hamilton was a special player during his 14-year career, which spanned from 1888 to 1901. He has the seventh highest career batting average in Major League history, and did so by hitting over .300 for 12 consecutive years. Hamilton has the fourth highest career on-base% (.455) and led the league five times. He has the distinct honor of being one of only three players in MLB history that has more runs scored (1,691) than games played (1,578). Over a five year period from 1891 to 1897, nobody in the National League accumulated more walks than Hamilton. To put the cherry on top, he was the all-time leader in stolen bases until Lou Brock and Rickey Henderson passed him later on. How dangerous was Hamilton on the base paths? He still owns the MLB record for most stolen bases in one game with seven thefts, which he did back in August of 1894. That’s pretty damn good.
Come back next week, as we look at the class of 1962, which holds three more special players.
This Day In MLB History…
January 20th, 1947: Negro League standout Josh Gibson, sometimes referred to as the ‘black Babe Ruth’, dies of a stroke at the of 35. The future Hall of Fame catcher will put to rest in an unmarked grave in Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh.
Unfortunately, one of the best players to ever put spikes on died before the he was able to play in the Major Leagues because of the “gentlemen’s agreement” that banned non-white players from participating in the MLB. Why is Josh Gibson a significant figure in baseball history? He is important since he is probably the best player to never play Major League Baseball.
Gibson suffered a stroke and died in the same year that Jackie Robinson defied all odds and broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Unlike the MLB, the Negro Leagues felt that it was more profitable for the players to only play a few league games and having the opportunity to make extra money by barnstorming around the country, so their statistics are a little skewed, along with the fact that they didn’t compile complete statistics for games or seasons.
However, the few statistics that were kept during these barnstorming seasons were pretty impressive for Josh Gibson. For example, in 1933, Gibson played in 137 games and hit 55 home runs and compiled a .467 average. The next year, he hit 69 home runs. According to the Hall of Fame, Gibson has a .359 career batting average and approximately 800 home runs in his 17-year career; he also is rumored to have won nine home run titles and four batting titles as a player.
What was most impressive to me was a home run he hit at Yankee Stadium…he hit a ball so far that it was two feet from the top of the wall that circled the bleachers in center field, which is approximately 580 feet.
It’s unfortunate that we’ll never know exactly what Gibson did during his storied career because the Negro Leagues didn’t put together complete statistics or game summaries. Baseball is a game about numbers and statistics, and when we aren’t able to see some to evaluate a player, it puts us in a weird place. Either way, Josh Gibson was a legend during his time, and his legend will live on for many years to come.
Introducing: The MLB Hall Of Fame Class Of 1946.
As the class in 1945, the Hall of Fame class of 1946 is another loaded one, with a total of ten players getting enshrined. Obviously, Cooperstown made for the lost time during WWII. There are a couple of familiar names in this year’s class, but more unfamiliar ones. Let’s get into it.
Jesse Burkett: Left Fielder, Cleveland Spiders
.342 average, 1,708 runs scored, 2,872 hits, 75 home runs, 952 RBI, 392 stolen bases
During his 16-year career that was mostly spent with the Cleveland Spiders, Burkett was known for what he could do with a bat in his hands. He hit over .300 on eleven different occasions, surpassing the .400 mark twice. He led the league in hits three times, batting average three times, and runs scored twice. Burkett collected 200 or more hits in six seasons, while being the second player in MLB history to hit .400, the first being 1945 Hall of Famer Ed Delahanty. An interesting fact is that Burkett actually came up as a pitcher originally and notched 30 wins in a season while in the Minors.
Frank Chance: First Baseman, Chicago Cubs:
.298 average, 796 runs, 1,273 hits, 20 home runs, 596 RBI, 405 stolen bases
Although playing 17 seasons in the Major Leagues and 15 of those years coming with the Chicago Cubs, Chance is more known for his managerial resume than as a player. He first started to manage in 1905, when he took over a talented Cubs team; Chance proceeded to lead Chicago to four NL Pennants between 1906 and 1910, while winning back-to-back World Series championships in 1907 and 1908, which unfortunately is the last time the Cubs were able to celebrate something of that magnitude. He also won a league championship in the Pacific Coast League in 1916 with the Los Angeles Angels, and finished his managerial career with a 946-648 record.
Jack Chesbro: Pitcher, New York Yankees:
198-132 record, 2.68 ERA, 2,898 innings pitched, 1,265 strikeouts
Even though Jack Chesbro only pitched for 11 seasons in the Major Leagues, he made the most of them, as you can see in his stat line. He is most well-known for the year that he had in 1904, when he started 51 games, throwing 48 complete games, and compiled a 41-12 record, while posting a 1.82 ERA. All of these games pitched led to 454.2 innings pitched. He led the league in shutouts, wins, and games started twice, and winning percentage three times. He was a known spit baller, which was OK since it was legal until 1920; during the five year span between 1901-1906, he collected 154 out of his 198 wins. Probably the best of all, he threw the first game ever for the Yankees, who where known as the Highlanders when they were established in 1903.
Johnny Evers: Second Baseman, Chicago Cubs:
.270 average, 919 runs scored, 1,659 hits, 12 home runs, 538 RBI, 324 stolen bases
These numbers don’t seem Hall of Fame worthy, but he was inducted by the Veteran’s Committee and was known for being an intelligent and scrappy infielder that was in the middle of the famous Tinker-to-Evans-to-Chance double play combination. He was also tied to winning, celebrating six league pennants and three World Series titles. Evers is unique because he is known as one of the smallest players to play the game, usually weighing in at less than 130 lbs. The pride of Troy, New York also was awarded the MVP award in 1914 when he posted a .279 batting average, .390 on base percentage, one home run, 40 RBI, and 81 runs scored.
Tommy McCarthy: Right Fielder, Boston Beaneaters:
.294 average, 1,050 runs scored, 1,485 hits, 44 home runs, 732 RBI, 506 stolen bases
In his 13-year career in the 19th century, McCarthy was known for his speed and approach at the plate. He scored more than 100 runs in a season seven times (which all happened consecutively), topped 40 stolen bases six times, while stealing more than 100 in 1888 to help win a pennant for the St. Louis Browns. What is remarkable is that he earned 20% of his career stolen bases in just one year!
Joe McGinnity: Pitcher, New York Giants:
246-141 record, 2.66 ERA, 3,459 innings pitched, 1,068 strikeouts.
While only playing 10 seasons in the Major Leagues, it pretty safe to say that Joe McGinnity was a dominant pitcher, averaging 24 wins per season. The legendary pitching topped the 20-win plateau eight times, 30 wins twice, and led the league in ERA once, wins five times, innings pitched four times, and complete games twice. McGinnity was known for his toughness, which was summed up in the fact that he would pitch both games of a double header. In 1903, he did so three times, winning each of the six games. Once he was done in the Majors at the age of 37, he continued pitching until he as 54 in the Minor Leagues.
Eddie Plank: Pitcher, Philadelphia Athletics:
326-194 record, 2.35 ERA, 4,502 innings pitched, 2,246 strikeouts
Eddie Plank is considered one of the best left-handed pitchers to ever toe the rubber, compiling the third-highest win total and recording the most shutouts and complete games by any southpaws. Even though he didn’t play baseball until he got to high school, he ended up playing in the Majors for 17 years and helped the Athletics dominate in the newly formed American League by winning six pennants and two world titles. Plank eclipsed the 20-win plateau on eight different occasions and did so with finesse and a big, sweeping curveball. He was honored as the 68th greatest MLB player by The Sporting News in 1999.
Joe Tinker: Shortstop, Chicago Cubs:
.263 average, 773 runs scored, 1,695 hits, 31 home runs, 783 RBI, 337 stolen bases
The final piece of the famous double play trio that also included fellow 1946 inductees Frank Chance and Johnny Evers, Joe Tinker developed the reputation as a clutch performer that was aggressive and fast on the field. He led all National League shortstops in fielding while helping the Cubs become the most successful team in the early 1900s. Tinker average 28 stolen bases per year for his career and stole home twice in one game in 1910, which has been done less than a dozen times in MLB history.
Rube Waddell: Pitcher, Philadelphia Athletics:
193-143 record, 2.16 ERA, 2,962 innings pitched, 2,316 strikeouts
Another legendary lefty, Rube Waddell was a colorful player during his 13-year career; he possessed pinpoint control of his above average fastball and curveball. His manager, Connie Mack, saw the talent that Waddell had and helped mold him into the successful pitcher that he became; he topped the 20-win plateau on four different occasions (while doing so consecutively) and won the pitcher’s Triple Crown in 1905 by leading the league with 27 wins, a 1.48 ERA, and 287 strikeouts. A pitcher that was known for his ability to strike out opposing hitters, Waddell led the AL in strikeouts six years in a row.
Ed Walsh: Pitcher, Chicago White Sox:
195-126 record, 2.54 ERA, 2,962 innings pitched, 1,736 strikeouts
MLB’s all-time ERA leader enjoyed a wonderful career over his 14 seasons, with all but one being with the Chicago White Sox. His most impressive year came in 1908, when he posted a 40-15 record, 1.42 ERA, 42 complete games, and 464 innings pitched. He led the league in innings pitched four times, shutouts three times, complete games twice, and games played in five times. Walsh also has the second-best WHIP in MLB history, and enjoyed six seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA and four 20-win seasons. An interesting thing to note is that he put together the lowest ERA for a pitcher with a losing record when he posted a 1.27 ERA in 1910 while having a record of 18-20.
With two back-to-back classes loaded with players that had an ever lasting impact on the game of baseball, next week we look at the class of 1947, with only four inductees.
