This post is dedicated to Can of Corn, who seemed in a foul mood last night. Dude, here's my advice. Stop worrying about the present and keep your mind in the past!
Scot has nearly caught up with bios for all of the electees so far. Check them out here. There's even a shout out to Can of Corn in Billy Hamilton's bio. Also, did you know Dan Brouthers once killed a catcher?
So this ballot had an underwhelming set of names. I had heard of Joe McGinnity and Jack Chesbro, but I doubt many looked at that list and was penciling in their YES votes before doing some research. So I thought that might open the door for someone who had been on the ballot for a while.
I was right.
Lady and gentlemen, your 1909 electees!
On his fifth ballot, the 19th century version of Ozzie Smith squeaks into the hall with 77% of the vote. He's now the second electee (along with Ross Barnes) who is not in Cooperstown. He also continues a string of awesome staches.
That's two shortstops getting elected this go-round. And both held down 77% of the vote. Any chance Honus Wagner can do better?
Remaining on the Ballot (15 Players)
McGinnity breaks the record for highest vote percentage on the first ballot without getting elected. Rusie makes a huge jump, nearly making it in as well. Most players saw improvement this time around, with Jesse Burkett benefiting the most with a whopping 28 point jump. Hall-of-Famer Chesbro is barely hanging on after one ballot.
Players in italics will be on their final ballot next go round. There are three of them. If you want to stump for any of them, now's your chance!
Joe McGinnity: 73%
Amos Rusie: 73% +18
John McGraw: 68% +0
Jesse Burkett: 64% +28
Monte Ward: 45% +4
Jake Beckley: 41%
Pete Browning: 41% +14
Charlie Comiskey: 41% +0
Buck Ewing: 41% +18
Jim O'Rourke: 36% +9
Jimmy Collins: 32%
Hugh Duffy: 18% +9
Sam Thompson: 18% -5
Jack Chesbro: 14%
Joe Kelley: 14%
Falling off the Ballot (14 Players)
None of the five players on their final ballot made it in. King Kelly tried his best. He was between 55% and 67% his entire time on the ballot, but as this isn't Survivor, Daneeka's Ghost just couldn't buy enough votes to get his guy in. One of the best two-way players of all-time, Bob Caruthers, stalls at 50%. CarterHayes' guy Harry Stovey peters out on his final chance.
Bid McPhee, the best full-time second baseman of the 19th century, drops off on his fourth ballot.
Four of the new guys couldn't garner a single vote.
King Kelly: 64% +5
Pud Galvin: 59% +9
Bob Caruthers: 50% +0
Harry Stovey: 32% -4
Paul Hines: 27% +0
Bid McPhee: 23% +5
Bill Dinneen: 14%
Al Orth: 14%
Arlie Latham: 9%
Lave Cross: 5%
Dan McGann: 0%
Claude Ritchey: 0%
Jack Taylor: 0%
Jimmy Williams: 0%
Updated Voting History Spreadsheet.
Immortalized.
"...keep your mind in the past!"
Did I ever tell you guys about the time I scored four touchdowns in one game? State championship and we were down by 21. Coach wanted to throw in the towel, but not me. I crossed the goal line four times that night, the last one as time was running out and sealed the championship for old Polk High. It was glorious.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5xND8Cq_q4
True role models are hard to find.
Glad to see you posting today, Corn. Not letting the Twins suckitude keep you down for long....
If you'll recall our conversation from the other night, this isn't a "Twins Blog." Plenty of stuff to talk with you fine folks about having nothing to do with the local 9.
Yea, it's more like a bulletin board™
True. There's the Red Wings, the Rock Cats, the Miracle, the Kernels...
unless we are talking about LSD, the "acid test" refers to distinguishing gold from base metals.
It's like déjà vu all over again.
No wonder this conversation seemed so familiar.
sometimes I just say things in my head. sometimes I say them out loud.
...in my head or out loud - I've often wondered what saying things here is. Whenever I'm telling someone about a conversation we've had, I generally say, "I was talking to one/some of my friends about that..." or, "one of my buddies showed me this article and said..."
Word nerdery ahead: I was going to say "afterwards" should really be "afterward" in George Davis's bio, but that's not actually the case.
At the risk of seeming forward, was that from the foreword?
Anyway, don't use anyways.
You could of picked a better example then that.
Eric in Madison, the show runner over at Canis Hoopus, while obviously a bright and funny man who writes very well, continually screws up then and than. And for all the grammar policing that can go on there, no one ever corrects him.
There's a guy on staff at the railroad that always says "irregardless" and even the worst grammarians recognize it and joke about it.
A guy I used to work for use to refer to 'the Mongolian Herd Mentality". Classic.
Is this where I admit to repeatedly voting for Jack Glasscock because his last name was Glasscock?
Absolutely. Or even earlier so your rationale can go on a plaque