And we're back at it! Due to the rule changes this time around, I first have to break some sad news about players who were on the ballot who have been unceremoniously cut off.
Sam Rice: Fell to 33% on his 5th ballot after starting out with 56% of the vote. That sound you hear is Scot weeping.
Hack Wilson: Fell to 28% on his 5th ballot after starting out with 44%. Who knew WGOMers weren't impressed with RBIs?
Earl Averill: Fell to 28% (+ 11 maybe) on his 2nd ballot.
Pie Traynor: Fell to 39% on his third ballot. Sorry Pepper.
Waite Hoyt: Actually increased his vote total to 33% (+ 6 maybe) on his third ballot, but it wasn't enough.
Tony Lazzeri: Started out with 16% of the vote but with 42% giving him a maybe. Once people realized that it was okay not to vote for a Yankee, they backed off. He fell to 28% with 0% maybe on his third ballot.
Also, these players were going to be on the last ballot before we took a break, but no longer meet the threshold. Hal Trosky, Billy Jurges, Ben Chapman, Roy Cullenbine, Curt Davis, and Freddie Fitzsimmons. We hardly knew ye.
Now for what you've been waiting for. Below is your ballot. For write-ups, I gave everyone two people this time around. If you no longer want to do write-ups, please let me know.
Final Ballot
Nobody
Returning Players
Earl Averill (3rd), Wes Ferrell (3rd), Gabby Hartnett (3rd), Bob Johnson (2nd), Chuck Klein (2nd), Bill Terry (5th)
New Hitters
Luke Appling (nibbish)
Dick Bartell (Scot)
Bill Dickey (philosopher)
Rick Ferrell (daneekasghost)
Augie Galan (bhiggum)
Joe Gordon (New Britain Bo)
Hank Greenberg (yickit)
Stan Hack (nibbish)
Babe Herman (nibbish)
Ernie Lombardi (freealonzo)
Joe Medwick (Can of Corn)
Mel Ott (freealonzo)
Arky Vaughan (New Britain Bo)
Dixie Walker (Beau)
New Pitchers
Tommy Bridges (Scot)
Dizzy Dean (philosopher)
Lefty Gomez (Can of Corn)
Mel Harder (yickit)
Carl Hubbell (DPWY)
Ted Lyons (DPWY)
Claude Passeau (freealonzo)
Schoolboy Rowe (Beau)
Red Ruffing (daneekasghost)
Bucky Walters (bhiggum)
Ballots will be sent out February 17th. Please don't stress about the write-ups. Even a passing comment or two is welcome if you're feeling stressed for time.
From Can of Corn
Vernon Louis “Lefty” Gomez
aka “Goofy”
1930 – 1943; Pitcher
Career 189-102 Record with a 3.34 ERA, 125 ERA+, 3.88 FIP & 1.352 WHIP, good for 43.1 WAR over 14 seasons.
A 5-time World Series winner with a 6-0 record (2.86 ERA, 1.311 WHIP) including 4 Complete Games in 7 WS starts. Lefty was an All Star every year from 1933 – 1939 (7 times). He finished 3rd in MVP voting in 1934 (highest pitcher), 5th in ’33 (again, highest-placed pitcher), 9th in ’37 (2nd highest pitcher) and 30th in voting in ’38.
He led the American League in wins twice: 1934 (26 Wins with 25 CG’s and 6 Shut Outs – also league-leading!) & 1937 (21 W, again with 25 CG’s and a league-leading 6 SHO’s). He led the League in Strikeouts three times: 163 in 1933, 158 in ’34, and 194 in ’37. In total, Lefty struck out 1468 batters 2503 innings. Played only 1 season game with a team other than the Yankees, his last year in the majors (1943) was as a 34-year-old with the Washington Senators, who released him in mid-July.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1972, having topped out at 46.1% of the Writer’s vote in 1956. JAWS doesn’t like him, but Black Ink and Gray Ink say he’s in or close. Similarity scores have his stats closest to Bob Lemon (meh) and Tom Glavine in his ages 32 & 33 years.
If not for the stretch of great to very good to good years (four 20+ Win seasons and three other 15+ Win seasons), the multiple MVP Awards consideration and post-season record, I’d argue this fella would be borderline.* As it stands … well, you’ll have to make up your own mind, but I like this bit about his personality enough to let it sway me (From his SABR Bio):
and
*As if contributing to a team winning 5 World Series’ in the span of 7 years, and winning 6 World Series games at a 2.86 ERA clip while losing none is nothing…
from CarterHayes
Sounds like Lefty should've had a post-pitching career in the broadcast booth. Here's one more, per his Repository entry:
from CanofCorn
Heh - I agree.
Isn't Gomez the pitcher who supposedly randomly threw the ball to Phil Rizzuto for no reason?
from freealonzo
Ernie Lombardi
Ernie Lombardi is the human trivia answer. Who caught Johnny Van Der Meer's back to back no-hitters? Ernie Lombardi. Who was the last catcher to win a batting title before Joe Mauer? Ernie Lombardi. Who holds the MLB record for hitting into double plays every 25.3 at bats? Ernie Lombardi. Who did Bill James once call the slowest man to ever play baseball well? Ernie Lombardi.
Lombardi played catcher for 17 years, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds. He was a 7 time all star and had a .306 batting average. Career OPS+ of 126 and a career WAR of 45.9.
Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1986.
Dude was huge 6'3" 230 pounds although he ballooned to 300 pounds in the later years.
Cool Name Bro? Yeah kind.
I'd vote him in.
from nibbish
Babe Herman
Right Fielder for the Brooklyn Robins (and then the Reds, then the Cubs, then the Dodgers, then the Pirates, then the Tigers...)
In Cooperstown? - Nope. Highest BBWA vote total was 6%.
Slash Line - .324/.383/.532
Other stuff - 40.3 WAR (JAWS ranks him 49th just ahead of Magglio ... so ...?)
Was reasonably close to having more career walks than strikeouts (520 to 553)
He was apparently an infamously poor fielder "Babe is still a great outfielder except for his inability to catch fly balls." a sportswriter quipped.
Notable Seasons
In 1929, Herman was hitting .400 on September 1, but finished second in the batting race at .381
His 1930 season set team records that still stand for Brooklyn/Los Angeles in average, RBI, total bases, doubles, runs scored,and slugging.
Led the league in triples in 1932.
Personality / Reputation
"Babe Herman is often recalled for zany baserunning, fielding lapses, and off-the-field malapropisms."
He once hit a one-out bases loaded double that ended up with himself and two other runners standing on third base. This became infamous as him "tripling into a triple play" although the eventual game-winning run did score on the play.
Years later Ring Lardner would say "Babe Herman did not triple into a triple play, but he doubled into a double play, which is the next best thing."
Truly Random Thing
Herman was the stand in for Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig in "Pride of the Yankees"
Much of this from his SABR bio.
This is BS. I'm going to sell my vote to deadspin or something.
Of that group, Rice is the one I'm most sorry to see fall off the ballot. He's just beyond a fringe case for me, but I wouldn't have been upset if he'd been inducted.
part of that is voters who had been voting for Rice didn't show up to vote on the last ballot
Ouch.
Augie Galan
A CF/LF/1B for mostly the Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers, Galan was slightly above average offensively and average defensively.
In 16 seasons, Galan posted a .287 batting average with 1,706 hits, 100 home runs and 830 run batted in in 1,742 games played. He also drew 979 walks and only struck out 393 times. Definitely more of a table-setter than a power threat. In 1943 he gave up switch-hitting after an injury to his right knee. He then reeled off six years in a row with an average OPS+ of 147 (career OPS+ of 122), mostly on drawing walks at a league-leading clip. Those years also accounted for 23.8 of his career 41.0 WAR. .
Galan was the first player in the Majors to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in a game.
He broke his right elbow (throwing arm) when he was 11, and it was said to have never fully healed. He still was top five in outfield assists in 6 of his 16 seasons.
Some of his top similarity scores are Darin Erstad, Lou Pinella and Melky Cabrera.
Mel Ott
It's Mel Ott, he's a shoe-in first ballot dude. Here's the relevant stats:
In his 22-season career Ott batted .304 with 511 home runs, 1,860 RBIs, 1,859 runs, 2,876 hits, 488 doubles, 72 triples, 89 stolen bases, a .414 on-base percentage and a .533 slugging average.
22 years, all with the Giants.
Still not convinced? Apparently Leo Durocher's quip "Nice guys finish last" is in reference to Mel Ott.
At the end of his age 26 season he was already eligible for the hall of fame. He had 48.2 WAR by then.
Mel Ott's grave is easily seen from I-10 in New Orleans (it's right in the corner of the cemetery bordering the highway).
(Fred) Dixie "The People's Cherce" Walker
The heir apparent to Babe Ruth (that didn't happen), Walker is famously known for not wanting to play with Jackie Robinson. While he was apparently kind to Jackie personally, he was afraid working side by side with a black man would hurt his business back home. He asked to be traded the year after the Dodgers won the pennant. Apparently he softened more over the years as he coached several black players closely, including Dusty Baker and Maury Wills. Despite his reputation as a kind person, he frequently was involved in baseball brawls and missed playing time on more than one occasion due to an injury suffered during a fight.
Very popular Dodger (hence the nickname) that helped the team to two pennants, though I have a feeling I would have strongly disliked the guy (even setting aside the racism). Finished with 42.6 WAR, though his best season (where he won a batting title) came during World War II playing against inferior competition.
His father (Dixie) pitched for the Nationals, his brother (Harry the Hat) had a 11 year career as a hitter, having one MVP caliber season in 1947, and his uncle (Ernie) played for the Browns for a bit.
Carl Hubbell
Did He Have a Good Nickname Unlike Any Of Today's Current Players? Yes, the Meal Ticket.
Terry Ryan Stuff: 253-154, 2.98 ERA, 1677 K's, 2 MVP awards, 9 All Star teams, 3 ERA titles, 3-time leader in Wins, 1 strikeout crown
Derek Falvey Stuff: 67.8 WAR, 3.46 FIP
Most Famous Moment: Struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin consecutively in the 1934 All Star Game.
Other Stuff: Didn't reach the majors until age 25. His minor league career took off once he picked up the screwball
Should You Vote For Him: Yup.
Joe Gordon (in haiku)
Two-bag MVP
Flash! "His best when it meant most"
All Star nine times - Hey!
Awesome. Can't wait for the Arky Vaughan limerick
Not my best medium (like I have a best medium) & only came up with 'Malarkey'.
OK there's anarchy. Plutarchy?
There was a ballplayer named Arky,
Who'd never heard of Richard Starkey.
But man he could play!
He could hit night or day.
"As great as Lovullo!" said Sparky.
Joseph Floyd “Arky” Vaughan
Born in Clifty, Arkansas (where??).
Played at SS for Wichita Aviators, Tulsa Oilers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Dodgers, and San Francisco Seals (who??).
As a Pirate, Vaughan was in nine straight All Star Teams.
His best season was in 1935:
- Career best in the Triple Crown
- Led all of baseball with .385 average, .491 on-base, 1.098 OPS
- Sporting News Player of the Year
Over next six seasons batted over .300 (at or near the top of the league in offensive categories). His batting average is a 20-century NL record for the ShortStop.
According to win shares, Vaughan is the 26th greatest non-pitcher in major league history. He went into the Hall in 1985, and was also included in the Ritter/Honig book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.
Bill James’ New Historical Baseball Abstract (2001) rated Vaughan as the second-best shortstop in major league history (behind fellow Pirate Honus Wagner).
William Henry "Bucky" Walters
Walters started off his career as a third baseman for the Boston Braves at the age of 22, but he really struggled with the bat. He was bad enough the Braves gave up on him after a couple seasons, and then the Red Sox gave him a shot. He was still bad, so they sold him to the Phillies in 1934.
In a move you don't see very often, he converted to pitching in midseason, and after a couple years, got good enough at it that the Cincinnati Reds traded for him during the 1938 season. He got better. In 1939, he won the MVP with a 2.29 ERA in 316 innings, with a blistering K/9 of 3.9. Yeah, he was a sinkerball specialist. He had three excellent seasons from 1939-1941, and another great season in 1944. The Reds went to two World series with him, winning one.
Pitching line- 16 seasons
W/L 198-160, ERA 3.30 (ERA+116), 3104 IP, 1107 K, 1121 BB (K/BB of .99!!)
Batting line-
OPS+ 69
54.2 career WAR
He never managed to get over 25% of the BBWAA HOF vote, and I don't think he makes the cut for me, either.
That K/BB ratio is sexy.
Claude Passeau
I didn't know they allowed Frenchies in the big leagues during the 30's and 40's. No word if he was a collaborator or supported the Resistance.
Passeau had a pretty middling career from 1935-1947 mostly with the Phillies and Cubs. Record of 162-150, ERA of 3.32, SO9/BB9 of 3.7/2.4, FIP 3.17. His WAR of 42.8 is ok but 60 percent of that total came during the war years.
Passeau's biggest claim to fame was throwing a 1-hitter in the 1945 World Series for the Cub, their last appearance until 2016.
Since I almost fell asleep researching him I'm going to recommend a no vote here.
Dick Bartell
Seemed to have AJ PIerzynski like hate directed at him by opposing teams.
Tony Fernandez is his most similar player, and that seems about right. No for the HOF, but an interesting guy I'm glad I was assigned.
Tommy Bridges career essentially ended at the age of 36 due to his service in WWII. Based on the seasons leading up the war, it's possible he could have been an effective pitcher for a few more seasons and, under different circumstances, might be more of a consideration. His top similarity score is Dave Stieb.
And I will seriously consider Dave Stieb. Probably more than I'll consider Jack Morris anyway.
Dido. Steib's right in the zone (a few rWAR on either side of 55) where I'm unclear about HOF merit for pitchers. Urban Shocker feels like a definite Yes, but Mark Buehrle, Tim Hudson, & Chuck Finley aren't really that far behind Shocker in rWAR or JAWS. Stieb's just a tick down from them, sandwiched between Whitey Ford and Orel Hershiser.
Intending to get to my write ups tonight. It's been an overfull last couple of weeks.
Ted Lyons
Good nickname? Sunday Ted. At the end of his career, he would pitch every Sunday and take the rest of the week off (sort of like Roger Clemens's last stint in Houston). Look at his 1942 stats: 20 games started, 20 complete games, 1 ERA title! 13 of his starts were on Sundays. In fact, from 1939-46, 57% of his starts were on Sundays.
Terry Ryan stuff: 260-230, 3.67 ERA, 1,073 strikeouts, 1 All Star Game, 1 ERA crown, 2-time leader in wins
Derek Falvey stuff: 67.2 WAR, 118 ERA+
Signed by the White Sox after he graduated from Baylor, he never spent a day in the minors and spent his entire career with the White Sox. He never shaved on days he was scheduled to pitch. Threw a no-hitter in 1926. Loved pitching to fellow college grad Moe Berg. Liked to arm wrestle Lou Gehrig and to smash eggs on peoples' heads as a prank. Transitioned from relying on a cutter to using a knuckleball. Enlisted in the Marines in 1942 at age 41. Returned to the White Sox in 1946, but retired from pitching when he was promoted to manager during the season.
Story that can't possibly be true: Allegedly, he and Berg would communicate in Greek whenever a runner was on second base.
Do you plan to vote for him?
I do, yes. He pitched in a high offense environment for terrible teams which skewers his final stats.
For some reason, probably because neither Lyons or Berg were ethnically Greek, that trivia made me think of this:
Water? No, fish make love in it.
...yeah, the other way is better.
Dizzy Dean
The last pitcher in the NL to win 30 games in a season. But we're all so smart that we don't care about wins. So instead I'll tell you that Dean was a horrible, awesome braggart who once bet he'd strike out DiMaggio 4 times in a game. He had K'd him 3 times and the 4th at bat DiMaggio popped up in foul territory. Dean screamed at the catcher to drop the ball, so he did, and then Dean went on to strike him out.
I'm telling fun stories like this because in my mind, Dean should be a lock. Over 12 seasons he was worth 42.7 WAR. He had the whole "injury ended his career before he could compile more stats" thing, but still had impressive compilations. He led the league repeatedly in K's, K/9, K:BB ratio, and complete games. If he were pitching in this era innings limits would almost certainly have extended his career longevity. It actually took him several years to get into the actual HOF, which seems odd to me. I suppose it makes sense that Dizzy Dean would still befuddle in some way.
Bill Dickey
JAWS says he's the 7th best catcher of all time. Looking over the history, it looks like his defense was very strong, to match his excellent hitting. He was one of those Yankees, so of course he's inducted into the real hall, and all of that, but this is a guy who deserves it. Career WAR of 55.8
Also, he held the highest batting average for a catcher record until Piazza tied it, and then Mauer came along and broke it. He was basically Mauer before Mauer, but with Power. So I guess he was Wieters, but good?
Another yes vote here, says me.
Schoolboy Rowe
The Joe Mauer of his day in that he was constantly battling pain while often playing at an All-Star level, yet he was often perceived as being soft and not willing to play. To wit:
In 1934, Rowe had been in a shoulder brace for six weeks. He couldn't extend his right arm. His manager, Mickey Cochrane, suggested he needed to change his mental attitude. The media said his injury was "imaginary," describing it as a "sore arm complex." I wonder if that's similar to fake bilateral leg weakness. In 1937, Cochrane suspended Rowe for being in poor shape despite several trainers saying his shoulder was shot. Ironically, a few days later Cochrane was hit in the head by a wild pitch from Bump Hadley, ending his career. It sounds like Rowe, like Mauer, was a gentleman, and didn't rub it in Cochrane's face.
Injuries weren't just limited to his shoulder:
The guy had a pretty miraculous career trajectory. He basically pitched from 34-36, 39-41, 43, and 46-48. Injuries limited him to a few innings in multiple years, plus he spent two years in the Navy. Each time he bounced back to have an all-star season. Not only that, he was the Mark Fidrych of this day, which made him super popular with the fans.
Because of injuries and time at war, he only accumulated 34.9 WAR as a pitcher. However, he's one of the best hitting pitchers of all time. He accumulated 8.5 WAR as a hitter. In 1943 in 138 plate appearances he had a slash line of 300/382/458 with four homers.
Luke "Old Aches and Pains" Appling
Shortstop for the White Sox
In Cooperstown? - yes. elected via run-off
Slash Line - .310/.399/.398
Other stuff - 74.5 WAR (JAWS ranks him 9th just behind Ozzie Smith, and a couple of spots ahead of the greatest Yankee - and therefore greatest player - of all time. Therefore, JAWS is clearly a broken and flawed metric)
Led his team to the playoffs 16 fewer times than Derek Jeter. Collected five fewer rings, also.
Walked a lot (1302 times, which is a lot for a non-slugger), struck out rarely (528)
Notable Seasons
* .388 batting average in 1936 (finished 2nd in MVP voting)
* Batted .262 in 1942. This is notable because it was the only time between 1933 and 1949 he didn't bat over .300.
Personality / Reputation
Happy-go-lucky player and a noted hypochondriac.
As one story goes, Appling once asked the tight-fisted business manager of the Sox for several balls to sign for friends. The business manager refused, citing the Depression and that each ball cost $2.75. Appling turned and walked out without a word. That afternoon in his first at bat he fouled off ten consecutive pitches into the stands. Turning to the club official in the owner's box, he said, "That's $27.50 and I'm just getting started."
Much of this from his SABR bio.
I wonder if Comiskey had the stones to stick Appling for the balls.
"Smiling Stan" Hack
Third Baseman for the Cubs
In Cooperstown? - no. topped out at 4.8%
Slash Line - .301/.394/.397
Other stuff - 52.5 WAR (JAWS ranks him 23rd, between David Wright and Evan Longoria)
Was never much of a home run hitter, but was a good leadoff batter, ranking in the top 10 in OBP in 8 of his 11 full seasons.
Lead the league in stolen bases twice.
Notable Seasons
This gets difficult. His 1941 season (.317/.417/.427, 186 hits, 45 extra base hits) was his career season and doesn't look particularly impressive, but he had five other seasons that look just like it. He was a consistently very good player.
Personality / Reputation
Good natured and consistent. One of the most well-liked players on the snakebitten 1930's Cubs teams.
Bill J ames ranks him as the 9th best third baseman in baseball history.
Truly Random Fact:
"[By 1935,] Hack had acquired the nickname Smiling Stan because of his good nature and handsome looks. In one of the few promotions of the day, the Cubs handed out mirrors to the fans with his picture on the back. The promotion backfired when fans tried to shine them in the faces of opposing players, and umpires threatened to forfeit the game."
Much of this from his SABR bio.
I've always been enamored by guys who manage high walk rates despite no power. Stan Hack, Eddie Joost, Eddie Yost. Jeremy Giambi sort of fit that role, too, but only managed it for a few years.
Interesting that a guy named "Hack" would walk a lot.
Yeah, both of my assignments walked a LOT for non-sluggers. Appling, in particular, in near the top all time among non-sluggers.
RIck Ferrell
Catcher for the Browns ('29-'33, '41-43) Red Sox ('33-'37) and Senators ('37-'41, '44-'47)
In the Hall? Yep. Despite never receiving more than one vote from the BBWAA in any year he was on the ballot, the Veteran's Committee inducted him in 1984.
Stats -- .281/.378/.363 (look at that walk rate with minimal power! -- 931 career walks, 28 career HRs, 277 career Ks)
8th in career OBP among catchers with >3000 PA
29.8 Career WAR -- Only one year with WAR >3.0, Similarly only one year with negative WAR.
Random Facts
Rick once hit a homer off of his brother Wes in the bottom half of an inning that had seen Wes homer in the top half.
The 1943 Senators had four knuckleball pitchers on their roster. Ferrell was the lucky dog who got to catch them all.
Red Ruffing
Pitcher for the Red Sox ('24-'30) and the Yankees ('30-46)
In the Hall? Yes. Elected on his sixteenth ballot. Lots of Grey Ink, but a little less impressive in Black Ink.
3 times in the top 10 for MVP ('37, '38, '39)
Lost a lot of games with the Sox (who kept finishing in last place), and won a lot of games with the Yankees (who kept finishing in first).
Career WAR - 70.4
Ruffing was one of the stalwarts of the Yankees staff during their run in the 30's. Arguably the ace of the staff along with Lefty Gomez. Of the seven World Series they were part of, Ruffing got the ball in game 1 six times.
Personality - Stoic. One writer named him "the Coolidge of baseball". When his hometown wanted to add his name to the welcome sign, he advised against it saying that he might move.
Also the best hitting pitcher ever. He accumulated about the same value on offense as Adam Dunn
Babe Ruth would like a word.
Ruth was primarily a pitcher 1914-19, during which he accumulated 19.3 OWAR, with a 308/413/568 (190 OPS+) slash line in 1,332 PA. His pitching contributions were highest in 1915-17, so if we focus only on those years (plus his cuppa in 1914), he accumulated 5.7 OWAR with 299/355/474 (150 OPS+) in 407 PA.
Ruffing, meanwhile, accumulated 15.0 OWAR in 2,084 PA.
🙂
So CHR accumulated more OWAR as a pitcher than GHR as a pitcher.
Could always assign a pro-rata WAR by starts or innings or get into game logs or something.
I'm guessing that Beau's assertion will prove correct.
CHR also played 10 innings in the outfield, so maybe that'd lead to shaving 0.1 OWAR off his total.
Good thing he's dead.
That's not quite true. Dunn was over twice as valuable on offense as Red Ruffing – 34.5 to 15.0 oWAR – which includes a positional adjustment. Ruffing' offense catches Dunn's overall value because Dunn was allowed to play the field despite being the single worst defender of all time among players with at least 5000 PA.
Well, and fielding adjustments are also reflected in Ruffing's WAR as well, though obviously not to the effect that it would be for Dunn. That said, I know I was being deceptive because I never pass up a chance to point out what an atrocious defender Dunn was.
The poor guy made Dave Kingman look like Jason Heyward.
Hank Greenberg
Really interesting career and life. Jewish ballplayer, Drafted for WWII, discharged after draft age changed (he was 30), volunteered for a different branch after Pearl Harbor. Slugging 1b OF. Went on to make $$$ in the stock market after retirement and was a part owner of the !itch Sox. Seriously, go read his SABR Page. I'll wait.
55.9 WAR even with losing 4 seasons. I think he belongs but YMMV.
Greenberg was the second MLB player drafted in the still-peacetime WWII draft, following the Phillies' Hugh Mulcahy. Greenberg's first Army discharge date was two days before Pearl Harbor; he left a Sergeant after serving from 07 May- 05 December 1941. He actually returned to service with the Army as an officer in the Air Corps – the Army Air Corps/Army Air Forces did not become the Air Force until the National Security Act of 1947 became law. Despite what Hap Arnold would have us believe, that means Greenberg served in just one branch.
That was my ad libbing. I should have known that but thanks for the correction!
Mel Harder
A++ Name.
A+++++++++++++++++ Nickname: Wimpy because he loved hamburgers? OR according to Wikipedia Chief which is pretty lame.
Some Stuff:
-Only pitcher to work 10 or more All-Star innings without allowing an earned run
-Only man in major league history to have both 20-year playing and coaching careers
-Only Walter Johnson and Ted Lyons pitched more seasons with one club
-Joe DiMaggio recalled that he had more difficulty batting against Harder than against just about any other pitcher. DiMaggio batted only .180 lifetime against him, striking out three times in one game in 1940.
-He was the only man to play 20 seasons for one franchise who is not an active player, in the Hall of Fame, or on the Hall of Fame ballot.
-He threw the first pitch ever thrown at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in a 1932 game, and the last pitch there, as well, in ceremonies after the final game of the 1993 season before the Indians moved to Jacobs Field.
47.9 WAR 113 ERA+
When do we get to vote?
Ballot going up today I think.
Ballot has been released. If you didn't receive an e-mail from me, let me know. Google has changed their forms, so hopefully I didn't screw anything up. Let me know if you catch errors.
Can of Corn will try to get his write-up for Joe Medwick up today.
I can't get past the second page. It says "please don't respond more than once in each column" and won't let me advance.
Ah. That's what that means. I thought I was preventing people from voting Yes and No. I'll fix it soon.
I think its fixed. Try it now
Beau confesses that even he believes HBH Voting to be fixed.
Full Name: Joseph Michael Medwick
Position: Leftfield
Nicknames: Ducky or Muscles
Career: 1932-1948 (17 years: STL, BRO, NYG, BSN)
.324/.362/.505, 134 OPS+, 1,383 RBI, 205 HR, 55.6 WAR
Hall of Fame: Yes (inducted in 1968)
World Series Winner: Yes (1934 w/ St. Louis)
MVP: Yes (Win - 1937, Rec'd votes in 8 years - also finished 4th, 5th, 7th, 11th, 17th, 18th & 20th in voting)
Triple Crown: Yes (1937)
All Star: Yes (1934-39, 1941-42, 1944)
I cry foul ... you don't get to pick your own nickname.
Ballot closed. We got 20 responses! Results hopefully soon
#fakenews