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HOF Close Calls

Discussion in 'Sports Forum' started by TomVols, Jan 19, 2008.

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  1. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    As we discussed on the Goose Gossage thread, there are some years where players just missed getting in. Here they are. I believe all were eventually inducted.

    Year Player Votes Shy
    1997 Don Sutton 7
    1994 Orlando Cepeda 7
    1990 Gaylord Perry 13
    1988 Jim Bunning 4
    1986 Billy Williams 3
    1985 Nelly Fox 2
    1984 Hoyt Wilhelm 13
    1983 Harmon Killebrew 12
    1982 Juan Marichal 7
    1975 Robin Roberts 9
    1968 Roy Campenella 8
    1967 Joe Medwick 7
    1954 Joe DiMaggio 14
    1953 Bill Terry 7
    1951 Paul Waner 8
    1950 Mel Ott 9
    1947 Pie Traynor 2
    1945 Frank Chance 7

    By contrast, here are the ones who eeked by. Some of these are just baffling:

    Year Player Margin
    2005 Ryne Sandberg 6
    1991 Gaylord Perry 9
    1991 Fergie Jenkins 1
    1987 Catfish Hunter 5
    1975 Ralph Kiner 1
    1974 Whitey Ford 10
    1972 Early Wynn 4
    1970 Lou Boudreau 7
    1967 Red Ruffing 7
    1964 Luke Appling 9
    1962 Jackie Robinson 4
    1956 Joe Cronin 7
    1955 Gabby Hartnett 6
    1954 Bill Terry 6
    1953 Al Simmons 1
    1951 Jimmie Fox 9
    1947 Lefty Grove 2
    1942 Rogers Hornsby 7
    1939 Eddie Collins 7
    Willie Keeler 1
    1937 Cy Young 2
     
    #1 TomVols, Jan 19, 2008
  2. ccrobinson

    ccrobinson Active Member

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    The list is instructive, if for no other reason than to point out that Hall of Fame voting has always been flawed.

    For example, how did Joe DiMaggio, 3-time AL MVP not get in on the first ballot? How did Harmon Killebrew and his 573 HR not get into the Hall on the first ballot?
     
    #2 ccrobinson, Jan 20, 2008
  3. Bob Alkire

    Bob Alkire New Member

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    On Harmon Killerbrew it was his BA. I recall when he came to Washington as a 2nd. basemen, always liked him.
    On Joe DiMaggio if I recall correctly a lot had to do with the New York underworld and Joe being good friends and the Boston writers. I'm not sure if it was the Boston writers or not but it was a group of them and the Boston guys use to point that fact out all the time and they say Joe didn't have the best attitude behind closed doors. Like if he would have moved to right field like they wanted him to do maybe Mantle would not have messed up his knee trying to cover rightfield and part of center field for Joe. If he was going to speak you had to bring him in and say the greatest living ball player, I guess he need others to tell him that.
     
    #3 Bob Alkire, Jan 20, 2008
  4. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Its all due to a vast right wing :1_grouphug: conspiracy
     
    #4 Salty, Jan 20, 2008
  5. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    I just have a moment, so I want to apologize for the formatting. It formatted much better when I was typing it up. Sorry it looks so hard to read. And CCROB is right. More to come......
     
    #5 TomVols, Jan 20, 2008
  6. Andy T.

    Andy T. Active Member

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    Lefty Grove surprised me. Then I went back and looked at his vote totals. His first year of eligibility he only got 11.3%! What?! Then he only got 23.2%. Then he got 76.4%. And curiously, he actually got 2.2% in 1960 - 13 years later - what's that about? What happened between 1946 and 47 that he jumped up over 50%? Strange. To me, Grove was a first ballot guy for sure; when you consider the hitters era he played in, his stats are great.
     
    #6 Andy T., Jan 22, 2008
  7. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    For as long as I live, I'll never understand the roller-coaster differences between vote totals from one year to the next. Never.
     
    #7 TomVols, Jan 22, 2008
  8. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    The variance is due to the fact that the BBWAA does not have a set number, hence changes constantly.

    In addition, a member is not required to submit any ballot, in the first place.

    Often some of them do not, apparently.

    Ed
     
    #8 EdSutton, Jan 23, 2008
  9. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    I just don't think that explains monumental differences. If we're talking five percentage points, maybe. But that's rarely the case.
     
    #9 TomVols, Jan 23, 2008
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