The first HOF ballot

[familytoad]

Take a look at these players who garnered a vote on the inaugural ballot.
Interesting...
Hal Chase 11
Johnny Kiling 8
Lou Criger 7
Joe Jackson 2
Bill Bradley 1
Jake Daubert 1
Kid Elberfeld 1
Nap Rucker 1

Every other player who got a vote on that ballot eventually made it into the Hall of Fame.

Thoughts?

[Sean]

Can someone explain: were Hal Chase and Joe Jackson actually eligible for the HOF, even though they had been banned from baseball? :confused:

[z28jd]

Can someone explain: were Hal Chase and Joe Jackson actually eligible for the HOF, even though they had been banned from baseball? :confused:

That rule banning ineligible players wasn't put in until 1991

[mattsey9]

Interesting to see Johnny Kling up there. Lots of old timers rated him highly as an invaluable member of the Cubs WS teams.

[GaryPassamonte]

There are many other players that were involved in the initial vote that never made the HOF. There were two separate categories in 1936.

[familytoad]

Gary brings up a good point that likely needs clarification.
The Veteran's Committee vote that year was intended to select 5 more candidates for induction but none of the players received the requisite amount.

(Only the Baseball Writers group candidates made up the eventual First Class)

This separate category was primarily intended for 19th century players although a few players (Cy Young & Honus Wagner for example) received votes in both categories.
The leading vote getter was Cap Anson, but he wasn't even close to the minimum vote total.
As Gary mentions, several players did receive votes in that special nomination category who have yet to make it in the Hall, and likely never will:mad:
Herman Long was the top non-HoF vote getter that year.

An interesting sub-set collection might be in the makes for me, featuring any player who garnered more than say, a dozen HoF votes in his career but never made it..

[deadballfreaK]

From reading and listening to the audio version of "The Glory of Their Times" There can be no doubt that Hal Chase was one of the best ever when he was trying. The stats say he didn't very often, but those old guys raved about him. A couple compared him to Cobb as the best player they ever saw. He didn't have 5 T206 cards for no reason. He was a crook, but I can see him getting votes.

[Luke]

Criger hit .221 for his career? Does anyone know why he would've received 7 votes?

[RCMcKenzie]

Criger hit .221 for his career? Does anyone know why he would've received 7 votes?

Here is his SABR bio.... www.sabr.org/bioproj/person/95e23fdd

[deadballfreaK]

Criger hit .221 for his career? Does anyone know why he would've received 7 votes?

http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/95e23fdd

[CMIZ5290]

Criger hit .221 for his career? Does anyone know why he would've received 7 votes?

+1...Criger is a mystery to me too.

[CMIZ5290]

I'm kind of surprised Ed Reulbach did'nt receive any votes. He had incredible stats as a pitcher, once pitched 2 one hitters in the same double header....

[dabigyankeeman]

Interesting to see Johnny Kling up there. Lots of old timers rated him highly as an invaluable member of the Cubs WS teams.

Kling is an interesting person. There is great wonder about him being Jewish. Some say his original name was Kline, and that like so many others of his day, he changed his name because of prejudice.

For quite a while in his playing days a lot of people thought he was Jewish, but then after he retired and i believe passed away, his wife came out and strongly said he was NOT jewish. However, many believe she purposely lied when saying this since she wanted to get him into the HOF and she knew at that point in time they would not elect a Jew into the Hall.

So its up in the air as to whether he is Jewish or not, and even in a set of Jewish baseball players, they created a card for him and put a question mark after his name!!

Because nobody is sure, I have a card of him (a T205) in my Jewish collection!