Amos Rusie and HOF (trivia question?)
 

I hate "What ifs" but....

Amos Rusie was a pretty darned good pitcher for the most part. He played in 9 full seasons in the 19th century from 1889-1898 (he was 18 in his first year in 1889 and his last year he was 27 in 1898).

He won 30+ games in 4 different (consecutive) years. However he also lost 30+ games twice. He did win 20 games a year in 8 consecutive seasons, but in the 19th century, the 20 win plateau wasn't as difficult as it was/is later.

The only reason he had 10 years of playing time is because in 1901 (ripe old age of 30) he pitched in 3 games (didn't really do too well in the 3 games he pitched).

If Amos didn't pitch in 1901, he wouldn't have been eligible with 10 years of playing time. Do you think he would have been considered if he didn't get that last year in there? Would you have voted for him based on the 9 years he did pitch fairly well?

Does anybody know how many players in the HOF only had 10 years of service time? We know that Addie Joss pitched in 9 years but was given a pass to the hall because of his circumstance. I can think of two off hand (Kiner and Youngs).

No opinion, but a book suggestion.
 

A good read for questions like this is Bill James’, Whatever Happened to the Hall of Fame. A little older, but still an interesting take on a number of hall of gamers and why they are there, as well as who is not there.

Ok, I just bought the book on flea-bay. Thank you for the recommendation.

Actually 1889-1989 would be ten seasons- so he really doesn't need a pass. But after reading the James book you will see that they would have found a loophole if they needed to

He missed the 1896 season. Only 9 years until he pitched in 1901.

1889 through 1898 would be ten seasons, if he hadn’t sat out the entire 1896 season as a holdout. Late in the 1898 season he hurt his shoulder making a pickoff throw to first base, and was never effective again.

close to 10
 

Dizzy Dean pitched in 12 seasons, but he pitched in only 1 game in both his first and last seasons.

Iron Joe McGinnity, Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella only played 10 seasons. I would say no on Rusie if he only played 9 seasons.