The nineteenth century players not being elected in the first years had nothing to do with their playing ability and everything to do with their accessibility (most were dead). Also had to do with the shift in rules and the advent of equipment. More similar style of playing post 1890. The nineteenth century players (pre 1890) got lumped into a particular group that were a little more out of memory to the general public.
I shy away from them because of the prices yet these are the real men of baseball. Imagine playing a line drive with your bare hands. Yikes
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