Kenny Cole |
05-23-2012 08:31 PM |
I like Jake Daubert too, but come on. The reason he isn't in the HOF has nothing to do with his career being cut short.
He was 40 when he died. If his career was cut short, it wasn't by much. How about we talk about the fact that he was a great fielding 1B, was a positive influence best as I can tell, won two batting championships, etc. If that doesn't get him in it ain't happening.
He was also heavily involved in attempts to unionize the players duriing the teens (along with guys like Zimmerman), which I suspect didn't help him with the establishment when he was initially eligible for the HOF. He was dead when the HOF started voting and that, plus what I suspect was a bit of backlash for his unionization efforts = few HOF votes at the time. Now, almost no one knows who he was.
While I would be pleasantly surprised if he were to be elected, I'm not holding my breath. He had no power and is now lumped in with guys like Stuffy McInnis, who was very similar to Daubert but who has received no love here. Maybe this year will be different, but I have historically thought that the veteran's committee has been oblivious to things that were important at the time but not so much now. Daubert's stats (now the important thing) were pretty good in most categories, but they weren't exceptional in any. I wouldn't have any heartburn if he was elected, but I don't see it happening any time soon.
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