Last deadball era HOF was George Davis in 1998

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Posted By: Bob

Will the veterans committee ever elect another one?
I get so tired of seeing the Billy Williams', Mazeroskis and Sutters get in and see Phillippe, Reulbach and so many others constantly get snubbed...

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Posted By: Mike

Try living in the Chicago area and constantly hearing Ron Santo and the media whine about why he's not in.

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Posted By: Bob

Someone on the board mentioned a year or two ago why it would now be so difficult to get a player from the deadball era in the Hall because of a change in voting. Could someone please detail why that is? Thanks.

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Posted By: cmoking

I'm against voting any pre-war player into the HOF at this late juncture. They've had 60+ years to get voted in. If they are not voted in by now, they simply don't belong.

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

Sixty years of stupidity doesn't make it right.

I happen to like Phillippe, too, but just don't think statistically a dead ball era guy deserves it more than someone like Carl Mays or Bert Blyleven.

Two stat freaks (Bill James and James Vail) have them ranked as one/two amongst retired pitchers not yet in the HOF.

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Posted By: Mark

Bob, one now needs the vote of of 75 percent of ALL living hall of famers, spink and frick award members, not merely 75 percent of the former 15-member VC committee.

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/veterans/veterans_changes.htm

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Before, the VC had 15 members. 6 of those "screened" and determined who would be on the ballot. 75% needed to get in. VC met each year.

In 2001 it changed. It now consists of 61 HOF members, 14 Ford C Frick Award recipients (that includes Bob Uecker, who I like, but don't think should be doing this), and one holdover from the old Committee, John McHale, who will leave after his term expires next year.

Elections every other year. 60 BB writers and 6 HOFers determine the ballot, then the committee votes, and again 75% to get in. Anyone with 10 plus years, who isn't on baseball's ineligble list, who isn't under consideration by the regular writers bunch, is "eligible forever, providing eternal hope for the player, his family, and fans."


The idea of it now being tougher is before you had to convince 3/4ths of 15 that someone should be in, or 11 of the guys; now it requires 3/4ths of 70 plus. Those guys played and fought and threw at each other for years, some barely speak. How are you going to get 50 of them to agree on something? And how can we teach 50 of them who Ed Reulbach was, and the foundations Ed set out for the players' union??? Here in Kentucky we'd liken it to trying to teach a pig to sing... It's a waste of time and it annoys hell outa the pig.

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Posted By: Paul

In my opinion, the biggest reason why the current Veterans Committee is so much tougher is that they vote by secret ballot. In the old days, with 15 guys meeting in a room together, lots of things could happen that made it easier for folks to be elected. On the positive side, one member could persuade another. On the seedier side, a member could change his vote due to peer pressure or just wanting to please one of his friends on the committee. On the even seedier side, two members could swap votes -- you vote for my friend, I'll vote for yours.

I think there was also a lot more deference given to some committee members when they met together. If Ted Williams, the greatest living hitter, says that a particular pitcher or umpire is deserving of a spot in the Hall, I'd bet a bunch of committee members would defer to his judgment and vote with Ted. No matter how experienced a sports writer or league executive you may be, who are you to question Ted Williams' judgment that Bill McGowan was the greatest umpire he ever saw? And if Frank Frisch tells the committee that he played with George Kelly and he knows that George Kelly was 10 times better than his stats show, again, a lot of voters would defer to that, particularly if they weren't old enough to see Kelly play.

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Posted By: Brett

The players on the last ballet shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame. There just isn't much to choose from now. they'll probably out Buck O'Neil in the hall after he dies... :s

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Posted By: Jerry

Bill Dahlen has better stats than alot of middle infielders already in the Hall. He might be the Best deadball, elgible, Postion player not in the Hall.