Who do you think deserves to be in the HOF!!

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Posted By: Rhys

I just found the info I was looking for. In the 1894 Reach guide the 12 most prominant men in baseball according to Reach were polled as to specific questions. Among these questions were "who was the greatest player the game has ever known" and "what was the greatest play you ever witnessed." Of the twelve men surveyed, Ned Williamson drew three votes as the best player EVER up to that point with votes from Jim O'Rourke, Arthur Irwin, and James Hart. Anson Ewing and Kelly were each voted for twice.

Williamson was also given a nod for "greatest play ever" by a man who did not vote for him as greatest player, Fred Pfeffer.

I can go into greater detail of what was said if needed, but that should suffice for now.

There you go, Ned Williamson voted by his peers in the only poll of its kind as the greatest player of the 19th century. I do not think of him as the best player of the 19th century, but his peers did and no matter what we say 120 years after the fact, no modern stats can compare to eyewitness accounts of the men who watched him every day for years and years!