New Pre-War HOFers? ESPN.com Article

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Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

Agreed on Vernon. If there was a "Nice Guys HOF" he'd deserve to be in, but there isn't, so he doesn't. Well, we only went a short time before somebody brought up Reulbach. I'm amazed it took that long! Now where are all the Santo-worshippers? Aren't they supposed to be chiming in right about now?

I'm on the same page as Jay in that there are many other 19th century players who should be in before Deacon White, although my choices are different. What is it that I'm missing with Jimmy Ryan? His numbers don't impress me the way it has been impressed on me that they should! Personally, I'd put in some of the early umpires before they're forgotten altogether. I think that, out of any HOF exclusion (players included), Hank O'Day's is the greatest travesty of them all. Whenever early baseball history was being made, it seems as though O'Day played some role. Most people will not deny that Bill Klem had the most remarkable umpiring career. O'Day's career is only second to that of the so-called king of officiators. I often wonder why he was overlooked for so long, and all but forgotten now. Apparently he was not a very sociable man on or off the field, so perhaps failed to make any influential friends along the way.