The 2013 Hall Pre-Integration Ballot -- the player candidates

Hasn't been a good year here, sparse readers, but there's Hall ballots to review so let's just get to it.

This winter, the Hall's current version of the Veterans Committee offers up a ballot from the Pre-Integration Era, for those candidates whose primary baseball career happened mostly or completely before 1947. Of the ten candidates, six are players -- Bill Dahlen, Wes Ferrell, Marty Marion, Tony Mullane, Bucky Walters, and Deacon White -- and only Mullane is a new name, the others being retreads from past, recent ballots. As such, I'm not that inspired to give them particularly thorough reviews, since I don't expect to reach different conclusions about which ones I consider Hall-worthy.

Getting right to the candidates, let's address the players first.

1. Bill Dahlen

Previous Hall consideration
BBWAA voting: one ballot, collecting one vote (below 1%).
VC voting: 2009,  less than 3 votes (2/12 or lower, less than 17%).

Primary position: shortstop.

Playing career: 21 seasons, 1891-1911 -- Chicago Colts/Orphans (Cubs) 1891-98, Brooklyn Grooms/Bridegrooms/Superbas (Dodgers) 1899-1903 & 1910-11, New York Giants 1904-07, Boston Braves 1908-09.

Standout season: 1894 -- .357/.444/.566, 149 runs, 179 hits, 32 doubles, 15 HR, 107 RBI, 42 SB, 136 OPS+, 4.5 WAR.

Other noteworthy seasons: 1896, 1898, 1899, 1904.

Career WAR: 70.9.

Honoraria and statistical crowns: Played most of his career before the big awards were inaugurated. Led the NL in RBI once. Was in the Top Five or Top Ten many other times. Once hit two triples in one inning. Member of the 1905 World Series champion Giants, though he had an awful Series, hitting 0-15 with three walks and one run scored. Also a member of the 1899-1900 NL champion Superbas and the 1904 NL champion Giants, which refused to participate in a World Series.

Baseball bonus points: Dahlen was manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1910-13 (technically a player/manager for the first two seasons, but only put himself into four games, so he certainly wasn't abusing the privilege). Results were not impressive, finishing sixth or seventh each season, never getting close to a winning record.

Really good career, but not one that I see as having reached greatness. Dahlen had a good bat for his era, but a lot of his value was in his defense -- shortstop is a tough, demanding position -- and it's difficult to get a sound judgement of just how good it was after all this time. I didn't support him before, but what the heck, I'll give him his due this time.

Chipmaker's vote: Yes!


2. Wes Ferrell

Previous Hall consideration
BBWAA voting: four ballots, peaking at 3.6%.
VC voting: 2003, 14.8% (12/81 votes); 2005, 11.3% (9/80); 2007, 8.5% (7/82), 2009 50.0% (6/12).

Primary position: RH starting pitcher.

Playing career: 15 seasons, 1927-41 -- Cleveland Indians 1927-33, Boston Red Sox 1934-37, Washington Senators 1937-38, New York Yankees 1938-39, Brooklyn Dodgers 1940, Boston Braves 1941.

Standout season: 1930 -- 25-13 (.658), 296.2 IP, 143 K, 3 saves, 1 shutout, 3.31, 146 ERA+, 7.5 WAR.

Other noteworthy seasons: 1929, 1931, 1932, 1935, 1936.

Career WAR: 45.1.

Honoraria and statistical crowns: Two All-Star selections (but did not play either time). Finished second in the 1935 AL MVP voting. Led AL in wins once, innings pitched three times, complete games four times. Numerous other Top Ten finishes in desirable categories. Major league records for home runs by a pitcher in a career (37 of his 38 total) and in a season (9, 1931). Pitched a no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns in 1931. Member of the 1938-39 World Series champion Yankees, though he did not play in either Series.

Baseball bonus points: Generally recognized as The Best Hitting Pitcher In Major League History (not named Ruth, anyway). Holds the career record for home runs by a pitcher with 37, including nine in 1931. Good enough that he was often used as a pinch-hitter. His 1931 batting season is worth including -- .319/.373/.621, 37 hits in 116 AB including six doubles, one triple, nine homers, 24 runs scored, 30 RBI, 151 OPS+. Career lines of .280/.351/.446, 38 HR, 208 RBI, 129 walks. Brother of Rick Ferrell, who is in the Hall Of Fame, though looking over his career record it is difficult to understand why.

Very good pitcher for a short span of seasons, certainly a tough workhorse, but I don't think his career ever rose to sustained greatness. I haven't supported Ferrell before -- and looking at his ballot returns, neither have any of the electorates which have considered his candidacy -- and I don't now, either.

Chipmaker's vote: no.


3. Marty Marion

Previous Hall consideration
BBWAA: 12 ballots, peaking at 40.0%.
VC voting: 2003, 21.0% (17/81 votes); 2005, 20.0% (16/80); 2007, 13.4% (11/82).

Primary position: shortstop.

Playing career: 13 seasons, 1940-50, '52-53 -- St. Louis Cardinals 1940-50, St. Louis Browns 1952-53.

Standout season: 1944 -- .267/.324/.362, 6 HR, 63 RBI, 91OPS+, 4.6 WAR.

Other noteworthy seasons: 1942, 1943.

Career WAR: 29.6.

Honoraria and statistical crowns: 1944 NL MVP, eight All-Star selections, doubles once. Member of three World Series champion (1942, '44, '46) and one other NL champion (1943) teams.

Baseball bonus points: was a manager for six seasons, for the Cardinals, Browns (where he was a player/manager, a rare breed even then, now essentially extinct), and Chicago White Sox.

Good player on a strong team (during the talent-depleted wartime era), and won a Most Valuable Player Award, but that's all there is here, and it doesn't measure up to the Hall's level.

Chipmaker's vote: no.


4. Tony Mullane

Previous Hall consideration
BBWAA: none.
VC voting: none.

Primary position: RH (mostly) starting pitcher, third baseman.

Playing career: 13 seasons, 1881-84 & '86-94 -- Detroit Wolverines (National League) 1881, Louisville Eclipse (American Association) 1882, St. Louis Browns (AA) 1883, Toledo Blue Stockings (AA) 1884, Cincinnati Red Stockings (AA) 1886-89, Cincinnati Reds (NL) 1890-93, Baltimore Orioles (NL) 1893-94, Cleveland Spiders (NL) 1894.

Standout season: 1884 -- 36-26 (.581), 2.52 (135 adjusted), 65 starts, 7 shutouts, 567.0 innings pitched (!!!), 325 strikeouts, 11.2 WAR (pitching; 12.8 overall). Only the shutouts led the league.

Other noteworthy seasons: 1882, 1883, 1887, 1892.

Career WAR: 55.1.

Honoraria and statistical crowns: Awards hardly existed during Mullane's era, so there's none of note to mention. Led his league in games pitched, games started, winning percentage, and strikeouts once each, and in shutouts twice.

Baseball bonus points: Mullane was one of the rare ambidextrous pitchers in major league history. He didn't do it often, but he could pitch with his left hand when needed.

Mullane won 30+ games in five different seasons, which wasn't quite so remarkable for the time but is the sort of thing that simply cannot happen today. Another artifact of the time: he pitched over 400 innings six times, twice exceeding 500, and never once led his league. A career total of 284 wins, which is brilliant if you like that stat. Mullane's career after age 33 isn't much to goggle at, but the seasons prior to that were outstanding, easily measuring up to what the Hall should honor. And the ambidextrous pitching ability is the icing here -- weirdly cool, even then.

Chipmaker's vote: Yes!


5. Bucky Walters

Previous Hall consideration
BBWAA: 13 ballots, peaking at 23.7%.
VC voting: 2009, 33.3% (4/12 votes).

Primary position: RH starting pitcher; was a third baseman for his first four seasons.

Playing career: 19 seasons, 1931-48 & '50 -- Boston Braves 1931-32 & '50, Boston Red Sox 1933-34, Philadelphia Phillies 1934-38, Cincinnati Reds 1938-48.

Standout season: 1939 -- 27-11, 319.0 IP, 31 complete games, 2 shutouts, 137 K, 2.29, 168 ERA+, 7.9 WAR.

Other noteworthy seasons: 1940, 1941, 1944, 1945.

Career WAR: 44.3.

Honoraria and statistical crowns: 1939 NL MVP. Collected MVP votes in four other seasons, including finishing third and fifth. Six All-Star selections, including one start. Led in wins three times, ERA twice, innings pitched three times, strikeouts once, complete games three times, shutouts once -- including the pitcher's triple crown (wins, ERA, K) in 1939. Member of the 1939 NL champion and 1940 World Series champion Reds.

Baseball bonus points:  Walters was manager of the Reds for part of 1948 and all of 1949, finishing seventh both times, which does nothing to improve his candidacy.

If Walters hadn't moved to the mound, he'd never get Hall consideration at all. Good pitcher with flashes of greatness, particularly on two NL-winning Reds teams, but he never sustained it and didn't get to that level but sparsely. There's too much mediocrity in his career to support his candidacy.

Chipmaker's vote: no.


6. Deacon White

Previous Hall consideration
BBWAA: none.
VC voting: 2009, 41.7% (5/12 votes).

Primary position: catcher and third baseman, but as often happened in the Olde Dayes, he moved around at need, putting in time at right field, first base, and even the pitcher's mound.

Playing career: 20 seasons, 1871-90 -- Cleveland Forest Citys (National Association) 1871-72, Boston Red Stockings (NA) 1873-75, Chicago White Stockings (Cubs) 1876, Boston Red Caps (Braves) 1877, Cincinnati Reds 1878-80, Buffalo Bisons 1881-85 (National League), Detroit Wolverines 1886-88 (NL), Pittsburgh Alleghenys (Pirates) 1889, Buffalo Bisons (Players League) 1890.

Standout season: 1877 -- .387/.405/.545, 51 runs, 103 hits, 14 doubles, 11 triples, 2 HR, 49 RBI, 191 OPS+, 3.2 WAR (in 59 games).

Other noteworthy seasons: 1873, 1875, 1876, 1879, 1884.

Career WAR: 44.2, noting that this was built during much shorter seasons.

Honoraria and statistical crowns: Rates triple crown (AVG/OBP/SLG) in 1877. Another batting title in 1875. Led in hits once, triples once, RBI three times, plus numerous Top Ten finishes in various positive stats. Member of six league champion teams (Red Stockings 1873-75, including the amazing 71-8 team in '75, White Stockings 1876, Red Caps 1877, and Wolverines 1887).

Baseball bonus points: White was a player/manager, very briefly, in 1872 and 1879, compiling a 9-11 record. He also holds the distinction of recording the first ever major league hit, doubling to lead off the top of the first on 04-May-1871.

White wasn't a great fielder anywhere, but he made up for it with his bat. The man could HIT. Seasons were much shorter back in White's era -- he only played 100+ games in four seasons, and for the first time in 1884 -- but he made the most of them. Rate stats tell us what counting stats cannot, due to lack of opportunity, and White's rates are very impressive indeed, often rising to the level of greatness I think belongs in the Hall. I don't think there are many unearthed gems left in the deeps of baseball history, but here is one of those few.

Chipmaker's vote: Yes!

Summing up: I support Dahlen, Mullane, and White. Since the actual electors are limited to a maximum of four candidates, if I end up with two or more from the non-players candidates, I'll have to toss someone overboard.

The non-players coming up later today.