WHY I THINK ED KONETCHY SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK ED KONETCHY SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

While first base is an offensive position today, that was not always the case. Up until around 1920 (the start of the live-ball era), ground balls, bunts, and trick plays like the Baltimore Chop were far more common than they are today, requiring the first baseman to work as hard as any other infielder. A first sacker who played from 1907 through 1921, Ed Konetchy was a strong hitter and an outstanding fielder at one of the most important positions on the diamond. Considering the hard work required to play first base in Konetchy’s era, it makes his batting feats even more impressive. 

Edward Joseph Konetchy was born on September 3, 1885, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He was one of seven children to Bohemian immigrant parents. As a child he worked for a candy factory, and at age 16 he joined the factory’s baseball team. At 19 he was playing for the local professional team, the La Crosse Pinks (named after manager Pink Hawley), and after three seasons in the minors, he was ready for the Big Leagues. 

Konetchy made his MLB debut for the St. Louis Cardinals on June 29, 1907. After a strong all-around season, he locked down the Cards’ first base job. On a lackluster team with few bright spots, Konetchy was St. Louis’s hero for years. Not only was he developing into a top-notch defender, but he was also establishing himself as a top hitter, consistently finishing in the NL’s top ten in batting, home runs, and RBI’s. His power hitting feats earned him the nickname “Big Ed.” 

Konetchy led the league with 38 doubles in 1912 and batted .314 in 1913, sparking a thunderstorm of trade rumors. “I’m the most traded man in baseball without getting anywhere,” he once remarked. John McGraw made frequent attempts to get him, and Fred Clarke of the Pirates even considered trading an older Honus Wagner for him. Konetchy eventually went to Pittsburgh in an eight player deal (which did not include Wagner) on December 13, 1913. After an off year, he jumped to the Federal League’s Pittsburgh Rebels, where he batted .314 with 10 homers, 93 RBI’s, and led the league in total bases and extra-base hits. After the Federal League folded, Konetchy returned to the NL, playing all 158 of the Boston Braves’ games in 1916 and providing the best bat in their lineup. 

Konetchy played in the Majors until 1921, his age-36 season. He was still a productive player, batting .308 in 1920 and reaching his career high in homers in 1921. Despite playing his final MLB game, Konetchy’s career was far from over, as he spent six seasons in the minor leagues. The high minors in those days were comparable, if not equivalent, to the quality of the Major Leagues, and they sported many MLB stars still at the top of their game. Konetchy spent four of his final six seasons in class-A ball, including 1923, when he batted .307 with 50 doubles and 22 home runs, and 1925, when he hit .345 and led the Texas League in homers (41) and RBI’s (166) in 155 games. Konetchy had one more productive season in 1926 (.325 average, 21 homers) and hung up his spikes for good after a short stint in 1927. He had played 23 seasons in organized ball, collecting over 3,000 hits and 500 doubles. 

Ed Konetchy was one of the best players of his era and has a strong case for the Hall of Fame. WAR is relatively tough on him because he was a first baseman, but WAR makes the assumption that first base is a premium offensive position, whereas in Konetchy’s time that was simply not the case. In reality, he was a premier defender at a defense-first position, leading his league in fielding eight times, putouts five times, and assists five times. Konetchy was also a talented hitter with a career OPS+ of 123, a remarkable number for a defensive player. In addition to his power, Konetchy was known for his speed, stealing 255 bases and rapping 182 career triples, the most of any player outside of Cooperstown. He even tried his hand at pitching, earning a win in 1913 and throwing a complete game in 1918. And while his minor league statistics should not be counted with his MLB stats, they shouldn’t count for nothing, as they provide evidence that he could still clearly play at a high level. 

Ed Konetchy was a complete player with a long career in a pitcher-friendly era. He was consistently one of the league’s best players, both offensively and defensively, and never had a declining phase. He would be a worthy pick for the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,085 season high: 158 in 1911 and 1916 led NL: 158 in 1911 and 1916 

At Bats career: 7,649 season high: 576 in 1909 and 1915 

Hits career: 2,150 season high: 181 in 1915 

Doubles career: 344 season high: 38 in 1911 led NL: 38 in 1911 

Triples career: 182 season high: 18 in 1915 

Home Runs career: 74 season high: 11 in 1921 

Runs Scored career: 972 season high: 90 in 1911 

Runs Batted In career: 992 season high: 93 in 1915 

Stolen Bases career: 255 season high: 27 in 1911, 1913, and 1915 

Walks career: 689 season high: 81 in 1911 

Strikeouts career: 719 season high: 69 in 1908 

Batting Average career: .281 season high: .314 in 1912 and 1915 

On Base Percentage career: .346 season high: .397 in 1910 

Slugging Percentage career: .403 season high: .483 in 1915 

Total Bases career: 3,080 season high: 278 in 1915 led FL: 278 in 1915 

Sacrifice Hits career: 253 season high: 25 in 1908 and 1914 

Fielding Percentage career: .990 season high: .995 in 1913 and 1914 led NL 1B: .991 in 1910 and 1911, .995 in 1913 and 1914, .994 in 1917 and 1919, .992 in 1918 led FL 1B: .994 in 1915 

Double Plays career: 1,094 season high: 96 in 1916 led NL 1B: 96 in 1916 

Putouts career: 21,378 season high: 1,652 in 1911 led NL 1B: 1,584 in 1909, 1,499 in 1910, 1,652 in 1911, 1,576 in 1914, 1,626 in 1916 

Assists career: 1,297 season high: 122 in 1908 led NL 1B: 122 in 1908, 97 in 1909, 98 in 1910, 93 in 1914, 96 in 1916 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-Stole home twice in one game on September 30, 1907 

-Had a 20-game hitting streak from August 27 through September 22, 1910 

-Hit two inside-the-park home runs in one game on August 5, 1912 

-Tied a record with 10 consecutive hits from June 28 through July 1, 1919 

-Earned MVP votes in 1911 (22nd) and 1912 (12th) 

-Ranks 15th in career triples and 39th in sacrifice hits 

-Among MLB first baseman, he ranks third in career putouts, 15th in games, and 28th in assists 

Ferris Fain

    It's a shame that hardly anyone remembers Ferris Fain anymore. He was a truly incredible first baseman with an extraordinary batting eye, but his career lasted only nine seasons due to various injuries. While his career was too short to merit Hall of Fame consideration, Fain was a truly remarkable player who ought not to be forgotten. 

    Ferris Fain started his professional career with the San Francisco Seals in 1939, playing twelve games under manager Lefty O'Doul. He played with the Seals until 1942, when he enlisted in the service during World War II. When he returned in 1946, Fain batted .301 and led the PCL with 112 RBI's, resulting in his promotion to the Majors in 1947. 

    As a 26-year-old rookie for the Philadelphia Athletics, Fain batted .291 and drew 95 walks, giving him an on-base percentage of .414. He drew 113 walks in 1948 and had 100 or more walks in five different seasons, including two with over 130. Fain also won Batting Titles in 1952 and 1953, contributing to a lifetime OBP of .424, which is the 15th highest mark of all time (minimum 3,000 plate appearances). 

    In addition to his on-base skills, Fain developed a reputation as a brilliant defensive first baseman, particularly on bunt plays. An extremely aggressive fielder, Fain would often field bunts on the third base side of the field and throw out the lead runner, leaving his opponents in disbelief. Onlookers swore he was the best first baseman they had ever seen, and the statistics back him up. In 1949, despite playing a 154-game season, Fain turned 194 double plays, the most of any first baseman in history, topping the previous record by 31. The very next year, Fain turned 192 twin-killings, to this day the second most in history and ten more than the third-place finisher. If Gold Gloves existed back then, Fain would have been a perennial winner. 
    Unfortunately, knee troubles took their toll on Fain, and he was limited to 65 games in 1954. However, he still managed to make his fifth consecutive all-star team, combining with White Sox teammates Nellie Fox, Chico Carrasquel, and George Kell to form the first starting all-star infield from one team. Fain finished the season batting .302 and played one last season in 1955, drawing 94 walks in 114 games between the Tigers and the Indians. 

    Ferris Fain was a great player whose abilities on both offense and defense were simply magnificent. If his career were longer, he would have been a legitimate Hall of Fame candidate. Nonetheless, Fain made his mark on baseball history and ought to be remembered today. 

Lucky Hall of Famer Number 66 - Bowie Kuhn

Bowie Kuhn was the Commissioner of Baseball from 1969 through 1984 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2007. As I wrote in December of 2022, most commissioners do not deserve a spot in the Hall, but Kuhn was especially dubious. 

    During his time as commissioner, baseball underwent a period of great turmoil. The first-ever player strike occurred in 1972 and the umpires struck in 1979. In 1981, the season was torn apart by the worst player strike in history to that point. Over Kuhn's 16 seasons as commissioner, MLB was faced by no less than eight work stoppages of varying significance. 

    Other than the changes to the reserve clause during his tenure, on which I have no comment, Kuhn's most controversial decision as commissioner was to ban Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle from baseball due to their employment at casinos. However, neither Mays nor Mantle promoted sports betting, much less betting on baseball, but worked as greeters and autograph signers. While Kuhn meant to disassociate from any kind of gambling "in the best interests of the game," banning two of the most famous players in history wasn't exactly in the game's best interest. The bans were lifted almost immediately by Kuhn's successor Peter Ueberroth in 1985. 

One last note: Kuhn's Hall of Fame plaque mentions that he tripled MLB attendance. As a matter of fact, even with the expansion of the league, attendance did not come close to tripling between 1968 and 1985. 

My opinion: Bowie Kuhn is not a Hall of Famer. 

Amazing Baseball Quote #15

"All the fat guys watch me and say to their wives, 'See, there's a fat guy doing okay. Bring me another beer.'" - Mickey Lolich 

Lolich opened a donut shop in the Detroit area in 1977. 

Yogi-isms

Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra was an all-time great player, winning three MVP Awards and ten World Series rings with the Yankees. He was also well-known for a little bit of an odd personality, which led to some utterly hilarious quotes. Here are my ten favorite "Yogi-isms." 

"All pitchers are either liars or crybabies." 

"Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded." 

"You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise they won't come to yours." 

"You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six." 

"Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets." 

"It was impossible to get a conversation going - everybody was talking too much." 

"The future ain't what it used to be." 

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." 

"Ninety percent of baseball is half mental." 

"I never said most of the things I said." 

There are many more priceless quotes I could have picked from, but these are my top ten. Anyone else have any favorites? 

Lucky Hall of Famer Number 65 - Dave Parker

My first official backtrack in article form on this blog, I previously advocated for Dave Parker in 2021, prior to his election in 2024. Since then, I have become more of a small-Hall guy, and after reevaluating his career, I have changed my mind about his case. He was a very good player, but short of the Hall's standards. 

    A seven-time all-star, two-time Batting Champion, and 1978 NL MVP, Parker was an imposing figure on the diamond, standing 6'5" and weighing a robust 230 pounds. He hit over 20 home runs in nine different seasons and drove in as many as 125 runs in 1985. All told, Parker hit 339 home runs and collected 2,712 hits while batting .290 over a 19-year career. 

    Despite beefy counting statistics and a few great individual seasons, Parker wasn't consistently one of the game's greatest players. While he was certainly one of the best for a five-year stretch in the late 1970's, he was merely average for the rest of his career, except for two strong seasons in 1985 and 1986. His .290 / .339 / .471 slash line was good, but a little weak for a Hall of Fame rightfielder who didn't reach 500 home runs or 3,000 hits. And despite winning three Gold Gloves, he was a mediocre fielder, leading his league in errors seven times. He also played 484 games as a DH, which allowed him to play past age 40 and compile his counting statistics while providing little value to his club. 

My opinion: Dave Parker is probably not a Hall of Famer. 

Amazing Baseball Quote #14

"The doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing." - Dizzy Dean 

Already known as Dizzy before the quote, Jay Hanna Dean was a colorful and very quotable character in his day. Pinch running in Game 4 of the 1934 World Series, Dean was struck on the head by a thrown ball, and he made this candid quote to reporters when describing the incident. 

One of the best pitchers in the game in the 1930's, Dean later became a famous broadcaster.