WHY I THINK WILLIE KAMM SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK WILLIE KAMM SHOULD BE

IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Willie Kamm is, incredibly, ranked in the same class as Brooks Robinson as the two

best defensive third basemen ever. Robinson got in solely for his defense, but he could hit very well.

Kamm outhit Robinson by 14 points, not a small margin when the guy not in the Hall of Fame is beating

the Hall of Famer. Willie Kamm was not only the best defensive third baseman ever, but he was also one

of the best players of his time, no matter the position. Kamm hit for a lifetime batting average of .281, was

a very fine bunter, hit ten or more triples three years in a row, hit 20 or more doubles ten years straight

and eleven total, and won eight fielding titles and finished second for a ninth. Willie Kamm started his

career with the White Sox in 1923, batting .292 with 87 RBI’s as a rookie. He drove in 93 runs in 1924 and

83 in 1925, but didn’t bat as high as .300 until 1928, when he recorded a .308 mark. Kamm slumped to

.268 and .269 but rebounded to hit .290 in 1931, when he split playing time with the White Sox and the

Indians. He was immensely popular in Cleveland, as he hit consistently and robbed hit after hit after hit at

the hot corner. Kamm batted .286 and .282 in his first two full seasons with the Tribe, but fell to .269 in

1934. He retired after batting .333 in six games in 1935. Willie Kamm was a heck of a defensive third

baseman and a great overall hitter. His defense alone would be enough to assure him a Hall of Fame

plaque, but his dangerous bat is a nice bonus. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games career: 1,693 season high: 155 in 1928 led AL: 155 in 1928 

At Bats career: 5,851 season high: 552 in 1928 

Hits career: 1,643 season high: 170 in 1928 

Doubles career: 348 season high: 39 in 1923 

Triples career: 85 season high: 13 in 1927 

Home Runs career: 29 season high: 6 in 1923, 1924 and 1925 

Runs career: 802 season high: 85 in 1927 

Runs Batted In career: 827 season high: 93 in 1924 

Stolen Bases career: 126 season high: 18 in 1923 

Walks career: 824 season high: 90 in 1925 led AL: 90 in 1925 

Strikeouts career: 405 season high: 82 in 1923 

Batting Average career: .281 season high: .308 in 1928 

On Base Percentage career: .372 season high: .396 in 1926 

Slugging Percentage career: .384 season high: .430 in 1923 

Total Bases career: 2,248 season high: 227 in 1928 

Sacrifice Hits career: 238 season high: 37 in 1925 

Fielding Percentage career: .967 season high: .984 in 1933 led AL 3B: .971 in 1924, .957 in 1925, .978

in 1926, .972 in 1927, .977 in 1928, .978 in 1929, .984 in 1933, .978 in 1934 

Double Plays career: 299 season high: 33 in 1928 and 1931 led AL 3B: 29 in 1923, 31 in 1924,

33 in 1931 

Putouts career: 2,151 season high: 243 in 1928 led AL 3B: 190 in 1924, 177 in 1926,

236 in 1927, 243 in 1928, 221 in 1929, 158 in 1931, 164 in 1932 

Assists career: 3,345 season high: 352 in 1923 led AL 3B: 312 in 1924, 310 in 1925,

323 in 1926, 299 in 1932 

DID YOU KNOW?

-is best known for being the first minor leaguer to be purchased for $100,000 

-was a master of the hidden ball trick, and even pulled a triple play on the sneaky move

against the Indians on April 30, 1929 

-finished fifth in the AL MVP voting in 1928, 12th in 1925 and 21st in 1933 

-his 243 putouts as a third baseman in 1928 are the fourth most of all time,

and his 236 in 1927 rank sixth 

-led AL third basemen in games in 1923 (149), 1926 (142), 1927 (146) and 1928 (155) 

-was used as a pinch hitter 22 times and as a pinch runner once 

-had 75 or more RBI’s in a season six times 

-ranks 47th in career sacrifice hits 

-among MLB third basemen, ranks 21st in career fielding percentage, 30th in double plays,

ninth in putouts, and 29th in assists 

WHY I THINK MARTY MARION SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK MARTY MARION SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

 

Marty Marion was, easily, the best defensive shortstop of his day and the best ever behind Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith and Mark Belanger. I know that a lot of people will not listen to what I write from now on, thinking that guys like Larry Bowa, Pee Wee Reese, Luis Aparicio, or Phil Rizzuto were better with the glove. Marion was the best of the bunch. Marion could also hit, stroking a NL high 38 doubles in 1942, batting as high as .280 in a season, and leading the NL in sacrifice hits on two occasions. For a fielder of the likes of Marion, if he were not hitting at all he would be important to his Cardinals. He won the NL MVP Award in 1944 hitting .267 with six home runs, winning the award mostly on his superb defensive play. Though he never hit with much power, Marion did hit a few key home runs in his day, but he used his speed and ability at finding the gaps to be a decent slap hitter all his life. Marion started his career in 1940 by batting .278. After a .252 season, he hit .276 and led the NL in doubles. He then hit .280, .267, and .277 before dropping to a career low .233 batting average. He still fielded brilliantly and hit 29 doubles, however. After batting .272 in 1947 Marion dropped to a respectable .252 and then hit .272 again in 1949. After hitting only .247 in 1950 Marion decided to manage the Cardinals to a third place finish but didn’t play. He came back in 1952 after being traded to the Browns to bat .247 and manage a lowly team. After going 0-for-7 in three games in 1953 the great Marty Marion retired. Marion will always be known as a fielding wizard, a smart baseball player, and a man who helped the St. Louis Cardinals to four pennants and three World Series titles in the 1940s, but still not as a Hall of Famer. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games career: 1,572 season high: 155 in 1941 led NL: 155 in 1941

At Bats career: 5,506 season high: 547 in 1941

Hits career: 1,448 season high: 147 in 1947

Doubles career: 272 season high: 38 in 1942 led NL: 38 in 1942

Triples career: 37 season high: 6 in 1947

Home Runs career: 36 season high: 6 in 1944

Runs career: 602 season high: 70 in 1948

Runs Batted In career: 624 season high: 74 in 1947

Stolen Bases career: 35 season high: 9 in 1940

Walks career: 470 season high: 59 in 1946

Strikeouts career: 537 season high: 58 in 1947

Batting Average career: .263 season high: .280 in 1943

On Base Percentage career: .323 season high: .343 in 1942

Slugging Percentage career: .345 season high: .375 in 1942

Total Bases career: 1,902 season high: 190 in 1947 and 1949

Sacrifice Hits career: 151 season high: 28 in 1941 led NL: 28 in 1941, 17 in 1949

Fielding Percentage career: .969 season high: .981 in 1947 led NL SS: .972 in 1944, .981 in 1947, .974 in 1948

Double Plays career: 978 season high: 105 in 1946 led NL SS: 105 in 1946, 104 in 1947

Putouts career: 2,987 season high: 329 in 1947 led NL SS: 290 in 1946, 329 in 1947

Assists career: 4,829 season high: 489 in 1941 led NL SS: 489 in 1941, 480 in 1946

Games Managed career: 731 season high: 155 in 1951 and 1955

Wins career: 356 season high: 91 in 1955

Losses career: 372 season high: 100 in 1953

Ties career: 3 season high: 1 in 1951, 1952, and 1955

Winning Percentage career: .489 season high: .591 in 1955

Ejections career: 8 season high: 3 in 1956

DID YOU KNOW?

-brother of Red Marion 

-nicknamed “the Octopus”, “Mr. Shortstop”, and “Slats”

-broke his leg at age ten and later had it rebroken for a better setting, and for the rest of his life his right leg was an inch shorter than his left one

-hit one of his career home runs off of Carl Hubbell, plus another more off of Hall of Fame snub Allie Reynolds

-hit 20 or more doubles in seven separate seasons, 19 once, and over 30 twice

-had ten or more sacrifice hits seven times, nine twice and over 20 twice

-was an eight time all-star and is the only shortstop in NL history to handle ten chances in one game

-was the 1944 Major League Player of the Year

-hit .357 with a homer, a stolen base, three walks, a .714 slugging percentage and a pair of doubles in the 1943 World Series 

-slammed three doubles in the 1944 World Series

-batted .250 with two doubles in the 1946 World Series

-finished seventh in the 1942 NL MVP voting, eighth in 1945, 13th in 1943, 24th in 1941, 25th in 1949, and 28th in 1946

-got over 200 putouts ten years in a row and 180 in the eleventh 

-turned over 90 double plays four times, 87 once and 85 once

-made 300 or more assists eleven years straight and over 400 in eight of those years

-had over 50 RBI’s in a season seven times and over 70 twice

-scored 50 or more runs eight times

WHY I THINK ROGER MARIS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK ROGER MARIS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien

Roger Maris hit 61 homers in 1961 despite the worst abuse and heaviest pressure in baseball history. Fans sent hate mail and sportswriters wrote terrible things about him. The stress caused Maris’s hair to fall out. People thought that Mickey Mantle should’ve done it, not Maris, who had just joined the team. While Yankees fans threw cheers at Mantle, they threw soda cans and even chairs at Maris. Even so, Roger Maris was one of the game’s greatest sluggers, a complete player, and the ultimate workingman’s ballplayer. He always did what he was told by his manager, coming out every day to do his job. A lot of people only remember Maris for his home run record of 61 dingers in 1961, but there was a lot more to him than that. He won AL MVP awards in 1960 and 1961, hit 275 career home runs in twelve seasons, batted .255 in “The Year of the Pitcher” (1968), had 100 RBI’s for three straight years and led the AL twice in that span, and was the best defensive rightfielder of his time. He played in seven World Series, five of them with the Yankees. In 1964, when Mickey Mantle got hurt, Maris moved over to centerfield to help the Yankees win their fifth straight pennant. A lot of people think that Maris was no good for anything other than for hitting the longball. That’s not true at all. What those critical people don’t know was that Maris batted over .280 twice, hit well against good pitchers, won three fielding titles, and had a rocket of an arm in rightfield. Roger Maris started out his career with the Indians in 1957 with 14 homers and was traded to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1958. He came over to New York in 1960 and won the AL MVP Award in his first year with the Yanks with a .283 batting average, 39 homers and a league leading 112 RBI’s. He also won the Gold Glove award in rightfield that year. The next year he hit those 61 homers to go along with a .269 average. Interestingly, Maris struck out only 67 times that year, and was intentionally walked exactly zero times. The next year he hit 33 home runs and drove home 100 runs once again. Maris had an off year in 1963 (90 games but 23 homers and a .269 average) with a hand injury but came back in 1964 to hit .281 with 26 home runs. Maris slumped in his next two seasons and was traded to the Cardinals for the 1967 season. He helped them to win two pennants, including a World Series Championship in 1967, before retiring. Roger Maris defied incredible pressures and odds to have the career he had, but still, incredibly, hasn’t yet made the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games career: 1,463 season high: 161 in 1961

At Bats career: 5,101 season high: 590 in 1961 and 1962

Hits career: 1,325 season high: 159 in 1961

Doubles career: 195 season high: 34 in 1962

Triples career: 42 season high: 7 in 1959, 1960 and 1967

Home Runs career: 275 season high: 61 in 1961 led AL: 61 in 1961

Runs career: 826 season high: 132 in 1961 led AL: 132 in 1961

Runs Batted In career: 850 season high: 141 in 1961 led AL: 112 in 1960, 141 in 1961

Stolen Bases career: 21 season high: 8 in 1967

Walks career: 652 season high: 94 in 1961

Strikeouts career: 733 season high: 85 in 1958

Batting Average career: .260 season high: .283 in 1960

On Base Percentage career: .345 season high: .372 in 1961

Slugging Percentage career: .476 season high: .620 in 1961 led AL: .581 in 1960

Total Bases career: 2,429 season high: 366 in 1961 led AL: 366 in 1961

Sacrifice Hits career: 12 season high: 3 in 1957

Fielding Percentage career: .982 season high: .996 in 1964 led AL RF: .989 in 1960, .995 in 1964 led NL RF: .991 in 1967

Double Plays career: 15 season high: 4 in 1958 and 1959 led AL RF: 4 in 1959

Putouts career: 2,649 season high: 316 in 1962

Assists career: 76 season high: 15 in 1958

DID YOU KNOW?

-batted lefthanded and threw righthanded 

-his number 9 is retired by the Yankees and is he honored with a plaque in Monument Park 

-was a seven time all-star and a three time World Series winner

-was the 1961 Major League Player of the Year

-led AL rightfielders in games in 1961 (150) 

-led the AL in extra-base hits in 1960 (64) and 1961 (81)

-went 3-for-5 on his Major League debut

-led the AL in home run percentage in 1960 and was second in 1961 to teammate Mickey Mantle, who hit 54 home runs that year (his 1961 mark is still the 16th highest mark of all time)

-batted as high as .385 in the 1967 World Series and homered in five different Series, including two in 1960 

-finished 25th in the AL MVP voting in 1964 

-also played 257 games in centerfield, 27 in leftfield, 121 as a pinch hitter, and three as a pinch runner 

-first career home run was a grand slam

WHY I THINK JIM McCORMICK SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JIM McCORMICK SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Jim McCormick pitched for only ten years in the Major Leagues, but considering how much he accomplished in such a short time period makes his pitching legendary. In ten years with five clubs from 1878 through 1887, McCormick won 265 games with a 2.43 ERA and 33 shutouts. He led his league in almost every pitching category, including fielding percentage, at least once. He won 40 or more games twice, won a pair of ERA titles, and tossed 343 strikeouts in 1884 by virtue of his blazing fastball, his early curveball, and his “drop ball”. Jim McCormick started his career in 1878 with a 5-8 record, despite a 1.69 ERA. He was limited to 117 innings that year on account of two broken arm bones. He went 20-40 in 1879 but turned it around in 1880 with a 45-28 ledger. He soon became a big winner, as he won no fewer than 21 games in any season until 1887. In 1884, McCormick won 19 games with the Cleveland Blues, moved over to the UA in midseason, and became its best pitcher with a 21-3 mark and a league leading 1.54 ERA. McCormick continued his dominant ways until 1887 when, plagued by rheumatism, he slumped to 13-23. He also likely blew out his arm, as he pitched as many as 657 2/3 innings in 1880, and over 500 in five separate seasons. Jim McCormick was a dominant pitcher, a consistent winner, and an absolute workhorse. He was great enough long enough to earn an induction into the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games Pitched career: 492 season high: 74 in 1880 led NL: 74 in 1880, 68 in 1882

Starts career: 485 season high: 74 in 1880 led NL: 74 in 1880, 67 in 1882

Complete Games career: 466 season high: 72 in 1880 led NL: 72 in 1880, 57 in 1881, 65 in 1882

Shutouts career: 33 season high: 10 in 1884 led UA: 7 in 1884 

Games Finished career: 7 season high: 2 in 1883 and 1884

Wins career: 265 season high: 45 in 1880 led NL: 45 in 1880, 36 in 1882

Losses career: 214 season high: 40 in 1879 led NL: 40 in 1879

Winning Percentage career: .553 season high: .700 in 1883 led NL: .700 in 1883

ERA career: 2.43 season low: 1.84 in 1883 led NL: 1.84 in 1883 led UA: 1.54 in 1884

WHIP career: 1.132 season low: 1.004 in 1880 led UA: 0.786 in 1884

Innings Pitched career: 4,275 ⅔ season high: 657 ⅔ in 1880 led NL: 657 ⅔ in 1880, 595 ⅔ in 1882

Strikeouts career: 1,704 season high: 343 in 1884 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 3.6 season high: 5.4 in 1884

Walks career: 749 season high: 103 in 1882 led NL: 74 in 1879, 103 in 1882

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 2.28 season high: 3.47 in 1880 

Saves career: 1 season high: 1 in 1883

Fielding Percentage career: .916 season high: .951 in 1884 and 1885 led NL P: 1.000 in 1884*, .951 in 1885 (the league fielding percentage was .898) 

Double Plays career: 33 season high: 6 in 1884

Putouts career: 384 season high: 97 in 1879 led NL P: 39 in 1879, 43 in 1882 

Assists career: 938 season high: 135 in 1880 led NL P: 100 in 1882 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: N/A

Pickoffs career: N/A

*McCormick also played eight games in the outfield in 1884 UA, fielding .905.

DID YOU KNOW?

-had a career winning percentage over .550 despite the fact that 940 of his 2,095 career runs allowed were unearned

-had career totals of 246 runs scored, 491 hits, 66 doubles, 22 triples, four home runs, 178 RBI’s, 22 walks, and a .236 batting average as a batter 

-hit one of his home runs off of Hall of Famer Tim Keefe

-was the hardest batter in the NL to strike out in 1880 

-went 74-96-1 (.435) as a manager

-was the first Scottish born player to play in the MLB

-went 3-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 23 strikeouts in “World Series” play in 1885 and 1886 

-ranked 34th in career ERA and innings pitched, 39th in wins, 28th in the fewest walks allowed per nine innings, 36th in batters faced, 11th in complete games, 32nd in putouts by a pitcher, and 35th in assists by a pitcher 

-allowed the fewest home runs per nine innings in the NL in 1878 and 1883 

-led the NL in batters faced in 1880 (2,669) and 1882 (2,412) 

-struck out 260 batters in 1880, 200 in 1882, 197 in 1879, and 178 in 1881 

-owns the fourth, 21st, 31st, and 34th highest season totals for batters faced in MLB history

-also played 52 games in the outfield, five at first base, and one each at second base and third base

WHY I THINK TOMMY BOND SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK TOMMY BOND SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Tommy Bond was the most dominant pitcher of his time. He won 234 games with a 2.14 ERA in ten seasons, earned a Triple Crown in 1877, won two ERA titles, and pitched 490 or more innings five times. He led his league in virtually every pitching category at least once, and played in four different leagues throughout his career. Bond was also an incredible fielder and an amazing hitter for a pitcher. Tommy Bond started his career with the National Association Brooklyn Atlantics in 1874, going 22-32 to become the youngest 20-game winner ever. That was still at the time when pitchers had to throw underhand, and you still couldn’t pitch overhand until 1884. He was traded to the NA Hartford Dark Blues in 1875 and went 19-16 and 31-13 in two seasons there. He went to the National League Boston Red Stockings in 1877 and earned a Triple Crown with 40 wins, a 2.11 ERA, and 170 strikeouts. He was even better in 1878 but just missed out on a second Triple Crown, as he led the NL in wins and strikeouts but finished fifth in ERA. Bond went 43-19 in 1879 with his other ERA crown before going 26-29 in 1880. After an 0-3 season Bond was traded to the NL Worcester Ruby Legs and went 0-1. Bond stayed out of baseball in 1883 but returned in 1884 to go 13-14 in a season that he split between the Union Association Boston Reds and the American Association Indianapolis Hoosiers, and then retired. Tommy Bond was one of the best pitchers in the history of baseball. He ranks better than the average Hall of Fame pitcher, but the reason why he never made it is simple. He, like many other pre-1900 stars that I write about, played before the Hall of Fame ever existed, and therefore had a very hard time getting in. Bond did get some votes by the Veterans Committee in 1936, but they were probably still too young to have seen him pitch. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games Pitched career: 417 season high: 64 in 1879 led NL: 59 in 1878

Starts career: 408 season high: 64 in 1879 led NL: 59 in 1878

Complete Games career: 386 season high: 59 in 1879 led NL: 57 in 1878

Shutouts career: 42 season high: 11 in 1879 led NL: 6 in 1877, 9 in 1878, 11 in 1879

Games Finished career: 13 season high: 6 in 1880

Wins career: 234 season high: 43 in 1879 led NL: 40 in 1877 and 1878 

Losses career: 163 season high: 32 in 1874 led NA: 32 in 1874

Winning Percentage career: .589 season high: .702 in 1877 led NL: .702 in 1877

ERA career: 2.14 season low: 1.41 in 1875 led NL: 2.11 in 1877, 1.96 in 1879

WHIP career: 1.091 season low: 0.878 in 1875 led NL: 1.086 in 1877, 1.021 in 1879

Innings Pitched career: 3,628 ⅔ season high: 555 ⅓ in 1879 led NL: 532 ⅔ in 1878 

Strikeouts career: 972 season high: 182 in 1878 led NL: 170 in 1877, 182 in 1878

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 2.4 season high: 5.5 in 1884 led NL: 1.9 in 1876

Walks career: 193 season high: 45 in 1880

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 5.04 season high: 10.00 in 1875 led NA: 5.25 in 1874 led NL: 6.77 in 1876, 4.72 in 1877, 5.52 in 1878

Saves career: 0

Fielding Percentage career: .902 season high: .952 in 1879 led NL P: .957 in 1879 (the league fielding percentage was .873) 

Double Plays career: 32 season high: 8 in 1880 

Putouts career: 336 season high: 60 in 1875 and 1880

Assists career: 928 season high: 153 in 1880 led NL P: 117 in 1878, 144 in 1879, 141 in 1880

DID YOU KNOW?

-allowed only 0.479 walks per nine innings for his career, which is the second fewest of all time

-had a winning percentage of nearly .600 despite the fact that 1,069 of his 1,931 runs allowed were unearned

-batted .238 with totals of 213 runs scored, 471 hits, 53 doubles, 11 triples, 174 RBI’s, and 22 walks, and batted as high as .276, .275, and .266 in three different seasons

-ranks tenth in career ERA, 21st in WHIP, 20th in complete games, and second in strikeouts per walk

-was the youngest player in the National Association in 1874

-was second in the 1875 NA ERA race to Hall of Famer Pud Galvin 

-led the NL in batters faced in 1878 (2,159) 

-threw exactly six shutouts every season from 1875 through 1877 

-also played six games at first base, three at second base, two at third base, three in centerfield, and 89 in leftfield