Lucky Hall Of Famer Number 3 - Charlie Comiskey

    Charlie Comiskey was inducted to the Hall of Fame as the owner of the Chicago White Sox. I don't know if owners deserve to be in the Hall of Fame at all, but Comiskey certainly shouldn't be. Firstly, he was hated by pretty much everybody. To this day he has a reputation as a miser, a penny-pincher, a cheapskate (notice how these are all synonyms), and someone who didn't care at all for his players. It is said that he charged his players to launder their uniforms. When the players wouldn't stand for this, he refused to charge them. Instead, he took it out of their World Series money. When World War I started, attendance was way down, so he gave most of his players salary cuts, as salary was the most obvious expense. 

    Comiskey's Hall of Fame plaque reads, 

"Started 50 years of baseball as St. Louis Browns first-baseman in 1882 and was first man at this position to play away from the bag for batters. As Browns' manager - captain - player won 4 straight American Association pennants starting in 1885. World Champions first 2 years. Owner and president Chicago White Sox 1900 to 1931." 

First of all, he was not a good player. From 1882 through 1894, he slashed .264/.293/.337. Secondly, Joe Start (who I published on this blog a little while ago) was the first to play off first base for hitters, not Comiskey. Thirdly, who cares if someone owns a ball club for 30+ years? He didn't treat his players well, and though he did a good job at getting the right players, anyone with enough money can do that. 

My opinion: Charlie Comiskey is not a Hall of Famer.