John Wesley Donaldson was a negro league pitcher and outfielder from the mid-1910's to 1932, with some sources crediting him with more than 400 wins and 5,000 strikeouts. He was a big name in the early days of negro league barnstorming, playing for and managing his own team called Donaldson's All Stars, and was voted a first team member of the Pittsburgh Courier player-voted poll of the greatest negro league players of all time in 1952.
Vic Harris played in the negro leagues for 25 years, compiling a .308 batting average in documented games and earning a reputation as a ferocious baserunner. As a manager, he led the Homestead Grays to seven NN2 pennants.
Ken Boyer played third base and centerfield from 1955 through 1969, most notably with the St. Louis Cardinals. An all-star in seven seasons and a five time Gold Glove winner at third, Boyer was the NL's MVP in 1964, driving in a Major League best 119 runs and leading St. Louis to the World Championship.
Dick Allen was one of the most feared hitters of his era, slashing .292 / .378 / .534 (156 OPS+) from 1963 through 1977, twice leading the AL in homers and capturing an MVP Award in 1972. However, shaky defense, a lack of counting statistics, and a bad reputation with the press has thus far kept him out of Cooperstown.
Tommy John, as you may have guessed, was the first pitcher ever to undergo Tommy John surgery in 1974, which has changed pitching forever. This allowed him to pitch 26 seasons in the Majors (1963 through 1989), throwing over 4,700 innings and collecting 288 wins before finally retiring at age 46.
Luis Tiant pitched from 1964 through 1982 and captured two ERA titles, including a microscopic 1.60 ERA in 1968. As renowned for his personality as for his pitching, Tiant won 20 or more games in four different seasons and 229 in his career.
Steve Garvey played first base for the Dodgers and the Padres from 1969 through 1987, earning a reputation as one of the game's best fielders. A ten time all-star and the NL's MVP in 1974, Garvey knocked in over 100 runs in five different seasons and twice led the NL in hits.
Dave Parker replaced the legendary Roberto Clemente in the Pittsburgh outfield in 1973, and while there will never be another Great One, he had a very solid career of his own. A two time batting champion and NL MVP in 1978, Parker collected over 2,700 hits and drove in almost 1,500 runs.
Each voter can vote for up to three candidates. If I were a voter, I'd choose Boyer, Allen, and Tiant.
Boyer and Tiant were solid contributors for good teams across their careers, and while Allen had his problems with the press, they never really did him justice. And although his defense was awful, he was the most feared hitter in baseball for a decade, and you can't overlook that.
I am a bit wary of electing negro leaguers because their records are very spotty and the quality of play is questionable. And I think the Hall has elected enough negro leaguers, a higher percentage than traditional MLB players anyway.
While Tommy John was able to play in the Majors longer than anyone else until Nolan Ryan surpassed him in 1993, he was never really elite. He was typically a decent pitcher, very good in his best seasons, but never won a Cy Young Award or an ERA title. John's career winning percentage (.555) and ERA (3.34) were good, but significantly worse than the Hall of Fame average. And despite his longevity, he still didn't win 300 games...
Steve Garvey was one of the most popular players of his generation, but probably also the most overrated. He rarely walked and wasn't a good baserunner, and didn't have the kind of power that would compensate for that. And apparently the voters in California aren't checking his name on their ballots either, as he lost the Senate race to Adam Schiff a couple days ago.
While Parker was a dynamic player in his youth, his career really hit a downturn in the early 1980's, and by the end of the decade he was a essentially limited to DH duties. He too didn't walk much, and struggled with injuries throughout his career.
Well, there you have it. Who would you vote for?
