WHY I THINK PETE BROWNING SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

 WHY I THINK PETE BROWNING SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Pete Browning is only now remembered as the first person to have his baseball bat custom made. He was the one who helped the Hillerich & Bradsby bat company to so much success, but Browning was also one of the finest hitters ever at the plate. He was the author of three batting titles, a .400 season and a lifetime .341 batting average. He also was one of the few to steal 100 bases (103) in a season, and was also one of the few to reach 100 RBI’s in a season on less than ten home runs, in 1887. He wasn’t a spectacular defender, but he did have a strong arm that few would run on, which was quite an advantage considering the era in which he played. Browning would often suffer injuries that caused him immense pain and headaches, and almost left him completely deaf, and he used alcohol to ease the pain. He was still the best player of his time despite his medical afflictions. Pete Browning started his career with the American Association Louisville Eclipse in 1882, batting .378 to capture his first batting title. He batted .338 and .336 in his next two seasons (and acquired his first custom bat)  before hitting .362 in 1885 to capture his second batting title. Browning batted .340 in 1886 and lost the batting title by one point to the great pitcher Guy Hecker, and batted .402 in 1887 while becoming the first man to collect 200 hits in a season (tied with 19th-century  greats Tip O’Neill, Sam Thompson and Denny Lyons). His batting averages fell all the way down to .313 in 1888 and .256 in 1889, which resulted in his trade to the Cleveland Infants of the one-year Players League. It proved to be a big mistake, as Browning led the PL with a .373 batting average and 40 doubles. Browning split his 1891 season between the Pirates and the Reds, batting a combined .317. He also split his 1892 season with the Reds and the Colonels, and he batted .292 between them that year. Browning batted .355 with the Louisville Colonels in 57 games in 1893 and .333 (3-for-9) in three games with the NL St. Louis Browns and Brooklyn Grooms in 1894 before retiring, the pain being too much to bear at that point. Pete Browning was one of the best high average hitters in baseball history and a fine base stealer (even though he mostly refused to slide) whose play was certainly Hall of Fame worthy. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games career: 1,183 season high: 134 in 1887 led AA: 112 in 1885

At Bats career: 4,820 season high: 547 in 1887

Hits career: 1,646 season high: 220 in 1887 led AA: 174 in 1885

Doubles career: 295 season high: 40 in 1890 led PL: 40 in 1890

Triples career: 85 season high: 16 in 1887

Home Runs career: 46 season high: 9 in 1885

Runs career: 954 season high: 137 in 1887

Runs Batted In career: 659 season high: 118 in 1887

Stolen Bases career: 258 season high: 103 in 1887 (Stolen Bases weren’t counted from 1882 through 1885) 

Walks career: 466 season high: 75 in 1890

Strikeouts career: 245 season high: 54 in 1891 (Strikeouts weren’t counted from 1882 through 1886)

Batting Average career: .341 season high: .402 in 1887 led AA: .378 in 1882, .362 in 1885, .373 in 1890

On Base Percentage career: .403 season high: .464 in 1887 led AA: .430 in 1882, .393 in 1885

Slugging Percentage career: .467 season high: .547 in 1887 led AA: .510 in 1882

Total Bases career: 2,249 season high: 299 in 1887 led AA: 255 in 1885

Sacrifice Hits career: 0 (Sacrifice Hits weren’t counted from 1882 through 1893)

Fielding Percentage career: .880 season high: .916 in 1892 (the league fielding percentage was .892)

Double Plays career: 96 season high: 31 in 1882

Putouts career: 2,490 season high: 281 in 1887

Assists career: 535 season high: 94 in 1883

DID YOU KNOW?

-nicknamed “Gladiator” and the original “Louisville Slugger” 

-hit for the cycle twice in his career (once in 1886 and once in 1889) 

-got three hits in the first game in which he used a custom bat 

-pitched ⅓ of an inning in 1884 and also played 75 games at third base, 49 at second base, 44 at shortstop and 26 at first base

-led the American Association in OPS twice and times on base three times

-his .341 career batting average ranks as the 13th best of all time

-averaged 225 hits, 40 doubles and 131 runs scored per 162 games throughout his career 

-holds the highest career batting average in the American Association (.345), two points better than the second place batter, Tip O’Neill himself

WHY I THINK JAKE DAUBERT SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JAKE DAUBERT SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Jake Daubert was one of the greatest all around players of his era. He was a great defensive first baseman who led his league in fielding percentage three times, but most of his dominance came at the bat. Daubert had a lifetime batting average of .303, batted over .300 ten times, was the 1913 NL MVP, won two batting titles, and won a 1919 World Series ring with the Reds. He also stole over 250 career bases and set the record for NL first basemen for the most triples in a season (since 1900) with 22 in 1922. His 392 career sacrifice hits are the second most in MLB history, trailing only Hall of Famer Eddie Collins. Jake Daubert started his career with the Brooklyn Superbas in 1910 and batted .264. He hit .307 in 1911 and topped the .300 mark every year until 1917, and won his two batting titles in 1913 (.350) and 1914 (.329). Daubert batted only .261 in 1917 but got back on track in 1918 with a .308 mark and a league-leading fifteen triples in only 108 games. He was still traded to Cincinnati for the 1919 season after he tried to sue the club for lowering his salary, and he batted .276 that season and led the Reds to a (tainted) World Series title over the White Sox. As the live-ball era kicked in, Daubert was still superb, as he batted over .300 three more times, with a .336 mark in 1922. He batted .292 and .281 after that before the end of his career. Late in the 1924 season, during a road trip to New York, he caught ill but decided to finish out the season. His decision to play resulted in his need for surgery performed by the Reds’ team doctor. He died a week later. Jake Daubert, despite his early and untimely death, still was an incredible hitter and a fine defender who really should have been in the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,014 season high: 156 in 1922 led NL: 140 in 1919, 156 in 1922 

At Bats career: 7,673 season high: 610 in 1922 

Hits career: 2,326 season high: 205 in 1922 

Doubles career: 250 season high: 28 in 1920 

Triples career: 165 season high: 22 in 1922 led NL: 15 in 1918, 22 in 1922 

Home Runs career: 56 season high: 12 in 1922 

Runs career: 1,117 season high: 114 in 1922 

Runs Batted In career: 722 season high: 66 in 1912 and 1922 

Stolen Bases career: 251 season high: 32 in 1911 

Walks career: 623 season high: 57 in 1915 

Strikeouts career: 489 season high: 56 in 1911 

Batting Average career: .303 season high: .350 in 1913 led NL: .350 in 1913, .329 in 1914 

On Base Percentage career: .360 season high: .405 in 1913 

Slugging Percentage career: .401 season high: .492 in 1922 

Total Bases career: 3,074 season high: 300 in 1922 

Sacrifice Hits career: 392 season high: 39 in 1919 led NL: 39 in 1919 

Fielding Percentage career: .991 season high: .994 in 1922 led NL 1B: .993 in 1912 and 1916, .994 in 1922 

Double Plays career: 1,201 season high: 127 in 1922 led NL 1B: 91 in 1911 and 1913, 127 in 1922 

Putouts career: 19,634 season high: 1,652 in 1922 led NL 1B: 1,652 in 1922 

Assists career: 1,128 season high: 102 in 1915 led NL 1B: 102 in 1915 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-went 2-for-5 with an RBI in his final MLB game 

-holds the NL record for career sacrifice hits 

-got over 1,000 putouts in every season that he played, including 21 on May 6, 1910, one short of the MLB record 

-his 1,652 putouts in 1922 rank as the 13th highest total of all time 

-finished eighth in the NL MVP voting in 1912, ninth in 1911 and 16th in 1914 

-scored four runs in the 1919 World Series 

-was used as a pinch hitter 13 times 

-finished second in the 1916 NL batting race to Hal Chase (.339) 

-ranks 29th in career triples, 20th in games played at first base, eighth in putouts and 35th in assists by a first baseman 

WHY I THINK WILL WHITE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK WILL WHITE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

If anybody out there has ever heard of Will White, you may remember him for one of two reasons. It could be that he was the brother of Hall of Famer Deacon White, or that he was the first MLB player ever to wear glasses on the field. White was also a dominant right handed pitcher who relied on excellent control, a sharp-breaking curveball and old-fashioned pitching smoke to go 229-166 with a 2.28 career ERA from 1877 through 1886. One of his main weapons on the mound was intimidation (he ranks eighth all time with 221 hit batsmen), and when batters hit by pitches started to advance to first base, White had to rely more on his pitching guile and velocity. White still holds several major league records to the day, including season records for the most starts (75), complete games (75), innings pitched (680) and batters faced (2,906), all of which he accomplished in 1879. Will White started his career with the Boston Red Stockings in 1877 with a 2-1 record. He went 30-21 in 1878 with the Cincinnati Reds with a 1.79 ERA and went 43-31 with a 1.99 mark and 232 strikeouts in 1879. White had an 18-42 record in 1880 but didn’t pitch badly at all (2.14 ERA). White was still sent to the Detroit Wolverines and went 0-1 with them. He was traded to the American Association Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1882 and finished out his career with them. He went 40-12, 43-22, 34-18, 18-15 and 1-2 before hanging up his glove. White had a combined 2.51 ERA with the Red Stockings, including 1.54 in 1882 and a league leading 2.09 ERA in 1883 while also striking out 100 or more batters for three straight years at a time when strikeouts were very scarce. Will White was a fantastic pitcher with a brilliant ERA and a whole lot of wins for a pitcher of only eight full seasons. He won so many games so quickly that he needs to be inducted into the Hall of Fame soon, before he gets forgotten. Here is an attempt to keep his pitching remembered. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games Pitched career: 403 season high: 76 in 1879 led NL: 76 in 1879 

Starts career: 402 season high: 75 in 1879 led NL: 75 in 1879 

Complete Games career: 394 season high: 75 in 1879 led NL: 75 in 1879 led AA: 52 in 1882 

Shutouts career: 36 season high: 8 in 1882 led AA: 8 in 1882, 6 in 1883, 7 in 1884 

Games Finished career: 1 season high: 1 in 1879 

Wins career: 229 season high: 43 in 1879 and 1883 led AA: 40 in 1882, 43 in 1883 

Losses career: 166 season high: 42 in 1880 led NL: 42 in 1880 

Winning Percentage career: .580 season high: .769 in 1882 led AA: .769 in 1882 

ERA career: 2.28 season low: 1.54 in 1882 led AA: 2.09 in 1883 

WHIP career: 1.111 season low: 1.000 in 1883 

Innings Pitched career: 3,542 ⅔ season high: 680 in 1879 led NL: 680 in 1879 led AA: 480 in 1882 

Strikeouts career: 1,041 season high: 232 in 1879 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 2.6 season high: 3.3 in 1878 

Walks career: 496 season high: 104 in 1883 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 2.10 season high: 3.76 in 1878 

Saves career: 0 

Fielding Percentage career: .887 season high: .957 in 1882 (the league fielding percentage was .888) 

Double Plays career: 10 season high: 3 in 1882 

Putouts career: 118 season high: 23 in 1882 and 1883 

Assists career: 715 season high: 223 in 1882 led AA P: 223 in 1882 

DID YOU KNOW?

-cousin of Elmer White 

-nicknamed “Whoop-la” 

-had a .580 career winning percentage despite the fact that 948 of his 1,844 career runs allowed were unearned

-also holds the 28th and 50th highest season totals in batters faced

-was a switch hitter 

-refused to play on Sundays 

-also played five games in rightfield 

-his 1.54 ERA in 1882 is the 44th lowest mark in MLB history

-set the all time record for assists in a season by a pitcher in 1882, and it is still the second highest total in MLB history (behind Hall of Famer Ed Walsh’s 227 in 1907) 

-led the AA in batters faced 1882 (1,975) 

-hit 28 doubles, seven triples and one home run as a batter 

-went 44-27-1 (.620) as a manager 

-ranks 16th in career ERA, 33rd in WHIP and 17th in both complete games and the fewest walks allowed per nine innings  (1.3)

-is a member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame 

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