I don't think he's a HoMer, but the guy could hit and field. Very interesting career.

My (retired ML) catchers.

1. Berra 303
2. Bench 286
3. Carter 277
4. Fisk 250
5. Hartnett 245
6. Campanella 245 without NeL credit
7. Dickey 244
8. Cochrane 232

9. Ewing 196
10. Munson 181

11. Simmons 176
12. Freehan 176
13. Torre 168
14. Lombardi 165
15. Bresnahan 161
16. Bennett 158

17. Howard 146
18. Walker Cooper 141--there he is
19. Clements 138
20. Crandall 132
21. Tenace 131
22. Schalk 127
23. Schang 125
24. Meyers 123
25. Daulton 123

I agree with John, this guy is interesting. Not that many people can catch and hit. He won't be on my ballot but could sneak into the top 25.

In an integrated all-time list adjusted to 162 games and including future eligible and active players, I've got him at number 32.

29. Bruce Petway
30. Thurman Munson
31. Jack Clements
32. Walker Cooper
33. Del Crandall
34. Darrell Porter
35. Bob Boone

Adding in some 19C players who don't do well in Reputation Monitor and adding in the NeLers--

That would be John Clapp, Gibson, Santop, Trouppe and Mackey.

That drops Cooper to #23.

Petway OTOH hit about .210 in the NeLs.

Petway's low averages probably need to be returned to context. He may have hit for a low average some years in teh NgLs, but IIRC, he was also playing for Rube Foster in the same ballpark that was making Pete Hill look like he'd gone from Elmer Flick to Elmer Fudd. At the end of the Petway thread, Gary A presents information that shows Petway hitting .297 for Detroit in 1921 (in a .260-something league) after he escaped from Chicago's batting mausoleium---just like Pete Hill did.

I think Petway's averages may be a red herring. I've got Schalk just ahead of Petway and I've essentially pegged Petway to Schalk because I think they were very similar players as contemporaries of one another. Schalk, while not the worst HOF is appropriately not a HOMer, though he's very close to being in my catching consideration area.