This criminally underrated player was analyzed in these threads:

Catcher Positional Thread

1898 Ballot Discussion

If you know of any others, please let me know.

Isn't Deacon White the reason that there is a HoM?

Isn't Deacon White the reason that there is a HoM?

That's a good question, Marc. What I mean by that is whether or not White being excluded from Cooperstown was a catalyst for the Hall of Merir.

Personally, I know I didn't see White as a worthy until we actually went over his prorated numbers using Joe's spreadsheets, as well as finding out that he was actually more catcher (and a great one to boot) than third baseman. That to me may be just as valuable as this whole institution and Joe deserves a salute for that, too.

Congratulations to someone who has been in our Hall of Merit since 1898!

Not only that, he led all players in the very first HOM vote! See the 1898 Election Results.

Additional threads:
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/hall_of_merit/discussion/election_results_group_3_favorites_are_19th_century_studs_dahlen_white_and_

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/hall_of_merit/discussion/ballot_thread_players_not_in_the_hall_of_fame_group_3_career_started_before

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/hall_of_merit/discussion/ranking_hall_of_merit_players_not_in_the_hall_of_fame_group_3

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/hall_of_merit/discussion/election_results_hom_voters_think_gibson_bench_berra_and_carter_are_the_fin
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/hall_of_merit/discussion/ranking_the_hall_of_merit_by_position_catchers
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/hall_of_merit/discussion/ranking_the_hall_of_merit_catchers_discussion

This is really cool. I am so psyched about this, it's hard to put it into words. Just awesome.

Let's hope Ezra Sutton and Joe Start are next!

Actually, let's hope Bill Dahlen is next. He was _really_ close. I think we can say enough with the umpires as well.

I actually think with the pitch FX and other data that we now have, we may actually be able to elect umpires based on some type of objective merit at some point . . .

There's a lot more to umpiring than balls and strikes.

Does anyone go to a ballgame to watch the umpire?

No, but a ballgame without good umpiring is a lot less fun to watch, and professional baseball would not be meaningful as competition without generally accurate, reliable-as-human-judgment-can-reasonably-be-when-making-precision-observations-of-small-fast-objects-with-the-naked-eye umpiring. Nobody goes to a ballgame to watch the general manager, either, but they contribute greatly to the watchability of the game.

But the general manager can help my favorite team win. In theory I'm okay with honoring umpires but in practice I think the bar should be very high and I don't see enough separation to tell the guys apart.

On the topic of White, I used him as a case study in working out a schedule length adjustment that may be of some interest to HOMers, which is posted here.

Recommend clicking through on the Deacon White article

Way, way overdue. The Hall of Fame is so much the better now with his inclusion.

This is really cool. I am so psyched about this, it's hard to put it into words. Just awesome.

Let's hope Ezra Sutton and Joe Start are next!

Yes (and Dahlen, too :-)!