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Hall of Merit
— A Look at Baseball's All-Time Best

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

1936 Election Results: Alex the Great and Smokey Joe Strike Out Their Hall of Merit Competition!

With an almost unanimous 99.4% of the votes, star hurler Pete Alexander was elected to the Hall of Merit in his first year of eligibility.

In his third year of eligibility, Negro League pitching great Smokey Joe Williams finally broke through by being selected for the second “elect me” spot. Williams broke Pop Lloyd’s one-year record for achieving the highest percentage of votes without being the top vote getter (94.8%).

Newbie Harry Heilmann had an extremely strong third place showing and should be elected with Negro League slugger (and fourth place finisher) Cristóbal Torriente in 1937.

The remaining top-ten returnees were Heinie Groh, Stan Coveleski, Jake Beckley, Max Carey, Lip Pike and George Van Haltren.

RK   LY  Player               PTS  Bal   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1  n/e  Pete Alexander      1193   50  43  7                                       
 2    3  Smokey Joe Williams 1138   50   7 41     1                    1            
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3  n/e  Harry Heilmann       835   50      1 17 21  2  1  5     1  1     1         
 4    4  Cristóbal Torriente  826   49        25 11  5  4  2        1  1            
 5    5  Heinie Groh          486   41            1  5  5  7  2  5  2  2  2  2  6  2
 6    6  Stan Coveleski       485   40            2  3  4  7  7  2  2  2  5  2  3  1
 7    7  Jake Beckley         360   28         1  3  2  5  5  1  1     2  6  1  1   
 8    9  Max Carey            338   30            3  4  3  1     2     4  4  3  4  2
 9    8  Lip Pike             334   26         2     7  1  2  2  3  3  2  1     1  2
10   13  George Van Haltren   279   25               3  3  2  3     2  3  3  2     4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11   10  Rube Waddell         271   25               2  1  1  2  4  5  1  3  3  2  1
12   11  Hughie Jennings      271   23         2  1  1  3  1  2  2  2  1  1  3  4   
13   12  Clark Griffith       266   23               2  3  4  1  2  3  1  2  2  1  2
14  n/e  George Sisler        259   23      1        2  2     2  4  1  4  1  1  2  3
15   14  Mickey Welch         259   20         1  4  2  1  2  3     1  1     4     1
16   15  Pete Browning        235   18            1  4  4  2     1  1  2  1  1     1
17   16  Cupid Childs         219   21         1     1  1  2  2  1     2  3  2  5  1
18   17  Hugh Duffy           204   19            1     2  2  2  1  2     1  5  2  1
19   18  Roger Bresnahan      187   20                  2     2  1  1  4     3  2  5
20   19  Jimmy Ryan           186   17                  1  1  2  4  3  2  1     3   
21   21  Tommy Leach          164   16                        2  2  4  4     2  2   
22   20  José Méndez          136   13               1  1        2  3  1  2  1     2
23   22  Charley Jones        110    9            1  1  1        2  2  1           1
24   24  Bill Monroe           98   10                  1     3     1        1  1  3
25   23  Larry Doyle           91    8               1     1  2  1     1        1  1
26   25  Harry Hooper          87    9                     1  2     1     1  1  1  2
27   27  Ben Taylor            73    7                        2  1  1  1        2   
28   32  John McGraw           60    5         1                 1  2        1      
29T  31  Addie Joss            54    6                           1  1  1     1  1  1
29T  26  Carl Mays             54    6                              1  1  2  1  1   
31   29  Bobby Veach           49    5                           1  1     2  1      
32   28  Spotswood Poles       48    4               1        2                    1
33   33  Urban Shocker         45    6                                    1  3     2
34   37  Vic Willis            43    5                              1     2  1     1
35   30  Gavy Cravath          39    3                     1  1  1                  
36   35  Fielder Jones         38    4                           1  1        1  1   
37   34  Frank Chance          38    3               1           1     1            
38   38  George J. Burns       34    4                        1              1  1  1
39   39  Ed Williamson         33    4                                 1  1  1     1
40   36  Ed Cicotte            33    3                        1     1     1         
41   40  Lave Cross            27    2                  1        1                  
42   42T Wilbur Cooper         21    3                                    1        2
43  n/e  Dave Bancroft         19    3                                          1  2
44T  42T Fred Dunlap           19    2                           1              1   
44T  44T Ray Schalk            19    2                                 1  1         
46   47T Tommy Bond            14    1                     1                        
47   46  Donie Bush            13    1                        1                     
48   56T Mike Griffin          12    2                                             2
49T  47T Sam Leever            10    1                                 1            
49T  49T Tom York              10    1                                 1            
51   56T Jim McCormick          9    1                                    1         
52   53T Tony Mullane           7    1                                          1   
53T n/e  Dobie Moore            6    1                                             1
53T n/e  Roy Thomas             6    1                                             1
Dropped Out: Bingo DeMoss(44T), Duke Farrell(51T), Silver King(53T), Ed Konetchy(41), 
Bruce Petway(53T), Mike Tiernan(56T), Ross Youngs(49T), Jules Thomas (51T).

 

Thanks to OCF and Don for double-checking the results!

John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: October 12, 2004 at 01:34 AM | 30 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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Reader Comments and Retorts

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Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

   1. Mark Shirk (jsch) Posted: October 12, 2004 at 02:08 AM (#911023)
I don't mean to nitpick, but I had Roy Thomas at 15th and he is not on the list. Of course this means very little since it means what, 54th place? But I feel like being an ass right now ;-)
   2. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: October 12, 2004 at 02:10 AM (#911029)
hot topics
   3. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: October 12, 2004 at 02:13 AM (#911046)
I don't mean to nitpick, but I had Roy Thomas at 15th and he is not on the list. Of course this means very little since it means what, 54th place? But I feel like being an #### right now ;-)

He is on the list. The ballot counter inserted Jules Thomas instead of Roy. I'll have that fixed in a jiffy.
   4. DavidFoss Posted: October 12, 2004 at 02:41 AM (#911157)
Pete Alexander does achieve "elect me" unanimity.
   5. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: October 12, 2004 at 02:45 AM (#911172)
Pete Alexander does achieve "elect me" unanimity.

True.
   6. Howie Menckel Posted: October 12, 2004 at 03:12 AM (#911296)
Teams with the same 4+ HOMers, at least three straight years:

1881-84 Buffalo NL: White O'Rourke Brouthers Richardson Galvin
1884-86 Chicago NL: Gore Kelly Clarkson Anson
1886-88 Detroit NL: White Brouthers Richardson Bennett Thompson
1887-89 New York NL: Gore O'Rourke Ward Keefe Ewing Connor
1911-13 New York Linc Gia: HR Johnson Santop Lloyd Williams
   7. Michael Bass Posted: October 12, 2004 at 03:17 AM (#911310)
Now that we're almost through powering through the 1934 block (next year will get Torriente, officially clearing it out along with the best from '36 as well), I'd love to see an update of the positional HOM list.

Next year will be interesting for two things:

- Who finishes 1, who finishes 2? Close race between the two outfielders

- Can Reding and/or Schang get into the race, or even beat out, Groh/Coveleski for the next "in position" slots? Or will they be dropped into the post Coveleski dropoff/backlog.
   8. DavidFoss Posted: October 12, 2004 at 04:26 AM (#911400)
I don't mean to be greedy, but I miss the HOM games that used to be posted to the results threads. Haven't seen those in a while. It helped to immerse myself into the time frame of the year of the election.
   9. Sean Gilman Posted: October 12, 2004 at 08:54 AM (#911542)
here ya go. . .
the HOM Game for 1936 features the New York Yankees and The Boston Red Sox.
The Yankees star possible future HOMers Joe Dimaggio, Lou Gehrig, Bill Dickey, Tony Lazzeri, Grandma Johnny Murphey and starting pitcher Red Ruffing. The Sox counter with Jimmie Foxx, Joe Cronin, Rick Farrell and starter Lefty Grove.
   10. Mark Shirk (jsch) Posted: October 12, 2004 at 10:48 AM (#911554)
Thanks John
   11. PhillyBooster Posted: October 12, 2004 at 01:14 PM (#911593)
Now that we're almost through powering through the 1934 block (next year will get Torriente, officially clearing it out along with the best from '36 as well), I'd love to see an update of the positional HOM list.

Rough positional chart. Each player is assigned to a single, dominant position, unless he played a very large percentage of his games at a secondary position. Then, he is split 50/50 between the two positions. There are currently 67 inductees

Pitcher (18.5, 28%): Alexander, Brown, Caruthers, Clarkson, Foster, Galvin, Johnson, Keefe, Mathewson, McGinnity, Nichols, Plank, Radbourn, Rusie, Spalding, Walsh, Young, Williams (half of Ward)

Catcher (4.5, 7%): Bennett, Ewing, Santop (half of Kelly, McVey, White)

First Base (5, 7%): Anson, Brouthers, Connor, Start (half of McVey, Stovey)

Second Base (5.5, 8%): Barnes, E.Collins, Grant, Lajoie, McPhee (half of Richardson)

Shortstop (9.5, 14%): Dahlen, Davis, Glasscock, HR Johnson, Lloyd, Pearce, Wagner, Wallace, Wright (half of Ward)

Third Base (3.5, 5%): Baker, J.Collins, Sutton (half of White)

Left Field (9.5, 14%): Burkett, Clark, Delahanty, Kelley, Magee, O'Rourke, Sheckard, Wheat (half of Hill, Richardson, Stovey)

Center Field (5.5, 8%): Cobb, Gore, Hamilton, Hines, Speaker (half of Hill)

Right Field (5.5, 8%): Crawford, Flick, Jackson, Keeler, Thompson (half of Kelly)

Conclusion: Fairly good balance. Ideally, Jimmy Sheckard and Bobby Wallace would have both played third base.
   12. DavidFoss Posted: October 12, 2004 at 02:47 PM (#911688)
Thanks Sean! :-)
   13. OCF Posted: October 12, 2004 at 03:26 PM (#911747)
The list of "best friends", candidate by candidate, for 1936. The number in parentheses is that candidate's highest placement; the names that follow are the electors who voted that way. Under these definitions, "George Sisler's #1 Fan" isn't.

Alexander (1) Majority opinion
Williams (1) Rusty Priske, Michael Bass, Al Peterson, Philip, Patrick W., Howie Menckel
Heilmann (2) Dolf Lucky
Torriente (3) Majority opinion
Groh (4) John Murphy
Coveleski (4) Thane of Bagarth
Beckley (4) karlmagnus, Buddha, jhwinfrey
Carey (4) Rusty Priske, Brad G, Patrick W
Pike (3) Thane of Bagarth
Van Haltren (5) OCF, Ron Wargo, Patrick W
Waddell (5) Al Peterson, Dolf Lucky
Jennings (3) sunnyday2, jimd
Griffith (5) TomH
Sisler (2) yest
Welch (3) Don F
Browning (4) Sean Gilman
Childs (3) John Murphy
Duffy (4) Brent
Bresnahan (6) Brian H
Ryan (6) OCF
Leach (8) Dan G
Mendez (5) Brent
C. Jones (4) Rick A
Monroe (6) Dr. Chaleeko
Doyle (5) Jim Sp
Hooper (7) robc
Taylor (8) Thane of Bagarth, robc
McGraw (3) KJOK
Mays (10) jhwinfrey
Joss (9) yest
Veach (9) robc
Poles (5) Dr. Chaleeko
Shocker (12) Dolf Lucky
Willis (10) John Murphy
Cravath (7) Buddha
Chance (5) Brian H
F. Jones (9) Patrick W
Burns (8) mdb1mdb1
Cicotte (8) karlmagnus
Williamson (11) jimd
Cross (6) robc
Cooper (12) Dr. Chaleeko
Dunlap (9) jimd
Schalk (12) yest
Bancroft (14) sunnyday2
Bond (7) sunnyday2
Bush (8) Dolf Lucky
Griffin (15) Michael Bass, Al Peterson
(below here only candidates with exactly one vote)
Leever (11) karlmagnus
York (11) John Murphy
McCormick (12) jhwinfrey
Mullane (14) Ron Wargo
D. Moore (15) Thane of Bagarth
Roy Thomas (15) jschmeagol
   14. Dolf Lucky Posted: October 12, 2004 at 03:41 PM (#911779)
I have four best friends. Like, omigod. LOL.

G2G...cya l8r Urban.
   15. Rick A. Posted: October 12, 2004 at 03:57 PM (#911814)
OCF

Not to nitpick or anything, but here's who I have for some best friends.

Coveleski (4) Thane of Bagarth
and EricC.

Beckley (4) karlmagnus, Buddha, jhwinfrey
Beckley (3) PhillyBooster

<i>Carey (4) Rusty Priske, Brad G, Patrick W
   16. Rick A. Posted: October 12, 2004 at 03:58 PM (#911817)
OCF, Sorry. You're right about carry. I hit the submit button by accident.
   17. Rick A. Posted: October 12, 2004 at 03:59 PM (#911818)
carry

Carey
   18. OCF Posted: October 12, 2004 at 04:01 PM (#911826)
50 voters. New to the project: Andrew M and Buddha. Those two recorded consensus scores of 15 and 16 - right at the average for the year. Those who had voted within the last 5 years but not this year: Brad Harris, Bryce B (Tanketra), Eric Enders, Guapo, James Newburg, Kelly in SD (that's not SD anymore, is it?), Max Parkinson, Michael D, RMc, Sean M, TheGoodSamaritan. A couple of those wrote in to say they weren't voting this year but will be back.
   19. PhillyBooster Posted: October 12, 2004 at 04:02 PM (#911828)
Beckley (4) karlmagnus, Buddha, jhwinfrey
Beckley (3) PhillyBooster


As the license plates say, "You've got a Friend in Pennsylvania"!
   20. OCF Posted: October 12, 2004 at 04:05 PM (#911835)
Coveleski (4) Thane of Bagarth, EricC.

Beckley (3) PhillyBooster

Corrections noted.
   21. Rick A. Posted: October 12, 2004 at 04:06 PM (#911839)
Pike (3) Thane of Bagarth
and Sean Gilman

Griffith (5) TomH
and Joe Dimino

Bresnahan (6) Brian H
and EricC

Leach (8) Dan G
and SWW
   22. OCF Posted: October 12, 2004 at 04:13 PM (#911853)
<i>Next year will be interesting for two things:

- Who finishes 1, who finishes 2? Close race between the two outfielders<i>

That's going to be disproportionately affected by the few people who place one of them low. A large number of voters who put them 3rd and 4th last year will have them 1st and 2nd this year. As you can see, those voters lean a little in Torriente's direction - but the difference between 1st and 2nd is only 1 point. The fact that both of them will be collecting "elect me" bonuses from most people will increase the importance of those who place one of them low, or (in one case) off the ballot altogether. Based on that, one would predict that Heilmann will be #1.

In the long run, it won't matter, since both Torriente and Heilmann will be elected easily.
   23. OCF Posted: October 12, 2004 at 04:24 PM (#911869)
And everything Rick A said in #21. Maybe next time, I won't do it all by eyeball.
   24. sunnyday2 Posted: October 12, 2004 at 08:44 PM (#912364)
My PHoM vs. HoM now has 9 duifferences.

In PHoM--Harry Wright (1914), Charley Jones (1921), Ed Williamson (1924), Cupid Childs (1925), Hughie Jennings (1927), Lip Pike (1928), Tommy Bond (1929), Rube Waddell (1932), Heinie Groh (1933)

In HoM--Ezra Sutton, Jim Galvin, Harry Stovey, Willie Keeler, Joe Kelley, Eddie Plank, Pete Hill, Jimmy Sheckard, Zack Wheat.

I have 3.5 more IFers and 3.5 fewer OF-1B. I would put in a word for a couple more IFers with Childs, Jennings and Groh being the best available at each position, IMO. With Torriente and Heilmann poised to go in (and they are my PHoMers this year), it would be great if Groh and Coveleski (not my next choice but OUR next in line) went in before any MORE OFers. Roush is certainly as deserving as a Stovey or a Kelley, but not at the expense of some IFers.

Plank (1938) and probably Wheat (sometime in the '40s) will make my PHoM before I am born. Not clear if any of the other HoM/not PHoM ever will.
   25. favre Posted: October 18, 2004 at 08:02 PM (#923515)
I had some difficulty linking to this site. When I clicked on 1936 election results on the main page, it sent me to the 1935 results. I had to do a quick search to find the '36 results. Just thought I'd let you know.
   26. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: October 18, 2004 at 09:36 PM (#923723)
Problem corrected, favre. Thanks!
   27. DavidFoss Posted: October 18, 2004 at 10:11 PM (#923812)
I think its still broken... the year was fixed but the link still mentions "going up the middle".

I get sent to some playoff chat link.
   28. DavidFoss Posted: October 19, 2004 at 12:15 AM (#924321)
OK... fixed now... (thanks).
   29. jimd Posted: January 05, 2006 at 09:38 PM (#1808273)
Here's the first BBWAA ballot for your perusal.

Total ballots cast: 226 Necessary for election: 170

Name Votes PCT
*Ty Cobb 222 98.23
Babe Ruth 215 95.13 (HOM eligible '41)
*Honus Wagner 215 95.13
*Christy Mathewson 205 90.71
*Walter Johnson 189 83.63
*Nap Lajoie 146 64.60
*Tris Speaker 133 58.85
*Cy Young 111 49.12
Rogers Hornsby 105 46.46 (HOM eligible '41)
Mickey Cochrane 80 35.40 (HOM eligible '43)
George Sisler 77 34.07
*Eddie Collins 60 26.55
*Jimmy Collins 58 25.66
*Pete Alexander 55 24.34
Lou Gehrig 51 22.57 (HOM eligible '44)
Roger Bresnahan 47 20.80
*Willie Keeler 40 17.70
Rube Waddell 33 14.60
Jimmie Foxx 21 9.29 (HOM eligible '51)
*Ed Walsh 20 8.85
*Ed Delahanty 17 7.52
Pie Traynor 16 7.08 (HOM eligible '41)
Frankie Frisch 14 6.19 (HOM eligible '43)
Lefty Grove 12 5.31 (HOM eligible '47)
Hal Chase 11 4.87
Ross Youngs 10 4.42
Bill Terry 9 3.98 (HOM eligible '42)
Johnny Kling 8 3.54
Lou Criger 7 3.10
*Mordecai Brown 6 2.65
Johnny Evers 6 2.65
Frank Chance 5 2.21
Al Simmons 4 1.77 (HOM eligible '46)
Ray Schalk 4 1.77
John McGraw 4 1.77
Edd Roush 2 0.88 (HOM eligible '37)
Chief Bender 2 0.88
*Joe Jackson 2 0.88
Bill Bradley 1 0.44
*Fred Clarke 1 0.44
*Frank Baker 1 0.44
Dazzy Vance 1 0.44 (HOM eligible '41)
Gabby Hartnett 1 0.44 (HOM eligible '47)
*Sam Crawford 1 0.44
Jake Daubert 1 0.44
Dizzy Dean 1 0.44 (HOM eligible '46)
Kid Elberfeld 1 0.44
Rube Marquard 1 0.44
Charlie Gehringer 1 0.44 (HOM eligible '48)
Connie Mack 1 0.44
Nap Rucker 1 0.44

'*' indicates a HOMer elected through 1936.

Note that as yet there is no rule prohibiting votes for active players, though that will quickly become the convention, eventually a rule. The players that were not yet HOM eligible but received HOF votes have all been elected since, with the exceptions (as of 1967) of Traynor, Roush, and Dean.
   30. JoeD has the Imperial March Stuck in His Head Posted: January 06, 2006 at 11:59 AM (#1808951)
BBWAA vote among our eligibles, with our finish in parenthesis:

1. Sisler (14)
2. Alexander (1)
3. Roger Bresnahan (19)
4. Rube Waddell (11)
5. Hal Chase, lol
6. Ross Youngs (--)
7. Johnny Kling (--)
8. Lou Criger (--)
9. Johnny Evers (--)
10. Frank Chance (37)
11T. Ray Schalk (44T)
11T. John McGraw (28)
13. Chief Bender (--)
Had to include Joe Jackson, why this bad, considering Chase?
14T. Bill Bradley (--)
14T. Jake Daubert (--)
14T. Kid Elberfeld (--)
14T. Rube Marquard (--)
14T. Connie Mack (--)
14T. Nap Rucker (--)

No BBWAA votes, we elected later: Heilmann, Groh, Coveleski, Carey, Pike, Jennings.

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