The 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame Election, Part 3. Early Baseball Era Candidates #6 through 10
The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying. John C. Maxwell
December 1, 2021
In this post, I continue my analysis of the 10 men eligible to be elected by the Hall of Fame’s Early Baseball Era Committe for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022 by profiling the second five players [#6-10].
6) Victor “Vic” Harris [LF], b. 1905 [1922-1947], OPS+ 114 [SH]
Vic Harris is an interesting choice by the Committee that chose the potential candidates active before 1950 for the Early Baseball Committee. A very good outfielder in the Negro Leagues, Vic Harris forged a long career in the Negro Leagues as a player. If he had not been a victim of discrimination, Vic Harris would have probably been in the Major Leagues by 1926 and a regular shortly thereafter. Harris, a temperamental but extremely competitive man, would have almost certainly been a favorite of his Major League managers. Harris would have probably lasted as a regular until 1939 or 1940. At that point, his fading skills would have made him replaceable by younger and better players. Like many Major League players of that time, Vic Harris may have added on to his career by playing during the World War 2 years from 1942-1945 while the Major Leagues were decimated by the draft.
[Note on analyzing the Seamheads’ Negro League statistics: it is my belief that the quality of the Major Negro Leagues fluctuated between the quality of the highest classification of the Minor Leagues and the Major Leagues itself. The quality of the Negro Leagues was roughly equal to the highest Minor League classification when the Leagues began in the 1920s and then rose steadily. In the early 1930s, it is quite possible that the Negro Leagues were equal or close to equal to the caliber of the Major Leagues. In 1937, because of the founding of the Negro American League and sustained player raids by Latin American teams, the quality once again went down to highest Minor League classification standards. With this in mind, Negro League statistics need to sometimes be reduced by up to 90 percent, sometimes 95 percent, and sometimes not at all. To use the career of Vic Harris as an example: Harris becomes viable as a major league player 1923 when his Negro League OPS+ went past 100. His years playing in the 1930s are against better competition than in the 1920s and must be adjusted upwards. In the late 1930s, his OPS+ slips back below 100 and his career as a Major League regular would have come to an end. Player shortages during World War 2 could have possibly prolonged his career.]
But a careful analysis of career indicates that, if he had played in the Majors, it is very unlikely that Vic Harris would have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame simply as a player. Harris was a good hitter but not an outstanding one. He does not elevate his status by being a defensive wizard either. Vic Harris spent his career basically as a left fielder, the least important defensively of the three outfield positions. Not only are there many White outfielders of this era with better qualifications, Vic Harris does not measure up to some of his Black contemporaries such as Fats Jenkins, Clint Thomas, Neil Robinson or Herbert “Rap” Dixon as an potential Hall of Famer as an outfielder. All four of these Negro League outfielders are far more deserving of the Hall of Fame than Harris simply for their playing careers. But, like George Scales below, Vic Harris is a combination candidate. Harris had a long and successful career as a field manager.
Vic Harris managed the Homestead Grays from 1936 to 1942 and then again from 1945 to 1948. The Grays dominated the Negro National League [NNL] from 1937 to 1945, finishing first or winning the pennant every year while also winning the Negro World Series multiple times. The Grays then capped off this incredible run by winning both the 1948 pennant and the Negro World Series one final time during the last season of the NNL. It does seem like the field manager of such a formidable Baseball dynasty deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. And this, rather than his playing career (or perhaps in combination with his playing career), is the true basis for Harris’ candidacy for admittance to the Baseball Hall of Fame. So the actual question of Vic Harris’ Hall of Fame candidacy should perhaps be: “Is the combination of both his playing career and his managerial career enough to justify his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame?”
One could argue that the true “manager” and architect of the Homestead Grays dynasty that lasted from 1937 to 1945 teams was Cumberland “Cum” Posey, the team owner. Posey, of course, has already been inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame for this role. Posey had actually been the team’s field manager in 1935 but turned the title over to Harris. And this becomes the crux of the issue. Due to the free flowing nature of the Negro Leagues, field managers in these Leagues did not exactly have the same job responsibilities as their Major League counterparts. What exactly were Harris’ duties as a field manager? How much credit should he get for how great the team was at that time? Or did Harris simply do the menial stuff that Cum Posey did not want to waste his time doing? Interestingly, Harris took a war time job for the 1943 and 1944 seasons and the Grays did not miss a beat. One thing that cannot be disputed is that Cum Posey was definitely the man in charge. Was Vic Harris a great field manager or just Posey’s factotum? It is hard to tell.
After Cum Posey’s 1946 death, Vic Harris did lead the Homestead Grays to one last pennant in 1948. And under his leadership, the Grays won the last Negro World Series in the final season of the NNL. However, one could easily argue that the credit for this last victorious season actually goes to Seward Posey and Rufus Jackson, the two men who ran the Homestead Grays after Cum Posey passed away. In the last year of a dying league, they spent the money for one last shot at glory. But Harris was still there and that should certainly count for something. You cannot simply take away all of the credit. And it is a truism that a bad manager can do much more to wreck a situation than a good manager can do to improve it. But until a better understanding of exactly how much credit is apportioned to Vic Harris for his managerial talents, I cannot advocate his election to the Hall of Fame.
7) George “Tubby” Scales [2B-3B], b. 1900 [1921-1946], OPS+ 141 [SH]
The last of the seven Negro League players on this list. George Scales is yet another combination candidate like Vic Harris. George Scales played in the Negro Leagues for well over 20 years; and was also, later in his career, a very well regarded manager. But, unlike Harris, George Scales does not need the extra credit of being a good (or great) manager to make his Hall of Fame case complete. In the field, he played every position but catcher during his career. However, Scales’ appearances in the outfield and especially as a pitcher were minimal. He was was basically an infielder. He played mostly 2B and 3B but also some SS and 1B. His career path around the infield was somewhat odd. Beginning at 3B [1921-23], Scales then played 2B [1924] before shifting over to primarily SS [1926-28]. He returned to 2B [1929-32] before returning to 3B [1933-41]. From 1942 on, he played primarily 1B. Scales’ fielding statistics are actually better at 2B and SS rather than 3B. This would seem to indicate that his strength in the field was range rather than his arm. But it was with his bat that George Scales would truly make his mark.
If he had been allowed to play in the Major Leagues, George Scales would have had an extremely long career. He would have probably made his first appearance in the Majors in 1923. George Scales would have quickly become a regular and stayed a regular until 1940. He would have probably also had an extended World War 2 coda to his career with his last significant playing time in 1943 and perhaps even limited appearances in 1944 and 1945. His career plateau OPS+ in the Major Leagues would have probably been from 140 to 150. Depending on his home park, he would have averaged .350-.375 with 20-25 home runs during his absolute peak seasons. Because he would have played for 20 years in the Majors, there is a good chance that his career hits total would have approached or exceeded 3000. The sheer length of George Scales’ career would have provided him with the counting stats that would have made his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame inevitable.
It is interesting to compare Scales to his Major League contemporaries at 2B [Rogers Hornsby, Frankie Frisch, and Tony Lazzeri] and 3B [Pie Traynor, Fred Lindstrom, and Jimmy Dykes]. Scales does not really compare to Hornsby at all [the comp for Hornsby would be John Beckwith]. His career path was very similar to that of Frankie Frisch or Jimmy Dykes. But he was obviously a much greater player than Dykes. During their peak years, Tony Lazzeri and Freddie Lindstrom were comparable to Scales as hitters. But Scales’ career and peak were much longer than theirs. George Scales was a much greater hitter than Pie Traynor, though probably not his match as a third baseman. In value, the best comparison for George Scales is surely Frankie Frisch. Frisch was almost surely faster and a better fielder, but Scales was a greater and more powerful hitter. It seems clear that, after Rogers Hornsby, the contest for the best 2B of that time period would be between Frankie Frisch or George Scales.
Of course, this says nothing about his managerial career. George Scales was a well regarded field manager for mostly the New York Black Yankees and the Baltimore Elite Giants at various times from 1932 to 1947. He also managed in the Puerto Rican Winter League for 12 seasons, finishing first a reported 6 times. After the 1958 winter season, George Scales retired from baseball and became a stockbroker until he passed away in 1976. Interestingly, one other player that George Scales somewhat resembles is Jackie Robinson. Robinson also played all over the field and was a smart and mobile player. Later on in his playing career, Robinson also had trouble keeping the weight off although he fortunately never picked up a disparaging nickname like ‘Tubby’ as Scales did. If George Scales had been allowed to play in the Major Leagues without discrimination, he would have long since been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. For that very reason, I advocate his election to the Hall of Fame now.
8) Allie Reynolds [P], b. 1917 [1942-1954], ERA+ 109, WAR 25.7 [BR]
Allie Reynolds is somewhat of an oddity on this list. Unlike the first seven Negro League candidates, Reynolds played in the Major Leagues. His career straddles the 1950 cut-off for the Early Baseball Era Committee (Reynolds actually had his best seasons in the 1950s). Allie Reynolds, unlike the Negro Leagues candidates, has had an enormously long time to be considered by various electorates for induction into the Hall of Fame. Despite this, Reynolds has never been seriously considered. Probably his best qualification for the Hall of Fame is his impeccable won-lost record of 182 wins against only 107 losses. Normally, this would be the sign of a great pitcher. But, in this case, the record also reflects the quality of the two teams that Reynolds played for: the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees. Both of these teams were well run and very successful while employing Reynolds to pitch.
Other than his winning percentage, Allie Reynolds does not have any of the other earmarks of a Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher. Strangely, Reynolds does not even have the argument that many of his contemporaries do (that their careers were impacted negatively by the Second World War). The war actually allowed Reynolds to reach the Major Leagues and begin his career earlier than his talent dictated. Reynolds, outside of his one great season in 1952, was usually a barely-above-average innings-eater with command issues. Of course, there is great value to a team from a pitcher who can give it bulk innings of above average production. But it does not end up fashioning a Baseball Hall of Fame career. Allie Reynolds’ 25.7 wins above replacement from Baseball Reference does not even place him among the 1000 greatest players of all time. For this reason, I cannot advocate his election to the Hall of Fame.
9) William “Bill” Dahlen [SS], b. 1870 [1891-1911, OPS+ 110, WAR 75.2 [BR]
William “Bad Bill” Dahlen has basically two good arguments supporting his possible election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The first argument is simply Dahlen’s contemporary George Davis. In 1998, Davis, who had played from 1890 to 1909 was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Davis, who had been basically forgotten by the tides of baseball history, owed his late induction to modern baseball analysis. This analysis had concluded that George Davis was the greatest player in the history of the Major Leagues who was not already in the Hall. In fact, this analysis showed that he was significantly better qualified than the average Major League Hall of Famer. Thus began a campaign to get him elected. And Davis got in. His election then kickstarted the case for Bill Dahlen to also get elected. Davis and Dahlen are directly comparable. Both played great shortstop and were very good hitters for a very long time. Both had been equally forgotten. Although it is pretty clear that Davis was better than Dahlen, his advantage is slight. Dahlen, like Davis, is also pretty clearly significantly over-qualified statistically. In other words, the first argument to put Dahlen into the Hall is simply: “If Davis is in, why not Dahlen too?”
The second good argument for Bill Dahlen being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame is closely related to the first argument. Once George Davis was elected, Bill Dahlen became, by modern baseball analysis, the best player still on the board, waiting to get into the Hall. But there is a caveat. Dahlen is the best ‘player’ unelected but there is actually a pitcher even more qualified. By Baseball Reference’s WAR stat [wins above replacement], Jim McCormick, who pitched from 1878 to 1887 [won-loss record of 265-214], is tied for the 73rd greatest career in Major League history [WAR of 76.2]. All 72 players above him (and Bobby Wallace who he is tied with) are already in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Bill Dahlen is second on this list of unelected players, all alone as the 79th best player of all time with 75.2 WAR [George Davis, for reference, is #53 with 84.5 WAR]. Considering that the Baseball Hall of Fame currently has 333 members with 235 elected from the Major Leagues, Jim McCormick and Bill Dahlen would both seem to be over-qualified. Of course, this is a completely dry statistical analysis. But it is the core of Dahlen’s second good argument for election and induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
One of the oddest things about the possible election of Bill Dahlen to the Hall of Fame is that he is not actually famous. For all intents and purposes, Dahlen has been pretty much forgotten by all but the baseball statistics aficionados. Interestingly, one of the arguments often used to try to promote the election of some players is that they are famous (Roger Maris and Maury Wills are two examples currently on the 2022 Ballot). Especially if their statistics fall a little short. Should not this argument be applicable in reverse? Dahlen’s statistics do not fall short. He is fully qualified. But Bill Dahlen is basically forgotten and not famous at all. This seems an injustice. An injustice that could be partially righted by simply inducting Dahlen into the Baseball Hall of Fame. For this somewhat convoluted reason, I advocate his election to the Hall of Fame.
10) Frank “Lefty” O’Doul [LF-P], b. 1897 [1919-1934], 143 OPS+, WAR 27.1 [BR]
The last man on this list has quite a bit in common with the first man on this list [#1 Buck O’Neil]. Other than just the initial ‘O’ in their last name, both men were a type of Baseball Renaissance Man. Frank “Lefty” O’Doul is a candidate for the Baseball Hall of Fame as a player, manager, executive, and promoter. As a player, Lefty O’Doul was a fantastic hitter but not much of a fielder. As a hitter, he was very clearly Hall of Fame caliber but his career path took some detours that blocked his road to immortality. As a manager and executive, he won over 2000 games primarily for the San Francisco club of the Pacific Coast League; but, at that time, the city of San Francisco was not yet a Major League town. As a promoter, O’Doul was involved in the formation of the Japanese Baseball Leagues and then their rejuvenation after the Second World War. He was inducted into the Japanese Hall of Fame for his efforts. It can certainly be argued that Lefty O’Doul is not qualified for the Baseball Hall of Fame under any one of these categories. But O’Doul’s combination of qualifications for the Baseball Hall of Fame is actually pretty compelling.
To say that Lefty O’Doul had a somewhat odd career would be understating it. In 1917, O’Doul began his career as a pitcher for the San Francisco Seals (his hometown team). From 1917 to 1923, his primary position would be pitcher. For the season of 1919, he was drafted by the New York Yankees. Oddly, the Yankees kept O’Doul on their pitching staff for the next two years [1919 and 1920] principally as a batting practice pitcher. In 1921, the Yanks returned the now 24 year old O’Doul to San Francisco. Lefty proceeded to go 25-9 as a pitcher while also batting .338 and slugging .529 [in just 136 at bats] for the Seals. Strangely, this did not kickstart his career. In 1922, Lefty O’Doul went back to the New York Yankees to pitch some more batting practice. In 1923, the sore-armed O’Doul finished his pitching career with the Boston Red Sox. At a career crossroads, O’Doul converted to the outfield and returned to the Pacific Coast League with the Salt Lake City team for 1924. At the age of 27, O’Doul clouted .392 for the Utah team. From 1924 to 1927, O’Doul would pound Pacific Coast League pitching. In retrospect, it seems obvious that he should have converted from pitcher to slugger quite a bit earlier.
In 1927, Lefty O’Doul won the inaugaral Most Valuable Player [MVP] award of the Pacific Coast League. He slugged 33 home runs while batting .378 for the 1927 season. In 1928, now 31 years old, O’Doul rejoined the Major League as a hitter. Despite injuries, he hit .319 his first year. Then in 1928, he slugged 32 home runs and won the National League batting championship with a .398 average. He won a second batting championship in 1932 with a .368 average. A slow start in 1933 cost O’Doul his position as a starter but he could still hit. Playing part-time in 1934, Lefty averaged .316 and slugged a robust .525 for the year. In 1935, Lefty O’Doul returned to the Pacific Coast League [PCL] as a manager and part-time player. O’Doul would manage in the PCL until 1957. In his aborted seven year career [1928-1934] as a Major league slugger, Lefty O’Doul pretty much demonstrated that, if he had just started a little earlier, he would already be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Considering the bizarre glut of non-qualified 1920s and 1930s players thrown into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee during the 1960s and 1970s, his election as part of this crew would have been inevitable.
Does the fact that Lefty O’Doul was a Baseball Hall of Fame caliber hitter who just did not play long enough in the Major Leagues due to factors out of his control matter? Does the fact that, with just a little better luck, Lefty O’Doul would already be in the Hall of Fame carry any weight? Does the fact that he could be given some extra credit for promoting, or at least encouraging, the cross cultural connections between the White and Japanese Major Leagues count? Does his long and very successful career as a minor league manager, mostly in a future Major League city, add to his Hall of Fame case? It seems to me that this total package of accomplishments is worthy of election. For that reason, I do advocate the election of Lefty O’Doul to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
However, my advocacy for the election of Frank “Lefty” O’Doul to the Baseball Hall of Fame comes with the caveat that it should probably come (just like the election of John “Buck” O’Neil) under some other category than player, pioneer, executive, manager or umpire.
NEXT:
A quick round-up of the players on the Golden Age Era ballot before the election announcement tomorrow.