The Future of Negro League Players in the Hall

[Klrdds]

Originally Posted by tazdmb

From my understanding, they will be up for consideration in 2020 and again in 2030. Based on the past track record, I wouldn't hold my breath for anyone getting in. There will not be a special Negro League Committee in 2006 and I doubt there will be any former Negro League players-like Irvin and O'neal-on the Committee.

You are completely correct . They are eligible in 2020 and 2030 under the Early Baseball era umbrella, and while there are probably 20 players/executives give or take from the complete Negro League era with Hall of Fame worthy credentials it is doubtful any will get elected given the current makeup of the Veterans Committee. Additionally by 2020 and certainly by 2030 the number of ex-Negro League players still living who could lobby or promote candidates will be few. The Negro Leagues will have lost their voice and history to time. While I hope for more Negro Leaguers to get inducted, without strong advocates such as Monte Irvin and Buck O' Neil the chances are slim.

[Kenny Cole]

Anymore they don't even elect great eligible players from the major leagues. While I would very much like to see more deserving Negro League players elected, the way the process is currently configured, I think that's a pipe dream. The current system is completely rigged against anyone who played before 1950, in any league, IMO.

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by Klrdds

You are completely correct . They are eligible in 2020 and 2030 under the Early Baseball era umbrella, and while there are probably 20 players/executives give or take from the complete Negro League era with Hall of Fame worthy credentials it is doubtful any will get elected given the current makeup of the Veterans Committee. Additionally by 2020 and certainly by 2030 the number of ex-Negro League players still living who could lobby or promote candidates will be few. The Negro Leagues will have lost their voice and history to time. While I hope for more Negro Leaguers to get inducted, without strong advocates such as Monte Irvin and Buck O' Neil the chances are slim.

I hope that as technology continues to get better and old newspapers are better cataloged and available for research to everyone, we will continue to gain better insights into the Negro Leagues, and that will push interest. As a relatively young white male (born in the 1980's) who finds the history of the Negro Leagues both interesting and important for the story of America, civil rights etc. i hope I am not the only one.

[pclpads]

The obvious reply is, "dim." This is why the HOF is such a pathetic embarrassment. For all he did for baseball, Negro leagues and the bigs, to have have passed on Buck O'Neill tells you all you need to know about the joke known as the HOF.

[Jason19th]

Buck O'Neil was a great man, a trailblazing coach and scout, a tremdous story teller and the sole reason that the Negro League museum exists. He was a utility player who was not a hall of fame player on his best day. He would tell you that. There is really no one who is in the hall with his type of credentials.

[pclpads]

So he didn't hit over 600 HR's and bat over .300 over 20 years. No NL hofers did. Records from the NL's are so sketchy today. But, for what he did, his overall contributions to the game, I submit he is deserving. A voice in the wilderness I agree, but, as noted in my first post, prospects are sadly dim for any more Negro leaguers getting to Cooperstown. Most are dead and unheard of, so lobbying on their behalf is futile.

[rats60]

There have been two special committees to elect Negro League players and in between 9 more players elected, including a 7 year mandate to elect one per year. The Hof has been very thorough in attempting to represent the NL in the Hof. Unless there is new information discovered, I would say that it is unlikely we will have any new members elected from the NL.

[Scocs]

I don't know. A decade has past since the last committee convened. At that time they had whittled a list of 39 names down to the final 17 (and five of those people never even PLAYED baseball).

If the HOF could ultimately induct Ron Santo after all those rejections, slights, and overlooking, perhaps Cooperstown will at least revisit those other 22 Negro Leaguers who almost made the final cut, like Dick Lundy, Oliver Marcelle, Alejendro Oms, Dobie Moore, John Donaldson, John Beckwith, Grant (Home Run) Johnson, etc.