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FuzzyRussianHat · 07-12-2023, 12:48 PM

Major League Baseball inducted three players into the Hall of Fame with the 1966 class and all three were no-doubt first ballot picks. San Antonio DH Sebastian Lunde was the star at 99.3% with only three players to date (Kaby Silva, Bailey Johnson, Elijah Cashman) getting a higher percentage. Pitchers Andy Upshaw (96.4%) and Edward Milsom (96.0%) were the other two inductees, both firmly getting the nod. 1B Tiger Novak on his third try and 1B Jackson Hilton on his debut both were above 60%, but below the required 66%. Three others were just above the 50% mark.

A record six players were dropped from the ballot after having earned ten attempts. The highest rated of these was closer Levi Lowell, who ended at 21.7% after debuting at 48.6%. In a 21-year career between 14 teams and two leagues, he had 294 saves, a 2.04 ERA, and 36.5 WAR. Respectable, but not Hall worthy. Dropped at 11.2% after a debut at 38.8% was SP Vinny Elliott. The 1944 American Association Pitcher of the Year, he put up 96.5 WAR in 14 MLB seasons with a 197-209 record, 3.39 ERA, 3298 strikeouts, and 3688 innings. That WAR usually is more than enough for pitchers, especially for a guy whose MLB stats ended at age 33 because of major injuries. But Elliott never seemed to get notable traction.

Another SP dropped was Finn Jean-Pierre, who had a 215-205 record, 3.65 ERA, 3109 strikeouts, and 78.4 WAR in 17 seasons. Reliable, but never dominant. He ended at 7.9% after peaking at 33.7% on his debut. Another SP, Harvey Robinson, was 187-117 with a 3.23 ERA, 2566 strikeouts, and 77.1 WAR in 14 seasons. Similarly, he peaked at 32.2% to begin but ended low at 5.1%.

One other pitcher worth noting was Luigi Mariko, the 1940 National Association Pitcher of the Year. He peaked at 29.4% and ended at 3.2%. Removing his final three seasons in CABA, Mariko had a 209-176 record, 3.72 ERA, 2978 strikeouts, and 66.3 WAR. The one hitter dropped was 1B Ernard Sutherland, who in 16 years between New York and Vancouver had 2549 hits, 1253 runs, 432 home runs, 1338 RBI, a .306 average, and 77.4 WAR. He peaked at 38.8% on his first ballot and closed at 3.2%. Good numbers, but especially at an offensive-heavy position like first base, you need more to get noticed.

Sebastian “Lizard” Lunde – Designated Hitter – San Antonio Oilers – 99.3% First Ballot

Sebastian Lunde was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed slugger from Jacksonville, Florida. Perhaps the greatest pure hitter of all-time, Lunde had both generational contact and power skills. He was the master at putting the ball in play, striking out only 562 times in more than 10,000 plate appearances. He also remarkably only walked 363 times despite his power, meaning he swung at everything, but usually made good contact regardless of the pitch. Lunde was a slow baserunner and true designated hitter who didn’t play an inning in the field in his 20s. The few times he did start defensively, he was a lousy first baseman. Lunde was hard working and incredibly loyal, making him one of the most beloved players of his era.

Lunde’s hitting potential was noticed in high school at The Bolles School and he was a rare MLB Draft pick as a teenager. Memphis was sold big time and picked Lunde second overall in 1939. However, they were unable to come to terms and Lunde opted to attend Northwestern University. He had a decorated college career with the Wildcats, winning 1940 NCAA MVP and taking second in 1942 with Silver Sluggers both years. In 1942, Northwestern earned National Champion honors as well. When Lunde was draft eligible again, he was again highly sought after. Dallas selected him third overall in the 1942 MLB Draft.

The Dalmatians had won the American Association title in 1942 and were looking to contend again in 1943. Lunde spent the first half in minor league Fort Worth and never ultimately played a major league game for Dallas. At the 1943 deadline, Lunde was traded with three other prospects to San Antonio for pitcher Vinny Elliott. You could argue the trade paid off in the short-term for Dallas; the Dalmatians again got to the World Series and Elliott won Pitcher of the Year in 1944; although he didn’t stick around beyond that. It was better for the Oilers ultimately as Lunde spent 18 seasons there and turned them from a 52-win basement dweller in 1943 to a franchise fairly regularly in the playoff picture.

Lunde was unremarkable in 40 games as a rookie. In year two, he smacked 38 home runs and began a 15 year streak of 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI. Lunde led the American Association in home runs four times, RBI six times, slugging six times, hits four times, and runs twice. He won six Silver Sluggers, coming in 1945, 46, 48, 49, 50, and 51.

1946 was the real breakout season, earning his lone batting title (.354) and leading the AA in runs (125), hits (235), home runs (55), and RBI (149). This netted Lunde his first of four MVP awards. He won it again the next year despite missing a month with a back injury. Lunde made it three straight in 1948 and four straight in 1949, joining Elijah Cashman as the only players in MLB history to win four consecutive MVPs. He took second in 1950, 1952, and 1954.

In 1948, Lunde knocked in 159 RBI; the fifth most in a season to date. He had 155 RBI the next year, making him the only player in MLB history with two 150+ RBI seasons. In 1949, Lunde became the single-season home run king with 62, beating Cashman’s 61 from 1923. He remained the single-season king until Emmanuel Kao his 63 in 2001. That 1949 season also saw 242 hits; a single-season record that held until 2929.

San Antonio made the playoffs only twice in their first 45 seasons. They made it eight times over Lunde’s 17 season tenure, winning the Southern League four times. The Oilers never could get over the hump, getting stopped four times in the AACS. In 55 playoff games, Lunde had 66 hits, 33 runs, 14 home runs, 30 RBI, and a .269 average. He also played on the United States team from 1947-53 in the World Baseball Championship, smacking 39 home runs and 98 RBI in 97 games with 109 hits and 81 runs. He earned rings with the US team in 1947, 48, 51, and 52, and finished second in tournament MVP voting in 1950.

Lunde’s production began to wane a bit into his 30s as while he still had strong power, his hit tallies went down. He stayed loyal to the Oilers and was still a fan favorite as he earned career milestones. In 1957, Lunde crossed 600 home runs and in 1958, he scored his 1500^th run. In 1959, he became the 29^th to 3000 hits and only the fourth to 2000 career RBI. Lunde was the third to 700 home runs in 1960, but he was a part-time starter by this point at age 39 and running out of steam to challenge for Cashman’s career home run title. Lunde opted to retire at the end of the year and immediately saw his #5 uniform retired by San Antonio.

The final stats for Lunde: 3232 hits, 1678 runs, 451 doubles, 712 home runs, 2090 RBI, a .316/.341/.574 slash, and 73.8 WAR. At retirement, he was third all-time in MLB home runs (behind Cashman’s 750 and Kaby Silva’s 731) and was second in RBI only behind Stan Provost’s 2271. The WAR number is low relative to the other stellar hitters due to his lack of any defensive production. But Lunde no doubt stands as maybe the best hitter in MLB of the 1940s-50s and even as a career DH was a slam dunk first ballot Hall of Famer at 99.3%.

Andy “Scorpion” Upshaw – Starting Pitcher – Pittsburgh Pirates – 96.4% First Ballot

Andy Upshaw was a 6’0’’, 185 pound left-handed pitcher from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a small town of around 25,000 people in the southeastern part of the state. Upshaw was known for having phenomenal stuff despite having velocity that topped out in the 94-96 mph range. He had five equally potent pitches that he mixed expertly; a fastball, slider, curveball, changeup, and splitter. His control was considered good with above average movement. Upshaw was very durable and a fan favorite known for his intelligence, work ethic, and loyalty.

Upshaw attended North Carolina State and finished second in NCAA Pitcher of the Year voting in his junior season with a 1.55 ERA over 99 innings and 119 strikeouts. In the 1945 MLB Draft, Upshaw was selected 30^th overall by Pittsburgh. He burst onto the scene with one of the best rookie years ever by a pitcher; leading the National Association in WAR (9.7), wins (22), and strikeouts (279). Despite this, he only finished third in Rookie of the Year voting while taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting.

Upshaw’s arsenal made him elite, especially early in his career as he led the NA in strikeouts in five of his first six seasons. For his career, he had nine seasons worth 6+ WAR and 11 seasons with 250+ strikeouts. In his first Pirates run, he finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting four times; 1947, 49, 51, and 52. But unfortunately for Upshaw, the Pirates were a bottom rung franchise during his main tenure. Still, he was beloved for this run and the native Pennsylvanian had his #31 uniform retired at the end of his career.

Midway through the 1953 season, Pittsburgh traded Upshaw to Las Vegas for three prospects. The Vipers were in the middle of a playoff streak, but couldn’t get the job done in the postseason. Upshaw spent 3 ½ seasons in Vegas and had his signature season at age 29 in 1954. Upshaw had only the fourth pitching Triple Crown in MLB history with a 25-8 record, 1.96 ERA, and 347 strikeouts; plus 10.8 WAR, 25 complete games, and 29 quality starts. He won his lone Pitcher of the Year and became the first pitcher in American Association history to also win the MVP. He won three postseason starts that year, but the Vipers were knocked out in the AACS by Nashville.

Upshaw’s first real major injury was a rotator cuff strain in 1955 that caused him to miss starts and post his weakest year to date. He bounced back to solid stats in 1956, but never returned MVP form. After missing the playoffs in 1955, Las Vegas again had an early exit in 1956. Upshaw’s final stats there saw a 65-33 record, 3.19 ERA, 907 strikeouts, and 22.0 WAR. 1955 was also his final appearance in the World Baseball Championship, which he participated in for the American team six times. Upshaw had a 6-2 record, 3.56 ERA, and 101 strikeouts in 55.2 innings. Also notably, he threw only the fourth no-hitter in tournament history, striking out 12 and walking two in 1953 against Spain. He won rings with the US team in 1948 and 1955.

For the 1957 season, the 32-year old Upshaw signed with Cincinnati. His control fell off a cliff in his first year with a lousy 5.17 and the league lead in two bad stats, losses (23) and walks (104). He wasn’t washed yet though as he posted strong 7.4 WAR season in 1958. In the third year of his contract, Upshaw was traded by the Reds to Louisville. He had one solid season there, then went back to Pittsburgh in the hopes of leading an improved Pirates franchise. Upshaw’s 1960 was mediocre and he opted for retirement at season’s end at age 36. With the Pirates in total, he had a 133-108 record, 2.97 ERA, 2243 strikeouts, and 59.6 WAR.

The final overall stats saw a 231-182 record, 3.16 ERA, 3811.1 innings, 3856 strikeouts, 330/500 quality starts, 170 complete games, 78 FIP-, and 97.1 WAR. While not at the tip top of the Hall of Fame pitcher leaderboard, his stats certainly aren’t out of place with his strikeout percentage better than a lot of the other starters in the field. Plus, his Triple Crown season sealed his status as an elite pitcher of his time, earning first ballot induction at 96.4%.

Edward Milsom – Starting Pitcher – San Antonio Oilers – 96.0% First Ballot

Edward Milsom was a 5’10”, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Sydney, Australia. The first Australian-born Hall of Famer, Milsom combined 98-100 mph velocity with excellent movement and strong control. He boasted a stellar fastball, a great screwball, solid splitter, and occasional changeup. The biggest critique against him was that he lacked effort, but despite this, he still put up 15 strong seasons in the bigs.

Milsom left his native Australia during World War II and came to the United States, ultimately playing college baseball for the Georgia Bulldogs. As a foreign-born player, he wasn’t eligible for the first three rounds of the MLB Draft due to regional restrictions. He was picked almost immediately in round four in 1945, the second pick of the round and 155^th overall by San Antonio. Milsom’s start with the Oilers coincided with Sebastian Lunde’s arrival and SA’s emergence as a playoff contender. In his 10 seasons with the Oilers, Milsom participated in six postseasons, posting a 7-3 record, 2.45 ERA over 99 innings, 59 strikeouts, and 2.0 WAR. Despite his efforts, they never advanced beyond the American Association Championship Series.

Milsom was an immediate success for San Antonio, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1946 with a split between starting and the bullpen. He led the AA with a 2.64 this season. Milsom was a full-time starter for the rest of his career and very efficient, four times leading in FIP-. He was the WARlord in 1949 at 9.8, 1951 at 10.7, and 1955 at 9.7. Milsom had 11 seasons worth 6+ WAR and tossed 250+ innings in ten different seasons.

1949 saw Milsom’s lone Pitcher of the Year with second place finishes in 1951 and 1955 for San Antonio. In total for the Oilers, Milsom had a 167-106 record, 3.00 ERA, 2626.1 innings, 211 strikeouts, and 81.1 WAR. His #14 uniform would be retired at the end of his career. Fresh off an excellent 1955, the now 31-year old Milsom left for free agency and signed a nice six year, $636,000 deal with San Diego. The Seals had just come off winning the World Series and hoped Milsom could help keep that run going.

Milsom did indeed help that, as San Diego won the World Series again in 1956 and 1958. He had a very strong first two seasons with the Seals, including a third place finish in Pitcher of the Year voting for 1957. A ruptured finger tendon late in the 1956 season kept him out of that postseason. Milsom’s productivity waned and he struggled to a 6.50 ERA in the 1958 postseason, although SD still got the ring. He bounced back a bit in 1959, but the Seals started to rebuild as the dynasty ended. Milsom was traded for the 1960 season to Cincinnati and had one middling season for the Reds. He opted to retire after that year at age 36.

The final stats: 250-159 record, 3.22 ERA, 3865.2 innings, 3078 strikeouts, 1.16 WHIP, 298/479 quality starts, 231 complete games, a FIP- of 74, and 107.0 WAR. The advanced stats like Milsom despite him being a lower strikeout pitcher relative to the other Hall of Fame selections. He was the 11^th MLB pitcher to 100+ career WAR and like each of the others, Milsom found his way into the Hall of Fame at 96.0% on the first ballot.

07-12-2023, 12:48 PM	#405
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,905	1966 MLB Hall of Fame Major League Baseball inducted three players into the Hall of Fame with the 1966 class and all three were no-doubt first ballot picks. San Antonio DH Sebastian Lunde was the star at 99.3% with only three players to date (Kaby Silva, Bailey Johnson, Elijah Cashman) getting a higher percentage. Pitchers Andy Upshaw (96.4%) and Edward Milsom (96.0%) were the other two inductees, both firmly getting the nod. 1B Tiger Novak on his third try and 1B Jackson Hilton on his debut both were above 60%, but below the required 66%. Three others were just above the 50% mark. A record six players were dropped from the ballot after having earned ten attempts. The highest rated of these was closer Levi Lowell, who ended at 21.7% after debuting at 48.6%. In a 21-year career between 14 teams and two leagues, he had 294 saves, a 2.04 ERA, and 36.5 WAR. Respectable, but not Hall worthy. Dropped at 11.2% after a debut at 38.8% was SP Vinny Elliott. The 1944 American Association Pitcher of the Year, he put up 96.5 WAR in 14 MLB seasons with a 197-209 record, 3.39 ERA, 3298 strikeouts, and 3688 innings. That WAR usually is more than enough for pitchers, especially for a guy whose MLB stats ended at age 33 because of major injuries. But Elliott never seemed to get notable traction. Another SP dropped was Finn Jean-Pierre, who had a 215-205 record, 3.65 ERA, 3109 strikeouts, and 78.4 WAR in 17 seasons. Reliable, but never dominant. He ended at 7.9% after peaking at 33.7% on his debut. Another SP, Harvey Robinson, was 187-117 with a 3.23 ERA, 2566 strikeouts, and 77.1 WAR in 14 seasons. Similarly, he peaked at 32.2% to begin but ended low at 5.1%. One other pitcher worth noting was Luigi Mariko, the 1940 National Association Pitcher of the Year. He peaked at 29.4% and ended at 3.2%. Removing his final three seasons in CABA, Mariko had a 209-176 record, 3.72 ERA, 2978 strikeouts, and 66.3 WAR. The one hitter dropped was 1B Ernard Sutherland, who in 16 years between New York and Vancouver had 2549 hits, 1253 runs, 432 home runs, 1338 RBI, a .306 average, and 77.4 WAR. He peaked at 38.8% on his first ballot and closed at 3.2%. Good numbers, but especially at an offensive-heavy position like first base, you need more to get noticed. Sebastian “Lizard” Lunde – Designated Hitter – San Antonio Oilers – 99.3% First Ballot Sebastian Lunde was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed slugger from Jacksonville, Florida. Perhaps the greatest pure hitter of all-time, Lunde had both generational contact and power skills. He was the master at putting the ball in play, striking out only 562 times in more than 10,000 plate appearances. He also remarkably only walked 363 times despite his power, meaning he swung at everything, but usually made good contact regardless of the pitch. Lunde was a slow baserunner and true designated hitter who didn’t play an inning in the field in his 20s. The few times he did start defensively, he was a lousy first baseman. Lunde was hard working and incredibly loyal, making him one of the most beloved players of his era. Lunde’s hitting potential was noticed in high school at The Bolles School and he was a rare MLB Draft pick as a teenager. Memphis was sold big time and picked Lunde second overall in 1939. However, they were unable to come to terms and Lunde opted to attend Northwestern University. He had a decorated college career with the Wildcats, winning 1940 NCAA MVP and taking second in 1942 with Silver Sluggers both years. In 1942, Northwestern earned National Champion honors as well. When Lunde was draft eligible again, he was again highly sought after. Dallas selected him third overall in the 1942 MLB Draft. The Dalmatians had won the American Association title in 1942 and were looking to contend again in 1943. Lunde spent the first half in minor league Fort Worth and never ultimately played a major league game for Dallas. At the 1943 deadline, Lunde was traded with three other prospects to San Antonio for pitcher Vinny Elliott. You could argue the trade paid off in the short-term for Dallas; the Dalmatians again got to the World Series and Elliott won Pitcher of the Year in 1944; although he didn’t stick around beyond that. It was better for the Oilers ultimately as Lunde spent 18 seasons there and turned them from a 52-win basement dweller in 1943 to a franchise fairly regularly in the playoff picture. Lunde was unremarkable in 40 games as a rookie. In year two, he smacked 38 home runs and began a 15 year streak of 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI. Lunde led the American Association in home runs four times, RBI six times, slugging six times, hits four times, and runs twice. He won six Silver Sluggers, coming in 1945, 46, 48, 49, 50, and 51. 1946 was the real breakout season, earning his lone batting title (.354) and leading the AA in runs (125), hits (235), home runs (55), and RBI (149). This netted Lunde his first of four MVP awards. He won it again the next year despite missing a month with a back injury. Lunde made it three straight in 1948 and four straight in 1949, joining Elijah Cashman as the only players in MLB history to win four consecutive MVPs. He took second in 1950, 1952, and 1954. In 1948, Lunde knocked in 159 RBI; the fifth most in a season to date. He had 155 RBI the next year, making him the only player in MLB history with two 150+ RBI seasons. In 1949, Lunde became the single-season home run king with 62, beating Cashman’s 61 from 1923. He remained the single-season king until Emmanuel Kao his 63 in 2001. That 1949 season also saw 242 hits; a single-season record that held until 2929. San Antonio made the playoffs only twice in their first 45 seasons. They made it eight times over Lunde’s 17 season tenure, winning the Southern League four times. The Oilers never could get over the hump, getting stopped four times in the AACS. In 55 playoff games, Lunde had 66 hits, 33 runs, 14 home runs, 30 RBI, and a .269 average. He also played on the United States team from 1947-53 in the World Baseball Championship, smacking 39 home runs and 98 RBI in 97 games with 109 hits and 81 runs. He earned rings with the US team in 1947, 48, 51, and 52, and finished second in tournament MVP voting in 1950. Lunde’s production began to wane a bit into his 30s as while he still had strong power, his hit tallies went down. He stayed loyal to the Oilers and was still a fan favorite as he earned career milestones. In 1957, Lunde crossed 600 home runs and in 1958, he scored his 1500^th run. In 1959, he became the 29^th to 3000 hits and only the fourth to 2000 career RBI. Lunde was the third to 700 home runs in 1960, but he was a part-time starter by this point at age 39 and running out of steam to challenge for Cashman’s career home run title. Lunde opted to retire at the end of the year and immediately saw his #5 uniform retired by San Antonio. The final stats for Lunde: 3232 hits, 1678 runs, 451 doubles, 712 home runs, 2090 RBI, a .316/.341/.574 slash, and 73.8 WAR. At retirement, he was third all-time in MLB home runs (behind Cashman’s 750 and Kaby Silva’s 731) and was second in RBI only behind Stan Provost’s 2271. The WAR number is low relative to the other stellar hitters due to his lack of any defensive production. But Lunde no doubt stands as maybe the best hitter in MLB of the 1940s-50s and even as a career DH was a slam dunk first ballot Hall of Famer at 99.3%. Andy “Scorpion” Upshaw – Starting Pitcher – Pittsburgh Pirates – 96.4% First Ballot Andy Upshaw was a 6’0’’, 185 pound left-handed pitcher from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a small town of around 25,000 people in the southeastern part of the state. Upshaw was known for having phenomenal stuff despite having velocity that topped out in the 94-96 mph range. He had five equally potent pitches that he mixed expertly; a fastball, slider, curveball, changeup, and splitter. His control was considered good with above average movement. Upshaw was very durable and a fan favorite known for his intelligence, work ethic, and loyalty. Upshaw attended North Carolina State and finished second in NCAA Pitcher of the Year voting in his junior season with a 1.55 ERA over 99 innings and 119 strikeouts. In the 1945 MLB Draft, Upshaw was selected 30^th overall by Pittsburgh. He burst onto the scene with one of the best rookie years ever by a pitcher; leading the National Association in WAR (9.7), wins (22), and strikeouts (279). Despite this, he only finished third in Rookie of the Year voting while taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. Upshaw’s arsenal made him elite, especially early in his career as he led the NA in strikeouts in five of his first six seasons. For his career, he had nine seasons worth 6+ WAR and 11 seasons with 250+ strikeouts. In his first Pirates run, he finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting four times; 1947, 49, 51, and 52. But unfortunately for Upshaw, the Pirates were a bottom rung franchise during his main tenure. Still, he was beloved for this run and the native Pennsylvanian had his #31 uniform retired at the end of his career. Midway through the 1953 season, Pittsburgh traded Upshaw to Las Vegas for three prospects. The Vipers were in the middle of a playoff streak, but couldn’t get the job done in the postseason. Upshaw spent 3 ½ seasons in Vegas and had his signature season at age 29 in 1954. Upshaw had only the fourth pitching Triple Crown in MLB history with a 25-8 record, 1.96 ERA, and 347 strikeouts; plus 10.8 WAR, 25 complete games, and 29 quality starts. He won his lone Pitcher of the Year and became the first pitcher in American Association history to also win the MVP. He won three postseason starts that year, but the Vipers were knocked out in the AACS by Nashville. Upshaw’s first real major injury was a rotator cuff strain in 1955 that caused him to miss starts and post his weakest year to date. He bounced back to solid stats in 1956, but never returned MVP form. After missing the playoffs in 1955, Las Vegas again had an early exit in 1956. Upshaw’s final stats there saw a 65-33 record, 3.19 ERA, 907 strikeouts, and 22.0 WAR. 1955 was also his final appearance in the World Baseball Championship, which he participated in for the American team six times. Upshaw had a 6-2 record, 3.56 ERA, and 101 strikeouts in 55.2 innings. Also notably, he threw only the fourth no-hitter in tournament history, striking out 12 and walking two in 1953 against Spain. He won rings with the US team in 1948 and 1955. For the 1957 season, the 32-year old Upshaw signed with Cincinnati. His control fell off a cliff in his first year with a lousy 5.17 and the league lead in two bad stats, losses (23) and walks (104). He wasn’t washed yet though as he posted strong 7.4 WAR season in 1958. In the third year of his contract, Upshaw was traded by the Reds to Louisville. He had one solid season there, then went back to Pittsburgh in the hopes of leading an improved Pirates franchise. Upshaw’s 1960 was mediocre and he opted for retirement at season’s end at age 36. With the Pirates in total, he had a 133-108 record, 2.97 ERA, 2243 strikeouts, and 59.6 WAR. The final overall stats saw a 231-182 record, 3.16 ERA, 3811.1 innings, 3856 strikeouts, 330/500 quality starts, 170 complete games, 78 FIP-, and 97.1 WAR. While not at the tip top of the Hall of Fame pitcher leaderboard, his stats certainly aren’t out of place with his strikeout percentage better than a lot of the other starters in the field. Plus, his Triple Crown season sealed his status as an elite pitcher of his time, earning first ballot induction at 96.4%. Edward Milsom – Starting Pitcher – San Antonio Oilers – 96.0% First Ballot Edward Milsom was a 5’10”, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Sydney, Australia. The first Australian-born Hall of Famer, Milsom combined 98-100 mph velocity with excellent movement and strong control. He boasted a stellar fastball, a great screwball, solid splitter, and occasional changeup. The biggest critique against him was that he lacked effort, but despite this, he still put up 15 strong seasons in the bigs. Milsom left his native Australia during World War II and came to the United States, ultimately playing college baseball for the Georgia Bulldogs. As a foreign-born player, he wasn’t eligible for the first three rounds of the MLB Draft due to regional restrictions. He was picked almost immediately in round four in 1945, the second pick of the round and 155^th overall by San Antonio. Milsom’s start with the Oilers coincided with Sebastian Lunde’s arrival and SA’s emergence as a playoff contender. In his 10 seasons with the Oilers, Milsom participated in six postseasons, posting a 7-3 record, 2.45 ERA over 99 innings, 59 strikeouts, and 2.0 WAR. Despite his efforts, they never advanced beyond the American Association Championship Series. Milsom was an immediate success for San Antonio, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1946 with a split between starting and the bullpen. He led the AA with a 2.64 this season. Milsom was a full-time starter for the rest of his career and very efficient, four times leading in FIP-. He was the WARlord in 1949 at 9.8, 1951 at 10.7, and 1955 at 9.7. Milsom had 11 seasons worth 6+ WAR and tossed 250+ innings in ten different seasons. 1949 saw Milsom’s lone Pitcher of the Year with second place finishes in 1951 and 1955 for San Antonio. In total for the Oilers, Milsom had a 167-106 record, 3.00 ERA, 2626.1 innings, 211 strikeouts, and 81.1 WAR. His #14 uniform would be retired at the end of his career. Fresh off an excellent 1955, the now 31-year old Milsom left for free agency and signed a nice six year, $636,000 deal with San Diego. The Seals had just come off winning the World Series and hoped Milsom could help keep that run going. Milsom did indeed help that, as San Diego won the World Series again in 1956 and 1958. He had a very strong first two seasons with the Seals, including a third place finish in Pitcher of the Year voting for 1957. A ruptured finger tendon late in the 1956 season kept him out of that postseason. Milsom’s productivity waned and he struggled to a 6.50 ERA in the 1958 postseason, although SD still got the ring. He bounced back a bit in 1959, but the Seals started to rebuild as the dynasty ended. Milsom was traded for the 1960 season to Cincinnati and had one middling season for the Reds. He opted to retire after that year at age 36. The final stats: 250-159 record, 3.22 ERA, 3865.2 innings, 3078 strikeouts, 1.16 WHIP, 298/479 quality starts, 231 complete games, a FIP- of 74, and 107.0 WAR. The advanced stats like Milsom despite him being a lower strikeout pitcher relative to the other Hall of Fame selections. He was the 11^th MLB pitcher to 100+ career WAR and like each of the others, Milsom found his way into the Hall of Fame at 96.0% on the first ballot. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)