TIGERFAN'S SPORTING NEWS : November 27, 1946
COLLINS AND PLANK MAKE HALL OF FAME
Pitchers Ray Collins and Eddie Plank can now each add one more footnote to their outstanding major league careers - Hall of Famer. The two hurlers who combined for 10 pitcher of the year awards each received just over the mimimum 126 votes necessary for induction. The total number of Hall of Famers now swells to 15, including 7 pitchers.
Collins, who won 6 pitcher of the year awards and was instrumental in the Red Sox 9 pennants and 6 World Series titles during his 15 year career, led all candidates with 130 votes. He began his career in 1909 at the age of 22. He struggled through an 8-9 season and it would be 3 years before his career blossomed. And blossom it did. Collins won at least 21 games and never lost more than 12 each season between 1912 and 1922. He won a major league record 10 postseason games and finished his career in 1923 with a 326-139 record.
Plank finished with one vote less than Collins. A 4 time American League pitcher of the year and 9 time allstar, Plank spent his entire career with the Athletics. 5 times he led his league in wins and 3 times had the best era. He was 3-3 in World Series action but never played for a winner. His career era of 2.45 is the 6th lowest alltime. He also ranks 11th alltime in strikeouts with 2106 and is 14th in career wins with 323.
Among those just missing induction was Nap Lajoie who once again fell short. Many have long argued that Lajoie should have been among the initial group of inductees 13 years ago but here once again Lajoie is left wondering if his name will ever be called. Smokey Joe Wood, Ed Walsh and Zach Wheat all fell less than 15 votes shy of 75% needed for induction.
Anyone appearing on less than 10% of the ballots will be removed from consideration for next year. 9 time allstar outfielder Chick Hafey, who spent his entire 18 year career with the Cardinals, heads the list of players who will be eligible for the first time next year.
Code:
167 ballots cast VOTES PCT
Ray Collins 130 77.8%
Eddie Plank 129 77.2%
Ed Walsh Sr. 115 68.9%
Zach Wheat 113 67.7%
Joe Wood 112 67.1%
Nap Lajoie 103 61.7%
Chief Bender 100 59.9%
Bob Meusel 68 40.7%
Doc Ayers 34 20.4%
Al Bridwell 23 13.8%
Orval Overall 21 12.6%
Bill Steen 19 11.4%
George Uhle 18 10.8%
Harry Heilmann 17 10.2%
Bill Doak 15 9.0%
Weldon Henley 14 8.4%
Doc White 12 7.2%
Hugh Bedient 9 5.4%
Bob Harmon 8 4.8%
Jimmy Dygert 7 4.2%
Larry Gardner 6 3.6%
Bill Chappelle 5 3.0%
Bob Rhoads 5 3.0%
Al Mamaux 4 2.4%
Joe Judge 4 2.4%
Claude Hendrix 3 1.8%
Roy Patterson 2 1.2%
John Skopec 2 1.2%
Emmet Heidrick 2 1.2%
Johnny Mostil 2 1.2%
Pol Perritt 1 0.6%
Gene Demontreville 1 0.6%
Joe Hauser 1 0.6%
George Sisler 1 0.6%
Milt Stock 1 0.6%
1946 SEASON FLASHBACK - THE CHICAGO CUBS
After back-to-back National League Pennants the Chicago Cubs slipped to 5th place this past season. The biggest reason for the turnaround - the offense or rather lack thereof. In 1945 the Cubs were 3rd in runs scored and 5th in batting average in the major leagues while in 1946 they fell to 15th in each of those categories. It is hard to single one player out for the fall as it clearly was a case of virtually every regular having an off-year at the same time. The good news is most of the players are young enough that they could all just as easily have a career year next season.
Catcher Ken O'Dea (.266,13,67) saw his average dip nearly .050 but he will be just 34 next season and is being counted on to regain the form he showed during the pennant winning seasons when he made back to back allstar teams. 41 year old Don Hurst lost the first base job to 27 year old rookie Eddie Waitkus (.307,1,22) in August and Waitkus appears to have a bright future. The rest of the infield remains the same as during the pennant winning seasons: 30 year old Eddie Stanky (.240,1,32) at second, 29 year old Lenny Merullo (.226,0,42) at short and third baseman Harland Clift (.206,15,69) who will be 34 on opening day. All 3 are coming off the worst season of their careers offensively.
Outfielder Bill Nicholson (.232,18,72) still displayed power but the 32 year old saw his average plummet by .054. 34 year old Augie Galan (.259,4,59) and 33 year old Joe Marty (.243,8,61) round out the lineup. However, they will be pressed for playing time by 26 year old Andy Pafko, who hit .293 in AAA and appears ready for the Show.
Pitching is the Cubs strength as they again finished in the top four in earned runs allowed. Starters Vern Olsen (15-16, 2.93), Paul Erickson (16-17, 3.39), Hank Wyse (16-16, 3.84) and Ken Raffensberger (14-13, 3.41) return and all are between 29 and 31 years of age. 26 year old Johnny Schmitz (3-5, 4.05) and 29 year old Ed Head (2-1, 1.55) will press for a spot in the rotation. Head in particular is an interesting case. He went 21-14 for the Dodgers in 1942 and was named NL Rookie of the Year before a terrible start the following season prompted his being traded twice. He did win 19 games for the Cubs in 1944 but has not been able to crack the rotation since then.
1947 OUTLOOK - The Cubs are a strong team and if the hitters can perform like they did 2 years ago there is no reason why Wrigley Field won't be an exciting place to be in come late September.
1946 SEASON FLASHBACK - THE CINCINNATI REDS
Pennant fever returned to Cincinnati last season for the first time since 1926. In the end the Reds finished two games back of Pittsburgh but their 89 wins was the most since they last celebrated a championship 20 years ago.
The hamstring injury to Joe Dimaggio that cost the slugger nearly all of September may well have been the difference in the pennant race. The 32 year old Dimaggio is clearly not the player he was in his early days with the Yankees before suffering a series of injuries but he can still mash the ball and has the uncanny ability to hit the big one at the right time. Dimaggio (.226,21,77) saw his average drop to a career low but he hit 12 homers in the 39 games just proceeding his injury to spark the Reds pennant run.
Ford Garrison (.310,10,57) and Joe Medwick (.323,11,70) will be 31 and 35 respectively as the 1947 season opens and both are coming off strong seasons. 34 year old first baseman Johnny Mize (.242,19,86) is still productive and 34 year old second sacker Alex Kampouris (.323,10,66) fashioned career best numbers. Veteran Pete Coscarart (.259,6,57) at short and 3B Grady Hatton (.250,8,54) round out the infield. Hatton is just 24 and is expected to improve upon a decent rookie season. 32 year old catcher Frankie Hayes (.223,11,62) wilted in the late summer after a strong start to his season.
The pitching staff in a quick glance looks good. But dig a little deeper and you can see why the Reds are a little worried. 30 year old Johnny Hutchings (21-6, 3.00) had everything go his way in his first full season as a starter. However, the jury is out on whether or not he can duplicate those numbers. Arnold Carter (18-15, 3.14) is far less of a concern. The 28 year old has improved each of his 3 seasons in the Reds rotation. Howie Fox (17-15, 4.96) is another question mark. The 26 year old had a far better record than his showing as a rookie two seasons ago but his era ballooned and poses some worry for the Reds front office. Rookie Evell Blackwell (12-15, 3.75) appears to have a bright future but can the 23 year old repeat his freshman performance? 24 year old Johnny Hetki (3-2, 2.67) led the National League with 11 saves.
1947 OUTLOOK - Everything went right for the Reds in 1946 until Dimaggio got hurt. Even then they nearly pulled off their first pennant in 20 years. The bet this season is things won't fall in to place quite as easily and the Reds will be a slightly above .500 ballclub. 3rd or 4th place at best.
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