All-Short Team

[AstrosFan]

Bill James did an All-Tall team in the Dale Murphy comment in the NHBA, based on the tallest people who ranked in the top 25 at their position. Stepping back from the rankings and just acknowledging good players, who would make up the All-Short team, that is, the shortest good players at each position. And when I say good, I don't mean slightly better than average. I mean good.

C Yogi Berra 5'8"
1B Steve Garvey 5'10"*
2B Joe Morgan 5'7"
3B Ray Dandridge 5'7"**
SS Dickey Pearce 5'3"***
LF Topsy Hartsel 5'5"
CF Billy Hamilton 5'6"
RF Tommy McCarthy 5'7"****
P Bob Caruthers 5'7"

* I presume there's a shorter good first baseman than Garvey, but I couldn't find one.
** If you decide not to count Negro Leaguers, I think the best option is John McGraw, 5'7"
*** Dickey Pearce played in what may not have been a major league. If you don't consider him that good, Rabbit Maranville, at 5'5" is the next best choice.
**** Tommy McCarthy shows up at the top of many people's lists of the worst players in the Hall. I think he was still a good player.

All heights were taken from the most recent Lahman database.

[The Dude]

Dolph Camilli is also 5'10, and is the only first basemen I have ahead of Garvey that is as short or shorter than him.

However, Sisler, Allen, and Killebrew are all 5'11. Still not shorter though.

In fact, out of my top 50 first baseman, only these 7 are under 6 feet.

6.Killebrew (5'11)
8.Allen (5'11)
9.Sisler (5'11)
15.Camilli (5'10)
21.Garvey (5'10)
50T.Power (5'11)
50T.Fain (5'11)

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Bill James did an All-Tall team in the Dale Murphy comment in the NHBA, based on the tallest people who ranked in the top 25 at their position. Stepping back from the rankings and just acknowledging good players, who would make up the All-Short team, that is, the shortest good players at each position. And when I say good, I don't mean slightly better than average. I mean good.

C Yogi Berra 5'8"
1B Steve Garvey 5'10"*
2B Joe Morgan 5'7"
3B Ray Dandridge 5'7"**
SS Dickey Pearce 5'3"***
LF Topsy Hartsel 5'5"
CF Billy Hamilton 5'6"
RF Tommy McCarthy 5'7"****
P Bob Caruthers 5'7"

* I presume there's a shorter good first baseman than Garvey, but I couldn't find one.
** If you decide not to count Negro Leaguers, I think the best option is John McGraw, 5'7"
*** Dickey Pearce played in what may not have been a major league. If you don't consider him that good, Rabbit Maranville, at 5'5" is the next best choice.
**** Tommy McCarthy shows up at the top of many people's lists of the worst players in the Hall. I think he was still a good player.

All heights were taken from the most recent Lahman database.
No Hack Wilson? He was 5'6" I believe...

[RuthMayBond]

Look down, Willie Keeler is biting your ankles

[AstrosFan]

I missed a few players because the Lahman Master database doesn't have heights listed for everyone. How tall was Keeler, 5'4" or 5'5"? Regardless, he'd be a better choice than McCarthy.
Miller Huggins was a good second baseman, and half an inch shorter than Joe Morgan.
Funny thing, Keeler was the first player I thought of when I had the idea, but somehow he slipped my mind when I created the list.

As for Hack Wilson, Hamilton played the same position, was the same height, and was a better player.

[dgarza]

**** Tommy McCarthy shows up at the top of many people's lists of the worst players in the Hall. I think he was still a good player.


I think Ross Youngs was much better. He might have been 1 inch taller than McCarthy, but he still was "short."

Mickey Welch was also a "short" pitcher. 5'8". to be considered

[Gee Walker]

Whitey Ford is listed at 5'10", but it's amazing how when he's in a picture with Mickey Mantle, who was listed as 5'11", he's three inches shorter than Mickey.

The great old third baseman Tommy Leach has no height listed, but looked to be around 5'5". Jokes were made during his era of how short he was - at a time when an average ballplayer was probably about 5'9".

Bobby Shantz, AL MVP of 1952, was a pitcher at 5'6".

It seems as if there's as many inches added to the listed height of short players as there are years subtracted from the listed age of marginal prospects from the Dominican.

[JohnGelnarFan]

Fred Patek had a very good career at shortstop. Prolific basestealer,cannon arm and surprising pop for a guy that was probably 5'6" tall.

[RuthMayBond]

Eddie Gaedel had a 1.000 on-base average ;)

[538280]

No Hack Wilson? He was 5'6" I believe...

Nope, Hack loses his spot on the All Short Team to Sliding Billy Hamilton. Maybe he can take a spot on the second team.

[RuthMayBond]

Nope, Hack loses his spot on the All Short Team to Sliding Billy Hamilton.Do you think Billy asks Hack how the weather is up there?

[538280]

Do you think Billy asks Hack how the weather is up there?

They're the same height (5'6''), so no need for that.

[KHenry14]

Garvey sure doesn't look 5'10". I literally bumped into him at an LA Kings game and we looked eye to eye and I'm 5'6". Go figure

[west coast orange and black]

JohnGelnarFan: Fred Patek...

ah... freddie patek. good call, man.

[rsuriyop]

Bill James did an All-Tall team in the Dale Murphy comment in the NHBA, based on the tallest people who ranked in the top 25 at their position. Stepping back from the rankings and just acknowledging good players, who would make up the All-Short team, that is, the shortest good players at each position. And when I say good, I don't mean slightly better than average. I mean good.

C Yogi Berra 5'8"
1B Steve Garvey 5'10"*
2B Joe Morgan 5'7"
3B Ray Dandridge 5'7"**
SS Dickey Pearce 5'3"***
LF Topsy Hartsel 5'5"
CF Billy Hamilton 5'6"
RF Tommy McCarthy 5'7"****
P Bob Caruthers 5'7"

* I presume there's a shorter good first baseman than Garvey, but I couldn't find one.
** If you decide not to count Negro Leaguers, I think the best option is John McGraw, 5'7"
*** Dickey Pearce played in what may not have been a major league. If you don't consider him that good, Rabbit Maranville, at 5'5" is the next best choice.
**** Tommy McCarthy shows up at the top of many people's lists of the worst players in the Hall. I think he was still a good player.

All heights were taken from the most recent Lahman database.


Interesting list... although it does make me wonder whether or not James had even thought of considering Kirby Puckett (5'8"), Hugh Duffy (5'7"), or Elmer Flick (5'6") for this.

[tigers527]

First off the only alltime list this guy makes is the one of alltime players whos last name ends in INGE. But of the 2 sites I checked, listed Inge as 5'11" that's a flat lie. He's 5'11" like Charles Barkley was 6'10". David Eckstein is 5'6" that one I believe.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Eddie Gaedel had a 1.000 on-base average ;)
Now your talking. Keep Eddie on the bench send him up with the bases loaded in the right game situation and have him go into a Rickey Henderson crouch.:rolleyes:

[ElHalo]

Dolph Camilli is also 5'10, and is the only first basemen I have ahead of Garvey that is as short or shorter than him.

Don't necessarily know that he's better than Garvey, but there is a shorter first baseman who was certainly a very good player (made a few all star teams, led his league in OPS and won a home run title).

[yanks0714]

Albie Pearson, CF'er for the old Senators. Listed as 5-5 but shorter than that.

[RuthMayBond]

I don't suppose we could include Mini Minoso, Dick Shortwave Bartell, Roy Smalley, and Tiny Bonham

[cooldrive]

I think Stuffy McInnis was real short, but still a great fielder, hitting over .300

lifetime with some good secondary numbers.

[ElHalo]

Ripper Collins, of course, being the guy I'd put at first base.

[JohnGelnarFan]

Ripper Collins and Albie Pearson are good choices! :clapping

[JohnGelnarFan]

Sparky Adams-1922-1934 5'5"1/2 151 Lbs.

2B-SS-3B .286 B.A.
Led the league in At Bats 3 times (1925-27)
Led the league in doubles(46) in 1931
Stole 20 or more bases 4 times
Scored 90+ runs 6 times