BBF VC Progressive HoF Contributors Election: 1961

[Ace Venom]

Below is our master ballot of contributors. Please feel free to suggest new candidates to consider as I'm only caretaker of this end of the project and could have easily overlooked someone:

Contributors Ballot:

Cap Anson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap_Anson)
Frank Bancroft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Bancroft)
Ed Bolden (http://www.theforgottenleagues.com/ed_bolden_pp.htm)
John T. Brush (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_T._Brush)
Morgan Bulkeley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Bulkeley)
O.P. Caylor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._P._Caylor)
Frank Chance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Chance)
Happy Chandler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Chandler)
Fred Clarke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Clarke)
Charles Conlon (http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/conlon/conlon.html)
Joe Cronin (http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/cronijo01.shtml)
Candy Cummings (http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1276&pid=3130)
Barney Dreyfuss (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Dreyfuss)
Jack Dunn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Dunn)
Leo Durocher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Durocher)
Charles Ebbets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ebbets)
Bob Ferguson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ferguson_(infielder))
Frankie Frisch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Frisch)
Clark Griffith (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Griffith)
Bucky Harris (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucky_Harris)
Hughie Jennings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughie_Jennings)
Ring Lardner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_Lardner)
Larry MacPhail (http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&pid=8621&bid=1070)
Tommy McCarthy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_McCarthy)
Bill McKechnie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_McKechnie)
Tim Murnane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Murnane)
Jim Mutrie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Mutrie)
Harry Clay Pulliam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Clay_Pulliam)
Henry Grantland Rice (http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=R031)
Wilbert Robinson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilbert_Robinson)
Jacob Ruppert (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Ruppert)
Ben Shibe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Shibe)
Billy Southworth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Southworth)
Alfred H. Spink (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_H._Spink)
J.G. Taylor Spink (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._G._Taylor_Spink)
Charles Stoneham (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Stoneham)
C.I. Taylor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._I._Taylor)
Chris Von der Ahe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_von_der_Ahe)
John Ward (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Montgomery_Ward)
Sol White (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_White)
J.L. Wilkinson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.L._Wilkinson)
George Wright (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wright_(sportsman))
Phillip Wrigley (http://www.aagpbl.org/league/history.cfm)
William Wrigley, Jr. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wrigley_Jr.)

*I tried to provide links for these contributors so
participants could get a better sense of who they were.
Some links just have a mention of the perosn and some
clue as to their contribution. If someone knows of a more
informative link for any of these players, please speak up
and I will edit this list to add that information.

The following participants ballots will be counted though anyone is free to post a ballot, nominate a player or add to the discussion whether or not they are a member of the committee:

Leecemark
Jalbright
JJPM74
Ace Venom
dgarza
Paul Wendt
AG2004
cowtipper
PVNick
SavoyBG
Brad Harris
Domenic

Since this is the seventh election, participants may list as few as 0 or as many as 15 contributors, though if a blank ballot is cast here, there should be a justification for it.

Voting will commence immediately and conclude when the regular 1956 election concludes which is Friday September 25 at 3:05 PM EST. Any contributor appearing on a minimum of 9 ballots is elected. No tallying will be done until time has expired and I ask that participants please refrain from posting comments about who the front runners are. Participants are encouraged to post ballots early and may edit as many times as they wish up to the voting deadline. They do not need to contact me if they make a change.

HALL OF FAME CONTRIBUTORS

Contributor Year Elected
Doc Adams (http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=639&pid=16943) 1925
Ed Barrow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Barrow) 1941
Alex Cartwright (http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blbaseball.htm) 1925
Henry Chadwick (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Chadwick_(writer)) 1925
Charlie Comiskey (http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/blacksox/comiskeybio.html)1925
Tom Connolly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Connolly) 1956
Jim Creighton (http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&bid=770&pid=0) 1925
Rube Foster (http://www.nlbpa.com/foster__andrew_-_rube.html) 1930
Miller Huggins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_Huggins) 1941
William Hulbert (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hulbert) 1925
Ned Hanlon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Hanlon_(baseball)) 1936
Ban Johnson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ban_Johnson) 1936
Bill Klem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Klem) 1941
Kenesaw Landis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenesaw_Mountain_Landis) 1951
Connie Mack (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Mack_(baseball)) 1930
Joe McCarthy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_McCarthy_(baseball)) 1951
John McGraw (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McGraw_(baseball)) 1936
Al Reach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Reach) 1946
Francis Richter (http://www.uga.edu/juro/2003/shaw.htm) 1941
Branch Rickey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_Rickey) 1946
Frank Selee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Selee) 1936
AG Spalding (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Spalding) 1930
Harry Wright (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Wright) 1925

Members of the Progressive HOF elected as Contributors:

1925: Doc Adams, Alex Cartwright, Henry Chadwick, Harry Wright, William Hulbert, Charlie Comiskey, Jim Creighton
1930: Rube Foster, Connie Mack, AG Spalding
1936: Ned Hanlon, Ban Johnson, John McGraw, Frank Selee
1941: Miller Huggins, Bill Klem, Francis Richter Ed Barrow
1946: Al Reach, Branch Rickey
1951: Kenesaw Landis, Joe McCarthy
1956: Tom Connolly

Previous VC Contributors Threads:

1920 (http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=83852)
1925 (http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=84578)
1930 (http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=85051)
1936 (http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=86598)
1941 (http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=87881)
1946 (http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=89916)
1951 (http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?p=1541767)
1956 (http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=92324)

Note: Additional contributors and pioneers can be added if a participant or outsider suggests them to the master ballot. The person suggesting a contributor does not need to be a participant in the project but does need to give a brief explanation at to who the contributor is and why (s)he is worthy of discussion. Any person who is who has contributed to the game of baseball is eligible. The contributor's ballot is not limited to contributions to MLB.

[Ace Venom]

These contributors were dropped from the master list, but could be added back in by nomination:

Franklin Pierce Adams (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball's_Sad_Lexicon)
John T. Brush (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_T._Brush)
Charlie H. Byrne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Byrne_(baseball))
Bill Dinneen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Dinneen)
Abner Doubleday (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abner_Doubleday)
Al Munro Elias (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_Sports_Bureau)
John B. Foster (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E05EED9123BEE32A25756C1A9649D94 6896D6CF)
Hugh Fullerton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Fullerton)
Kid Gleason (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_Gleason)
Willie Harridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Harridge)
Gary Herrmann (http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/2163057717/)
Paul Krichell (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Paul_Krichell_1882)
Charles Wellford Leavitt Jr. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Wellford_Leavitt)
Arthur Meyerhoff (http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1119565/index.htm)
Abraham G. Mills (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Mills)
Pat Moran (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Moran)
Jack Norworth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Me_Out_to_the_Ball_Game)
Frank Osborn (http://www.baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=1515971&postcount=32)
Henry Grantland Rice (http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=R031)
Wilbert Robinson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilbert_Robinson)
Jacob Ruppert (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Ruppert)
Arthur Soden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Soden)
Charlie Somers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Somers)
George Stallings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Stallings)
Gabby Street (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabby_Street)
Ernest Thayer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Thayer)
Frank Warfield (http://coe.ksu.edu/nlbemuseum/history/players/warfield.html)
Horace Wilson (http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/History_of_baseball_in_Japan)
Charles Zaldo (http://www.library.fordham.edu/cubanbaseball/Zaldo.html)
Henry Zaldo (http://www.library.fordham.edu/cubanbaseball/Zaldo.html)
Frederick Zaldo (http://www.library.fordham.edu/cubanbaseball/Zaldo.html)

[PVNICK]

Morgan Bulkeley
O.P. Caylor
Bob Ferguson
Clark Griffith
Tim Murnane
Alfred H. Spink
J.G. Taylor Spink
Chris Von der Ahe

[Paul Wendt]

I will vote a full ballot, 15 or more than 20 candidates plausible in my view now, "led" by Clark Griffith and J.L. Wilkinson.

Discussion is welcome, especially regarding newly eligible field managers Billy Southworth, Leo Durocher and Bucky Harris . Their supporters and detractors should speak up. Comparison with Bill McKechnie may be useful. Jim Mutrie may be the only other person nominated primarily for his work as a manager and is too distant in time for this particular comparison to be useful.

(I don't see Joe Cronin and Frank Frisch as plausible contributor candidates, nor Chance, Jennings and Robinson as strong candidates. Four of them are player-managers already recognized as players and Robinson needs all three parts of his career to mount a challenge.)

[Ace Venom]

The date on this election should be 1961.

[SavoyBG]

MY BALLOT:

Fred Clarke
Charles Conlon
Barney Dreyfuss
Jack Dunn
Bob Ferguson
Clark Griffith
Ring Lardner
Joe McCarthy
Tommy McCarthy
Grantland Rice
Wilbert Robinson
Billy Southworth
Chris von der Ahe
John Ward
Philip Wrigley

[jalbright]

The date has been changed per the request of the thread starter.

My ballot:

Bolden
Dunn
Durocher
B. Harris
McKechnie
Southworth
JGT Spink
C I Taylor
J L Wilkinson

[Ace Venom]

My ballot:

Cap Anson
Morgan Bulkeley
Frank Chance
Happy Chandler
Candy Cummings
Bob Ferguson
Bucky Harris
Bill McKechnie
Larry McPhail
Harry Clay Pulliam
Jacob Ruppert
Billy Southworth
C.I. Taylor
Philip Wrigley
William Wrigley, Jr.

[jjpm74]

Larry MacPhail (http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&pid=8621&bid=1070) should be on the master ballot this year.

I'm voting a full 15 with a small queue this go around:

O.P. Caylor
Happy Chandler
Charles Conlon
Candy Cummings
Leo Durocher
Bob Ferguson
Clark Griffith
Bucky Harris
Larry MacPhail
Bill McKetchnie
Jim Mutrie
Billy Southworth
C.I. Taylor
John Ward
J.L. Wilkinson

[Paul Wendt]

J.L. Wilkinson, founder and owner/GM, "All Nations" and Kansas City Monarchs
: at MLB (http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060215&content_id=1311760&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb)
: at NLBPA (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nlbpa.com%2Fwilkinson_jl.html&ei=wfmzSvSnLaiD8QadysiTDw&usg=AFQjCNG-EYYQ2hdqrcXyFAC885cP6u4jjg&sig2=n1bznnLaU2iNry0ogXHvHw)

[Domenic]

Fred Clarke
Charles Conlon
Jack Dunn
Leo Durocher
Joe McCarthy
Tommy McCarthy
Grantland Rice
Wilbert Robinson
Billy Southworth
C I Taylor
John Ward
J L Wilkinson
Philip Wrigley

[Brad Harris]

O.P. Caylor
Fred Clarke
Jack Dunn
Leo Durocher
Clark Griffith
Bill McKechnie
Tim Murnane
Grantland Rice
Jacob Ruppert
Billy Southworth
Alfred H. Spink
J.G. Taylor Spink
Chris Von der Ahe
John Ward
J.L. Wilkinson

[Ace Venom]

Larry MacPhail (http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&pid=8621&bid=1070) should be on the master ballot this year.

Done. If anyone else has recommendations, don't hesitate to volunteer information.

[dgarza]

I'll nominate Henry Grantland Rice


Cap Anson
Ed Bolden
Frank Chance
Charles Conlon
Candy Cummings
Leo Durocher
Clark Griffith
Hughie Jennings
Ring Lardner
Larry MacPhail
Henry Grantland Rice
Alfred H. Spink
C.I. Taylor
John Ward
Sol White

[Cowtipper]

Frank Bancroft
Ed Bolden
O. P. Caylor
Happy Chandler
Candy Cummings
Barney Dreyfuss
Larry MacPhail
Tommy McCarthy
Jim Mutrie
Harry Clay Pulliam
Ben Shibe
Sol White

[Ace Venom]

SavoyBG had a good post about Bob Ferguson in the previous contributor's election:
http://www.baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=1584098&postcount=28

[leecemark]

Clark Griffith - not sure if we elected him as a player? If so, please don't count this as I am not in favor of electing anyone more than once.


Larry MacPhail
C.I. Taylor
J.L. Wilkinson

[Ace Venom]

If so, please don't count this as I am not in favor of electing anyone more than once.

The way I've been counting it (see Spalding) is that if you are elected as both, you're still only counted once. Your other stuff is just noted. My Hall of Famer count seems one short if you add the players and contributors totals, but Spalding is only counted once. I don't see a real reason to count him twice when all it does is add to his resume.

[jjpm74]

Just moving this back up since I think 2 people have yet to vote and it closes tomorrow: Paul Wendt and AG2004

[Paul Wendt]

AG:
Have you posted a case for Ben Shibe?

Anyone:
Why Charles Conlon? Does he represent photographic journalism? art?


Discussion is welcome, especially regarding newly eligible field managers Billy Southworth, Leo Durocher and Bucky Harris . Their supporters and detractors should speak up. Comparison with Bill McKechnie may be useful.

McKechnie stands as the lone recent manager on my ballot.

... which I not complete with Jake Ruppert. I have not accepted his designation "The Best Owner Baseball Ever Had" (he leads a poll next door) but there is enough to acknowledge in one 1961 vote here.

Frank Bancroft
Ed Bolden
O.P. Caylor
Charles Conlon
Candy Cummings
Bob Ferguson
Clark Griffith
Bill McKechnie
Jacob Ruppert
Alfred H. Spink
J.G. Taylor Spink
C.I. Taylor
John Ward
Sol White
J.L. Wilkinson

[Paul Wendt]

AG:
Have you posted a case for Ben Shibe?

I found one in the first thread of this series. AG's case for Ben Shibe, 1920 (http://www.baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=1326744&postcount=11)


Is there a way to search this forum and get the particular pages where there are hits, rather than simply the threads with hits. Or a way to load a whole thread at once?

[dgarza]

AG:
Anyone:
Why Charles Conlon? Does he represent photographic journalism?
Essentially (and for nearly 4 decades). Photographic journalism, visual documentation, whatever you want to call it. Art? Yes, but that's really somewhat secondary for his HOF case.

The documentation of baseball was not new. And players have been photographed before, often in ridiculously awkward staged poses. But what Conlon did was bring out the depth of character that words alone cannot document. Conlon documented more than just men and baseball, but helps us, even now, understand who they really might have been. Something that is important, precious, intimate, and makes the game more than just numbers and events. Thanks in part to Conlon, baseball has achieved that level, while most (if not all) other sports have not.

Originally published May 27, 1937.
Three and One
Looking them over with J.G. Taylor Spink
"Editor's Note -- Charles Martin Conlon is a proof-reader on the New York World-Telegram. That's his profession. His hobby, for which he is better known, is photography -- especially baseball photography. There is hardly a ball player in the major leagues who doesn't know Charley. There isn't a veteran performer who isn't his friend. He is the official photographer for Spalding's Official Guide and also contributes his camera work to THE SPORTING NEWS, the World-Telegram and other publications. The picture which Conlon made of Ty Cobb stealing third at the old Hilltop grounds of the Yankees, in New York, still is rated the greatest baseball action photograph in the history of the game."

[jjpm74]

While this is not about Charles Conlon, there is an interesting article in this month's Smithsonian that peripherally discusses the evolution of early baseball photography:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Indelible-Images-Double-Play.html

[dgarza]

While this is not about Charles Conlon, there is an interesting article in this month's Smithsonian that peripherally discusses the evolution of early baseball photography:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Indelible-Images-Double-Play.htmlThanks.

I'd like to learn more about Paul Thompson, the photographer mentioned in the article.

Meanwhile, enjoy this Thompson photogrpah of Eddie Grant:
http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/ppmsca/15800/15833r.jpg

[Paul Wendt]

I have substituted the recent photographic journalist Charles Conlon for the early newspaper journalist and minor league commissioner Tim Murnane.

In switching from Murnane, I was influenced by noticing that John Ward has picked up some support. I do wonder how many panelists will never vote for Ward because he has been elected as a player --a restriction leecemark mentioned in casting a conditional vote for Clark Griffith.

[Ace Venom]

No one received the nine votes required for election. C.I. Taylor led all contributors with seven votes.

[Ace Venom]

This is a few days late, but I have the final results along with a few notes. I ended up recounting the results and discovered that no candidate received more than six votes. Only eleven voters out of the twelve committee members cast ballots.

1961 Final Results - 11 Votes Cast (9 Required for Election)
t1) Charles Conlon - 6 Votes
t1) Clark Griffith - 6 Votes
t1) Billy Southworth - 6 Votes
t1) C.I. Taylor - 6 Votes
t1) John Ward - 6 Votes
t1) J. L. Wilkinson - 6 Votes
t7) O. P. Caylor - 5 Votes
t7) Leo Durocher - 5 Votes
t7) Bob Ferguson - 5 Votes
t7) Larry MacPhail - 5 Votes
t7) Bill McKechnie - 5 Votes
t12) Candy Cummings - 4 Votes
t12) Jack Dunn - 4 Votes
t12) Henry Grantland Rice - 4 Votes
t12) Alfred H. Spink - 4 Votes
t12) J. G. Taylor Spink - 4 Votes
t17) Ed Bolden - 3 Votes
t17) Happy Chandler - 3 Votes
t17) Fred Clarke - 3 Votes
t17) Bucky Harris - 3 Votes
t17) Tommy McCarthy - 3 Votes
t17) Jacob Ruppert - 3 Votes
t17) Chris von der Ahe - 3 Votes
t17) Sol White - 3 Votes
t17) Philip Wrigley - 3 Votes
t27) Cap Anson - 2 Votes
t27) Frank Bancroft - 2 Votes
t27) Morgan Bulkeley - 2 Votes
t27) Frank Chance - 2 Votes
t27) Barney Dreyfuss - 2 Votes
t27) Ring Lardner - 2 Votes
t27) Tim Murnane - 2 Votes
t27) Jim Mutrie - 2 Votes
t27) Harry Clay Pulliam - 2 Votes
t27) Wilbert Robinson - 2 Votes
t37) Hughie Jennings - 1 Vote
t37) Ben Shibe - 1 Vote
t37) William Wrigley, Jr. - 1 Vote

As you can see, there was no clear favorite in this election. This is the first time we've elected no one on this side of the project and I figure it's about time for a clean up on the master list. One thing I want to note is that Joe McCarthy is not on the ballot. I've seen votes pop up for him, but he was elected already. I've been pretty busy lately and I've often not had time to correct people about that.

As it stands, I need to give this side of the project more attention than I've been giving it. I need to trim the ballot of contributors who received one or no votes, something I did not do in the last election. I might have had the same situation pop up in the election before that, but I can't be sure without going back to the old threads. We also need to shore up discussion of candidates. I put a link to SavoyBG's case for Bob Ferguson in the thread and AG2004's case for Ben Shibe was referenced as well. With no leader in the vote and a six-way tie for first place at six votes, I think we've all been a bit too relaxed in this area. Here were the leading candidates:

Charles Conlon
Clark Griffith
Billy Southworth
C.I. Taylor
John Ward
J. L. Wilkinson

I can understand why some people would not vote for Clark Griffith due to his election as a player. I want to clear up the misconception that you'd be electing him twice. Al Spalding is in both wings, but he is only counted once in the Hall of Famer tally. You would not be electing Griffith twice, but you'd essentially be giving him some extra recognition. John Ward falls in the same boat.

As far as the other candidates go, some discussion needs to be had. While I don't have a problem with not electing anyone (i.e. we shouldn't elect just for the sake of doing it), I at least want to see some discussion about some of these leading candidates. I'd rather we not have two consecutive elections where no one was elected without discussion on the candidates.