Unlikliest Hall of Famers

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I thought this might be a new and interesting topic. This isn't about guys who are in a Hall of Fame undeservably. It's about players who would seemingly have no chance at a HOF career at some point, and yet made it. Hopefully, you'll get the idea.

 

Hoyt Wilhelm: Wilhelm made his major league debut at the age of 29 for the New York Giants. Wilhelm went on to pitch 1,070 games and save 227 games. Both at the time were Major League records. Wilhelm's adjusted ERA+ of 146 is bested only by Lefty Grove and Pedro Martinez.

 

Dazzy Vance: As a 30 year old career minor leaguer, Vance owned a career MLB record of 0-4. After an arm injury necessitated surgery, Vance returned to the Majors and won 197 games, leading the league in strikeouts seven straight years.

 

Casey Stengel: Stengel played 14 seasons in the majors as a largely average player, then began a managerial career. Stengel collected a .453 winning percentage over three seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers followed by a .432 winning percentage over six seasons with the Boston Braves. Hired to manage the Yankees six years later, he won ten of the next twelve AL pennants.

[Red Baron 0]

Is this just baseball related or can we incorporate other sports as well.

[CanadianChris 0]

Yeah, I remember reading about Vance's career in "Strange But True Baseball Stories" by Furman Bisher. His chapter was called, "Back Road to the Hall of Fame."

 

It's quite an interesting book...lots of good stories, including the usual suspects like Eddie Gaedel, Dusty Rhodes and the Miracle of Coogan's Bluff, but also some little-known stories, like a minor-league catcher who pitched a 20-inning game, and the only player ever to hit three homers in an inning.

 

But I digress.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Is this just baseball related or can we incorporate other sports as well.

Other sports certainly.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Earl Averill

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Mitch Richmond.

[therealworldschampion 0]

John Chaney - Won over 700 games, but never made it to the Final Four, with the 1988 Elite Eight loss against Duke being the worst out of the 5 losses in the regional finals. (1988, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2001)

 

Interesting note on that game, Temple freshman and star shooter Mark Macon had a horrible game, with 6 to 8 airballs. Who was defending him in that game? None other than current 76ers GM Billy King.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Does Michael Jordan count? He was cut from his H.S. team after all.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

I may catch heat for this one, and it hasn't even happened yet. It bugs me when everyone calls Reggie Miller a first ballot Hall of Famer, especially considering it took Dominique a couple. Reggie did well in a lull period, but I have a hard time putting him in classification with Legendary status. He has a high point total and most three pointers hit, but that is why he gets so much love. If Reggie had lived in the era pre-three point line, I don't think he would've had as much impact. He's still only the second best player in his family too....

[The Czech Republic 0]

Okay, but he DID play in the era of the three-point line, so the fact that he was so good at that has to be taken into consideration.

[dh86 0]

Okay, but he DID play in the era of the three-point line, so the fact that he was so good at that has to be taken into consideration.

 

reggie never played defense,rebounded,shared the ball, and not an elite scorer...but if joe dumars is in I guess reggie should be too even though neither deserve it

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

*Waits for Steve Kerr's induction then*

[Red Baron 0]

I'd nominate Steve Kerr, just because I was a mark for him back in the days like him, Tony Kukoc and Luc Longley.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Dave Stewart.