Does the name Charlie Grimm ring a bell with anyone? Until I recently checked the Stats of all 200 Players eligible for induction into the Hall Of Fame in 2003, I did not know of him.
When I prepared my list of the eligible Players (30) who will be on the Voters List, he was one of the Players who I though deserved to be on that List. Furthermore, I thought that this man should have been in the HOF long ago. I believe the only reason he is not there is because he is considered an Old-Timer and these Players are shunned to easily by the Veterans Committee members.
Here are his Stats:
Batting, 1916-1936
Years Played - --20
Games Played - 2166
At Bats -------7917
Hits-----------2299
Home Runs--------79
RBIs-----------1078
Batting Avg----.290
Total Base-----3146
Manager, 1932-49 (except for 5 yrs during WW2)1952-56, 1960 (19 years)
Games ---2368
Wins------1287
Losses----1067
W/L % ---.547
From 1916 to 1960 (44 years), he spent 34 years in Baseball as a Player/Manager.
The Hall of Fame only inducts people as a Player or Manager. I think it's about time that the Committee should recognize the contribution that Players who later become Managers does for Baseball and a special selection should apply for this type of individual.
I think that this type of individual should be in the Hall of Fame. As a Player and then a Manager he certainly made his mark in Baseball and the Stats are there to prove it.
The Hall of Fame has many inductees who were judged as HOF'ers without having Stats to back it up and we all know how stories of past accomplishments are made a lot more glowing than they actually were.
That's my opinion.
» I love Baseball; a Brooklyn Dodgers Fan from 1950.
Also by Jim Keats
» There Was a Team in Brooklyn: An Ode to Brooklyn Fans
» More submissions
Posted October 4, 2002.
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