Who Should Be in the Hall of Fame?

When discussing the Baseball Hall of Fame, many wonder about its eligibility criteria and the players who should be inducted. In this article, we'll explore a personal ranking of the greatest players and pitchers from the period of 1893 to 1989.

Position Players: The Icons of Their Time

In the position player category, my top players are:

Ty Cobb Ted Williams Willie Mays Hank Aaron Honus Wagner Dimbaggio Lou Gehrig Hank Aaron Johnny Mize Mickey Mantle Jimmie Foxx Franklin Gigo Mickey Mantle Jimmie Foxx Earle Evans Earl Axford Hornsby Hornsby Musial Musial Mickey Mantle Jimmie Foxx eddie Collins Simmons Yogi Berra Rickey Henderson Duke Snider Mike Schmidt Harry Heilmann Banks Tris Kaline Wade Binninbuck Carlton Yastrzemski Clemente Williams Morgan Rosen Jimmie Foxx Hank Greenberg Mize Campanella Ed Mathews Willie McCovey Brett Warren Spahn Carlton Jim Binnman Jackie Robinson

Pitchers: Dominating the Diamond

For pitchers, the greatest players from 1893 to 1989 are:

Curt Schilling Mack Wise Lefty Grove Alexander Koufax Seaver Mathewson Johnson Fellows Tom Seaver Pete Alexander Giants Brown Warren Spahn Young Ed Walsh Jim Palmer Hubbell Dean Nichols Hal Newhouse Dazzy Vance Joss White Terry Whitey Ford McGinnity Doc Waddell Eddie Plank Greg Byrd Ryan

Conclusion: The Greatest Represented

Combining these position players and pitchers, I have identified a total of 73 players who truly represent the pinnacle of 19th and 20th-century baseball. This list excludes players with careers in the 1990s due to the controversial use of performance-enhancing drugs during that period.

Doubts and Regrets

The rankings come with some doubts and regrets. For example:

Hank Aaron and Jimmie Foxx may not be as high as they should be. Mathewson may deserve a higher rank.

However, I believe that peak performance is the best indicator of a player's true ability.

So, this is my personal ranking of the greatest players and pitchers from 1893 to 1989, a period that truly exemplifies the golden era of baseball.