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FuzzyRussianHat · 12-31-2022, 08:45 AM

Three players were elected to the 1931 MLB Hall of Fame Class, each on the first ballot. Third baseman Del Klassen got in with an impressive 90.2%, while closers Brandon Smith and Clark Sanders both narrowly got in at 72.3% and 67.7%, respectively. Jonathon Gillette just missed out on his third try at 63.5%. Dan Wagner, Karl Maurer, and Bill Willis each got over 50%.

For Willis, it was his 10^th year on the ballot, ending his pursuit. An outfielder with Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Denver; Willis retired as the all-time MLB stolen base leader with 801. He had over 60 WAR and over 1400 hits, but lack of power and weak fielding hurt. He finished above 50% seven times, peaking in 1928 at 58.0%

In the CABA voting, catcher Mar Pavia made it on the first ballot at 74.3%. Also cracking 50+ were pitchers Matt Determan (57.3%) and Jimmy Pike (56.3%).

Del “Bugs” Klassen – Third Baseman – Jacksonville Gators – 90.2% First Ballot

Del Klassen was a 5’7’’, 190 pound infielder from Calgary. Klassen was known as an excellent contact hitter with respectable power and a solid penchant for drawing walks. He played a little bit of shortstop early in his career, but quickly spend the majority of his time at third base. He was considered a well below average fielder and okay baserunner, but his batting prowess served him well. Additionally, he was considered a greedy guy who wasn’t a leader and lacked work ethic.

Despite those deficiencies, he was a highly recruited player, playing collegiately at Kansas State. In the 1904 MLB Draft, Klassen was the first overall pick by San Antonio. He became a full-time starter for the Oilers right away, putting up respectable numbers despite dealing with some nagging injuries. But with San Antonio, he was merely a good starter, not the stud they had hoped with the top overall pick. After five seasons, in the 1909 offseason, Klassen was traded to Denver. He spent two seasons with the Dragons, then at age 28 signed an eight-year, $39,200 deal with Jacksonville.

His signature run was with the Gators, where he picked up three of his four Silver Sluggers. He didn’t put up league-leading numbers, but thrice posted 7+ WAR seasons with Jacksonville. In 1915, he had a career best 40 home runs and 130 RBI. His last year with the Gators in 1918, they won the Southern League title, although were an early playoff exit.

Klassen declined the eighth-year option on his deal and joined Columbus on a four-year contract at age 35. He continued to put up quality hitting numbers over the length of the deal, getting another Silver Slugger in 1920 and helping the Chargers to a NACS appearance. He then signed at age 39 with Seattle and played his final three seasons there.

In May 1923, Klassen became only the second player in MLB history to reach 3000 career hits. He fell off in his last year with the Grizzlies, keeping him just short of a few milestones. Klassen recorded 1991 runs scored, retiring as the all-time record holder. He was third all-time in hits and walks drawn at retirement and almost got to 500 home runs, finishing at 498. His numbers have been passed in many cases years later, but as a reliable producer for two decades, Klassen goes down as an all-time great hitter and a worthy Hall of Famer.

Brandon Smith – Closer – Vancouver Volcanoes – 72.3% First Ballot

Brandon Smith was a 6’0’’, 205 pound left-handed pitcher from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He had two pitches, but both were excellent; a 99-101 mph fastball and a solid slider. He averaged a strikeout per inning with these pitches and while in college at East Carolina, was the 1903 NCAA Reliever of the Year.

Smith was taken by Vancouver in the second round of the 1904 MLB Draft with the 75^th overall pick. He spent six seasons with the Volcanoes, leading the American Association with 35 saves in his second year. After the 1910 season, Smith signed a three-year contract with Denver, where he was their close for two seasons. The Dragons traded him to Hartford for his age 28 season in 1913. After one season with the Huskies, Smith spent the next three seasons with Dallas.

He joined Albuquerque in 1917 at age 32, but was rarely used. That offseason, the Isotopes traded him to Memphis, where he was the closer for two seasons. That would be his last time as a the closer, but he’d spend another six seasons bouncing around as a bullpen arm. He pitched for Calgary, the New York Yankees, New Orleans, a return to Denver, Columbus, and then with the Yankees one more time.

Smith retired with 375 saves, one of only three to reach that mark at the time of retirement. His 39.4 WAR was the most by a reliever at the time of retirement and 1259 strikeouts was second behind fellow 1931 inductee Clark Sanders. Those thresholds led to Brandon Smith getting picked for the MLB Hall of Fame.

Clark Sanders – Closer – Omaha Hawks – 67.7% First Ballot

Clark Sanders was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right handed relief pitcher born way up north in Kodiak, Alaska. Sanders ended up being known for a 100 mph fastball, along with a pretty solid curveball to compliment it. He played college baseball at Western Michigan University and was a respectable starter, scouts at the top rated his stuff as a 7/10. In the 1906 Draft, Indianapolis picked him in the third round, 104^th overall. But Sanders elected to take a risk and return for his senior year as a Bronco. His gamble worked, with scouts then rating him a 10/10 for stuff. In the 1907 Draft, he was taken 76^th overall by Omaha, who he signed with and played with for 13 seasons.

He moved into the closer role by his sophomore season and filled that spot for the Hawks from 1909 until 1920. He twice led the National Association in saves, and finished third in Reliever of the Year voting in 1914, although he never would claim the award. Omaha twice won the Midwest League during his tenure, although they never made it out of the first round of the playoffs.

Looking to rebuild in the summer of 1920, Sanders was part of a trade with infielder Jeremy Cooper for five prospects to Dallas. He pitched a year and a half with the Dalmatians, then bounced around his final four seasons as a back of the bullpen type for San Francisco, Columbus, Philadelphia, and Hartford.

Like Brandon Smith, he retired in the top three of most reliever stats, along with already inducted Jim Klattenburger. His 385 saves was second most at retirement (only behind Klattenburger) and he had the most strikeouts for a reliever at 1271. With similar stats, some wonders if voters would opt to pass on both him and Smith; but they decided both relievers were worthy of being in the 1931 MLB Hall of Fame class.

Mar Pavia – Catcher – Tijuana Toros – 74.3% First Ballot

Mar Pavia was a 5’10’’, 185 pound catcher from the Dominican capital Santo Domingo. Pavia was generally considered a very solid all-around bat for the often-weak catcher position, while also providing very good defensive value at the position. On top of his baseball skills, Pavia was an excellent leader, serving as the captain for Tijuana’s early CABA dynasty.

When CABA formed officially for the 1911 season, he was expected to be an important player, having already shown his value in the unorganized Dominican leagues that existed prior. But at age 26, he started his real pro career be signing an eight-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Pavia earned a Silver Slugger in his MLB debut, but the Orioles decided to sell his contract to Jamaica before the 1912 season. After a year with the Jazz as a backup, he was traded to Tijuana.

At age 28, his signature run began as arguably the greatest catcher in CABA history. 11 times, he was named Silver Slugger at catcher in the Mexican League, four times a Gold Glove winner, and 11 times an all-star. In his second year with the Toros, he won league MVP, posting 12.4 WAR a .989 OPS.

To many, he was the heart and soul of the Tijuana dynasty. They won seven Mexican League titles and four CABA titles during Pavia’s run. He also was the 1918 CABA Championship MVP. He was the first Mexican League player to get 11 Silver Sluggers and would end up only one of two catchers to have done so a century later.

Pavia retired at age 40 in 1925 after 13 seasons with the Toros. As a catcher in a low offense era, his final career numbers aren’t all eye popping; 1620 CABA hits, 337 home runs, 853 RBI. The totals are lower too since he didn’t officially start in CABA until age 27, with the stats-only voters snubbing him for a lower percentage than you might expect. But he amassed 91.1 WAR with the help of his excellent defense behind the plate. And as a key piece of CABA’s first dynasty, Pavia more than earned his spot in the Hall of Fame.

12-31-2022, 08:45 AM	#90
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,571	1931 Hall of Fame Three players were elected to the 1931 MLB Hall of Fame Class, each on the first ballot. Third baseman Del Klassen got in with an impressive 90.2%, while closers Brandon Smith and Clark Sanders both narrowly got in at 72.3% and 67.7%, respectively. Jonathon Gillette just missed out on his third try at 63.5%. Dan Wagner, Karl Maurer, and Bill Willis each got over 50%. For Willis, it was his 10^th year on the ballot, ending his pursuit. An outfielder with Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Denver; Willis retired as the all-time MLB stolen base leader with 801. He had over 60 WAR and over 1400 hits, but lack of power and weak fielding hurt. He finished above 50% seven times, peaking in 1928 at 58.0% In the CABA voting, catcher Mar Pavia made it on the first ballot at 74.3%. Also cracking 50+ were pitchers Matt Determan (57.3%) and Jimmy Pike (56.3%). Del “Bugs” Klassen – Third Baseman – Jacksonville Gators – 90.2% First Ballot Del Klassen was a 5’7’’, 190 pound infielder from Calgary. Klassen was known as an excellent contact hitter with respectable power and a solid penchant for drawing walks. He played a little bit of shortstop early in his career, but quickly spend the majority of his time at third base. He was considered a well below average fielder and okay baserunner, but his batting prowess served him well. Additionally, he was considered a greedy guy who wasn’t a leader and lacked work ethic. Despite those deficiencies, he was a highly recruited player, playing collegiately at Kansas State. In the 1904 MLB Draft, Klassen was the first overall pick by San Antonio. He became a full-time starter for the Oilers right away, putting up respectable numbers despite dealing with some nagging injuries. But with San Antonio, he was merely a good starter, not the stud they had hoped with the top overall pick. After five seasons, in the 1909 offseason, Klassen was traded to Denver. He spent two seasons with the Dragons, then at age 28 signed an eight-year, $39,200 deal with Jacksonville. His signature run was with the Gators, where he picked up three of his four Silver Sluggers. He didn’t put up league-leading numbers, but thrice posted 7+ WAR seasons with Jacksonville. In 1915, he had a career best 40 home runs and 130 RBI. His last year with the Gators in 1918, they won the Southern League title, although were an early playoff exit. Klassen declined the eighth-year option on his deal and joined Columbus on a four-year contract at age 35. He continued to put up quality hitting numbers over the length of the deal, getting another Silver Slugger in 1920 and helping the Chargers to a NACS appearance. He then signed at age 39 with Seattle and played his final three seasons there. In May 1923, Klassen became only the second player in MLB history to reach 3000 career hits. He fell off in his last year with the Grizzlies, keeping him just short of a few milestones. Klassen recorded 1991 runs scored, retiring as the all-time record holder. He was third all-time in hits and walks drawn at retirement and almost got to 500 home runs, finishing at 498. His numbers have been passed in many cases years later, but as a reliable producer for two decades, Klassen goes down as an all-time great hitter and a worthy Hall of Famer. Brandon Smith – Closer – Vancouver Volcanoes – 72.3% First Ballot Brandon Smith was a 6’0’’, 205 pound left-handed pitcher from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He had two pitches, but both were excellent; a 99-101 mph fastball and a solid slider. He averaged a strikeout per inning with these pitches and while in college at East Carolina, was the 1903 NCAA Reliever of the Year. Smith was taken by Vancouver in the second round of the 1904 MLB Draft with the 75^th overall pick. He spent six seasons with the Volcanoes, leading the American Association with 35 saves in his second year. After the 1910 season, Smith signed a three-year contract with Denver, where he was their close for two seasons. The Dragons traded him to Hartford for his age 28 season in 1913. After one season with the Huskies, Smith spent the next three seasons with Dallas. He joined Albuquerque in 1917 at age 32, but was rarely used. That offseason, the Isotopes traded him to Memphis, where he was the closer for two seasons. That would be his last time as a the closer, but he’d spend another six seasons bouncing around as a bullpen arm. He pitched for Calgary, the New York Yankees, New Orleans, a return to Denver, Columbus, and then with the Yankees one more time. Smith retired with 375 saves, one of only three to reach that mark at the time of retirement. His 39.4 WAR was the most by a reliever at the time of retirement and 1259 strikeouts was second behind fellow 1931 inductee Clark Sanders. Those thresholds led to Brandon Smith getting picked for the MLB Hall of Fame. Clark Sanders – Closer – Omaha Hawks – 67.7% First Ballot Clark Sanders was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right handed relief pitcher born way up north in Kodiak, Alaska. Sanders ended up being known for a 100 mph fastball, along with a pretty solid curveball to compliment it. He played college baseball at Western Michigan University and was a respectable starter, scouts at the top rated his stuff as a 7/10. In the 1906 Draft, Indianapolis picked him in the third round, 104^th overall. But Sanders elected to take a risk and return for his senior year as a Bronco. His gamble worked, with scouts then rating him a 10/10 for stuff. In the 1907 Draft, he was taken 76^th overall by Omaha, who he signed with and played with for 13 seasons. He moved into the closer role by his sophomore season and filled that spot for the Hawks from 1909 until 1920. He twice led the National Association in saves, and finished third in Reliever of the Year voting in 1914, although he never would claim the award. Omaha twice won the Midwest League during his tenure, although they never made it out of the first round of the playoffs. Looking to rebuild in the summer of 1920, Sanders was part of a trade with infielder Jeremy Cooper for five prospects to Dallas. He pitched a year and a half with the Dalmatians, then bounced around his final four seasons as a back of the bullpen type for San Francisco, Columbus, Philadelphia, and Hartford. Like Brandon Smith, he retired in the top three of most reliever stats, along with already inducted Jim Klattenburger. His 385 saves was second most at retirement (only behind Klattenburger) and he had the most strikeouts for a reliever at 1271. With similar stats, some wonders if voters would opt to pass on both him and Smith; but they decided both relievers were worthy of being in the 1931 MLB Hall of Fame class. Mar Pavia – Catcher – Tijuana Toros – 74.3% First Ballot Mar Pavia was a 5’10’’, 185 pound catcher from the Dominican capital Santo Domingo. Pavia was generally considered a very solid all-around bat for the often-weak catcher position, while also providing very good defensive value at the position. On top of his baseball skills, Pavia was an excellent leader, serving as the captain for Tijuana’s early CABA dynasty. When CABA formed officially for the 1911 season, he was expected to be an important player, having already shown his value in the unorganized Dominican leagues that existed prior. But at age 26, he started his real pro career be signing an eight-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Pavia earned a Silver Slugger in his MLB debut, but the Orioles decided to sell his contract to Jamaica before the 1912 season. After a year with the Jazz as a backup, he was traded to Tijuana. At age 28, his signature run began as arguably the greatest catcher in CABA history. 11 times, he was named Silver Slugger at catcher in the Mexican League, four times a Gold Glove winner, and 11 times an all-star. In his second year with the Toros, he won league MVP, posting 12.4 WAR a .989 OPS. To many, he was the heart and soul of the Tijuana dynasty. They won seven Mexican League titles and four CABA titles during Pavia’s run. He also was the 1918 CABA Championship MVP. He was the first Mexican League player to get 11 Silver Sluggers and would end up only one of two catchers to have done so a century later. Pavia retired at age 40 in 1925 after 13 seasons with the Toros. As a catcher in a low offense era, his final career numbers aren’t all eye popping; 1620 CABA hits, 337 home runs, 853 RBI. The totals are lower too since he didn’t officially start in CABA until age 27, with the stats-only voters snubbing him for a lower percentage than you might expect. But he amassed 91.1 WAR with the help of his excellent defense behind the plate. And as a key piece of CABA’s first dynasty, Pavia more than earned his spot in the Hall of Fame. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)