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FuzzyRussianHat · 03-28-2023, 06:13 AM

The 1949 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inducted only one player in 1949 and barely. 1B Balta Llama on his fourth attempt just crossed the 66% threshold, getting in at 68.9%. 2B BJ Scott barely fell short on his second try at 65.4%. RF Jake Nicholson (64.2%), CL Noah Pugliese (63.9%), and 2B Kenny Goldman (60.7%) all were above 60%. Goldman was on his ninth attempt. Four others finished above 50%.

Of those four was Rush Anest, dropped after his 10^th ballot at 59.8%. The 17-year Albuquerque veteran pitcher had a 237-195 record, 3.56 ERA, 92.6 WAR, and 2828 strikeouts. About as high of a WAR as you can get without earning a Hall of Fame spot, but Anest was never a dominant player or award winner. His 59.8% on his 10^th try was his highest HOF tally.

Two other players were dropped after 10 seasons. 1B Larry Donoway over 19 years had 2689 hits, 1373 runs, 390 home runs, 1410 RBI, a .306 average, and 69.2 WAR. He lacked any major awards and played on a small struggling Omaha team, peaking on his debut at 31.5%. Closer Kijuan Smith was also dropped after peaking at 38.8% on his ballot debut. In 17 years, he had a 2.74 ERA, 285 saves, 32.4 WAR and was the 1919 Reliever of the Year.

Balta Llama – First Baseman – Washington Admirals – 68.9% Fourth Ballot

Balta Llama was a 5’9’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Kings Park, on Long Island in New York. Llama was a well-rounded bat with solid contact, power, and eye. He wasn’t much of a baserunner and spent his entire career at first base, generally thought of as a below average defender. He attended Indiana and had a tremendous college career, winning the college MVP award in 1921 and helping the Hoosiers to the National Championship. This earned him the 33^rd overall draft pick in the 1921 MLB Draft by Washington.

Llama spent seven seasons with the Admirals, his longest tenure with any team. He was only a part-time starter his first four years before becoming the main starter his last three seasons. His best year with Washington saw 46 home runs, 114 RBI, and 6.0 WAR in 1926. In his run there, he had 22.9 WAR, 808 hits, 434 runs, 180 home runs, and 505 RBI.

Llama left for free agency in 1929 and signed at age 28 with Houston. He had a solid season in 1929 with the Hornets and got his first taste of postseason play. However, Houston opted to trade him in April 1930 to Tampa. Llama would spent four years with the Thunderbirds and won his lone Silver Slugger in 1933, posting 7.0 WAR, 39 home runs, and 120 RBI. That season, he finished third in MVP voting.

Fresh off that, he signed in free agency with Milwaukee and spent the next five seasons with the Mustangs. In 1934 at age 33, he finished third in MVP voting again with a 7.1 WAR, 40 home run, 131 RBI, 109 run season. The Mustangs were the National Association champ in both 1934 and 1935, falling in the World Series both years. Llama had a solid 1934 playoffs, but missed the 1935 run with a fractured thumb. With Milwaukee, he had 25.3 WAR, 822 hits, 481 runs, 183 home runs, and 529 RBI. By raw stats, that was his strongest run of his career.

Llama left in 1939 at age 38 and finished his MLB career with Houston. In his 40s, he went south and spent three seasons in CABA. He had a respectable 1941 with Santo Domingo. He was traded to Leon for 1942 and then played in Haiti in 1943 in a reserve role, finally retiring at the age of 42.

His MLB stat line: 2732 hits, 1503 runs, 399 doubles, 588 home runs, 1739 RBI, 1035 walks, a .286/.356/.516 slash, and 73.1 WAR. A very solid and consistent bat for two decades, but not someone generally at the top of leaderboards or MVP conversations. Still, his resume was enough that the voters eventually got him over the hump in his fourth ballot, just passing the 66% threshold at 68.9%.

03-28-2023, 06:13 AM	#206
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,819	1949 MLB Hall of Fame The 1949 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inducted only one player in 1949 and barely. 1B Balta Llama on his fourth attempt just crossed the 66% threshold, getting in at 68.9%. 2B BJ Scott barely fell short on his second try at 65.4%. RF Jake Nicholson (64.2%), CL Noah Pugliese (63.9%), and 2B Kenny Goldman (60.7%) all were above 60%. Goldman was on his ninth attempt. Four others finished above 50%. Of those four was Rush Anest, dropped after his 10^th ballot at 59.8%. The 17-year Albuquerque veteran pitcher had a 237-195 record, 3.56 ERA, 92.6 WAR, and 2828 strikeouts. About as high of a WAR as you can get without earning a Hall of Fame spot, but Anest was never a dominant player or award winner. His 59.8% on his 10^th try was his highest HOF tally. Two other players were dropped after 10 seasons. 1B Larry Donoway over 19 years had 2689 hits, 1373 runs, 390 home runs, 1410 RBI, a .306 average, and 69.2 WAR. He lacked any major awards and played on a small struggling Omaha team, peaking on his debut at 31.5%. Closer Kijuan Smith was also dropped after peaking at 38.8% on his ballot debut. In 17 years, he had a 2.74 ERA, 285 saves, 32.4 WAR and was the 1919 Reliever of the Year. Balta Llama – First Baseman – Washington Admirals – 68.9% Fourth Ballot Balta Llama was a 5’9’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Kings Park, on Long Island in New York. Llama was a well-rounded bat with solid contact, power, and eye. He wasn’t much of a baserunner and spent his entire career at first base, generally thought of as a below average defender. He attended Indiana and had a tremendous college career, winning the college MVP award in 1921 and helping the Hoosiers to the National Championship. This earned him the 33^rd overall draft pick in the 1921 MLB Draft by Washington. Llama spent seven seasons with the Admirals, his longest tenure with any team. He was only a part-time starter his first four years before becoming the main starter his last three seasons. His best year with Washington saw 46 home runs, 114 RBI, and 6.0 WAR in 1926. In his run there, he had 22.9 WAR, 808 hits, 434 runs, 180 home runs, and 505 RBI. Llama left for free agency in 1929 and signed at age 28 with Houston. He had a solid season in 1929 with the Hornets and got his first taste of postseason play. However, Houston opted to trade him in April 1930 to Tampa. Llama would spent four years with the Thunderbirds and won his lone Silver Slugger in 1933, posting 7.0 WAR, 39 home runs, and 120 RBI. That season, he finished third in MVP voting. Fresh off that, he signed in free agency with Milwaukee and spent the next five seasons with the Mustangs. In 1934 at age 33, he finished third in MVP voting again with a 7.1 WAR, 40 home run, 131 RBI, 109 run season. The Mustangs were the National Association champ in both 1934 and 1935, falling in the World Series both years. Llama had a solid 1934 playoffs, but missed the 1935 run with a fractured thumb. With Milwaukee, he had 25.3 WAR, 822 hits, 481 runs, 183 home runs, and 529 RBI. By raw stats, that was his strongest run of his career. Llama left in 1939 at age 38 and finished his MLB career with Houston. In his 40s, he went south and spent three seasons in CABA. He had a respectable 1941 with Santo Domingo. He was traded to Leon for 1942 and then played in Haiti in 1943 in a reserve role, finally retiring at the age of 42. His MLB stat line: 2732 hits, 1503 runs, 399 doubles, 588 home runs, 1739 RBI, 1035 walks, a .286/.356/.516 slash, and 73.1 WAR. A very solid and consistent bat for two decades, but not someone generally at the top of leaderboards or MVP conversations. Still, his resume was enough that the voters eventually got him over the hump in his fourth ballot, just passing the 66% threshold at 68.9%. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)