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FuzzyRussianHat · 07-26-2023, 05:29 PM

The 1969 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class saw two players inducted, both on the first ballot. Leading the pair was first baseman Jaxson Bradley with 82.7%. Joining him was second baseman Ted Henderson with 71.2%. Three others were above 60%, but below the 66% threshold needed for induction. 3B Beckham Hudson got 63.5% on his first try, SS Chance Warren was at 62.7% on his second go, and 2B Bodie Howard was at 60.9% on his ninth. Five other players were above 50%. This time around, there were no players that were dropped after ten failed attempts on the ballot.

Jaxson Bradley – First Baseman – Hartford Huskies – 82.7% First Ballot

Jaxson Bradley was a 5’11’’, 205 pound left-handed hitting first baseman from East Longmeadow, Massachusetts; a small town that is part of the Springfield metropolitan statistical area. Bradley was best known for having an incredible eye and ability to draw walks. At retirement, he was one of two MLB Hall of Famers with an on-base percentage above .400. Bradley was also a very good contact hitter with respectable pop in his bat, reliable for around 30-35 doubles and 25-30 home runs per season. He was a very slow baserunner and a career first baseman, although he was generally viewed as average to above average with his glove. Bradley was also an ironman, very rarely missing any time due to injuries.

Bradley attended Illinois in college and as a freshman, finished second in NCAA MVP voting. In three seasons for the Fighting Illini, he had 175 hits, 109 runs, 45 home runs, and 121 RBI in 147 games. Bradley ended up a late first round pick in the 1946 MLB Draft, picked 44^th overall by Hartford. The Huskies were a contender at this point, having made it to the National Association Championship Series in three of the prior four seasons. The hope was that Bradley could be that final piece to push Hartford to the promised land.

He only played in 117 games as a rookie, but was immediately impactful with a .357 average, .461 OBP, and 6.5 WAR. Bradley was the 1947 Rookie of the Year as Hartford again got to the NACS, but fell short. Bradley was a full-time starter for the next nine seasons with the Huskies, leading the National Association in walks and OBP four times. In his sophomore season, he finished second in MVP voting with 8.1 WAR. Bradley had a stellar postseason as Hartford won the World Series. In 16 games, he had 18 hits, 19 runs, 8 RBI, and 23 walks. The 23 walks was a postseason record which still holds as the single-season record as of 2037.

At the crowded first base position, Bradley only won Silver Sluggers thrice, coming in 1950, 1951, and 1953. He was second in MVP voting as well in 1950, which saw him lead the NA in OPS at 1.005 and wRC+ at 192. His best year by WAR was 1951 at 8.9 and he’d post 6+ WAR in nine of his 10 Hartford seasons. The Huskies made it to the World Series again in 1950, but were denied the ring by San Francisco. They never had a losing season in Bradley’s run, although they fell just short a few times in the early 1950s before having early exits in the mid 1950s.

Bradley was a playoff performer, posting 74 hits, 38 runs, 19 doubles, 25 RBI, and 42 walks in 63 games. He was also a regular for the United States National Team in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-57. In 223 games, he had 197 hits, 157 runs, 36 doubles, 68 home runs, 175 RBI, 167 walks, and 11.5 WAR. He finished second in tournament MVP voting in 1956 and won world titles for the USA in 1947, 48, 51, 552, 55, and 57. Bradley led the tournament in walks five times and RBI twice. As of 2037, he is one of five players with 165+ walks in tournament history.

His final overall stats with Hartford was 1716 hits, 1013 runs, 340 doubles, 283 home runs, 964 RBI, 946 walks, a .316/.416/.544 slash and 73.0 WAR. Bradley was well liked by Huskies fans and his #2 uniform would get retired once his career was over. Bradley entered the last year of his Hartford contract at age 31 and had seen his career worst production the prior year, although he was still a very solid starter. Still, Hartford opted to trade Bradley just before opening day 1957 to Las Vegas in exchange for five prospects.

Bradley never reached the same heights, but was a reliable starter for five seasons with the Vipers, leading the American Association in OBP in 1960. Like Hartford earlier, Las Vegas had been a reliable playoff contender that just couldn’t get over the hump. They were one-and-done in 1957 and 1958, but in 1959 the Vipers won their first World Series title. In the 1959 run, Bradley had 18 hits, 8 runs, 5 home runs, and 18 RBI worth 0.8 WAR over 16 playoff games. Las Vegas peaked here with Bradley’s final Vipers stats at 687 hits, 421 runs, 131 doubles, 96 home runs, 369 RBI, 434 walks, and 19.2 WAR.

Bradley became a free agent and for the 1962 season, the now 36-year old signed a three-year deal with Houston. He earned his 2500^th hit, 1500^th run, and 400^th home run with the Hornets, although his production in those two seasons was quite unremarkable. He did also cross 1500 walks drawn, only the ninth player to do so at that point. Houston let him go after the second year of his deal and Bradley went unsigned in 1964, retiring that winter at age 38.

Bradley’s final stats: 2618 hits, 1560 runs, 508 doubles, 410 home runs, 1459 RBI, 1507 walks, a .299/.401/.505 slash and 94.5 WAR. At this point, only John Roberts at .425 was in the Hall of Fame with a better OBP. Bradley was also one of only 19 MLB players to that point with 500+ career doubles. It was a fine career and his postseason success and role in helping both Hartford and Las Vegas to titles put Bradley over the top, getting the first ballot nod at 82.7%.

Ted “Fate” Henderson – Second Baseman – Las Vegas Vipers – 71.2% First Ballot

Ted Henderson was a 5’9’’, 180 pound right-handed second baseman from San Jose, California. Henderson was known for having a good eye, solid speed, and a terrific work ethic. He was considered average to above average as a contact hitter and at avoiding strikeouts. Henderson’s power was sporadic and averaged out to around 25 home runs per year, but he’d occasionally whack 35-40 while giving you 25-35 doubles/triples. Henderson was a career second baseman and while not award-winning, was typically viewed as above average to solid with the glove.

Henderson left the Bay Area and spent his college years with Texas, winning a Silver Slugger as a sophomore and taking third in NCAA MVP voting as a junior. With the Longhorns, Henderson had 174 hits, 123 runs, 35 home runs, 109 RBI, and 9.8 WAR over 143 games. Second basemen who could reliably hit like Henderson weren’t easy to find, thus he was selected second overall in the 1940 MLB Draft by Las Vegas.

Henderson missed about a month or two in each of his first three seasons due to various injuries. He had shown promise when healthy in years two and three, but struggled in his first complete season in 1944. He saw improvement in 1945, but again missed notable time to injury. Patience would pay off for Las Vegas, as he’d see fewer injuries and more consistent strong production in his late 20s and early 30s. From 1946-1958, he had eight season worth 5+ WAR. Henderson won four Silver Sluggers, in 1947, 51, 54, and 58. In 1948, he hit for the cycle against Calgary.

1951 was his best season and the closest Henderson got to an MVP, finishing third in voting. That year at age 31, he led the American Association in WAR (7.6) and runs scored (126). These would be his only years as a league leader. He also hit 34 home runs, one of four seasons with 30+. After stinking in the 1940s, Las Vegas became a contender in the 1950s. They had six 100+ win seasons from 1950-56 and nine playoff berths in the decade, although the Vipers were often doomed to early exits. Henderson persisted and stuck it out with Vegas. He also played 71 games from 1954-61 in the World Baseball Championship for the US team, posting 43 hits, 38 runs, 15 home runs, 31 RBI, and 2.1 WAR. Henderson won four rings with the American team (1955, 57, 58, 61).

In 1958, Henderson had a career best 41 home runs and seemed not to be losing a step into his late 30s. 1959 was the year Las Vegas finally broke through and won its first World Series. Unfortunately for Henderson, he missed the postseason with a fractured hand suffered in late August. Still, he finally got his ring. Vegas fell off as the 1960s began with Henderson missing most of 1960 to a torn meniscus. He was back in full in 1961, but merely average and would be let go at season’s end.

With the Vipers, he had 2917 hits, 1862 runs, 413 doubles, 1444 RBI, a .277/.350/.455 slash, and 87.9 WAR. Despite his resume, his uniform number would not be retired by the team, a later source of friction. Henderson played two more years in the majors with the Chicago Cubs in generally a backup role. With the Cubs, he did earn his 3000^th career hit, the 32^nd batter to reach the mark. Henderson opted to retire after the 1963 campaign at age 43.

Henderson’s final stats: 3020 hits, 1920 runs, 432 doubles, 431 home runs, 1476 RBI, 1204 walks, 596 stolen bases, a .276/.349/.452 slash, and 89.1 WAR. He was fifth all-time in runs scored at retirement and sits 12^th best still as of 2037. Despite a pretty good resume, Henderson’s lack of dominance meant many voters were iffy on him. He was able to defy the haters and get the first ballot nod, even if it was at a low-ish 71.2%.

07-26-2023, 05:29 PM	#449
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,617	1969 MLB Hall of Fame The 1969 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class saw two players inducted, both on the first ballot. Leading the pair was first baseman Jaxson Bradley with 82.7%. Joining him was second baseman Ted Henderson with 71.2%. Three others were above 60%, but below the 66% threshold needed for induction. 3B Beckham Hudson got 63.5% on his first try, SS Chance Warren was at 62.7% on his second go, and 2B Bodie Howard was at 60.9% on his ninth. Five other players were above 50%. This time around, there were no players that were dropped after ten failed attempts on the ballot. Jaxson Bradley – First Baseman – Hartford Huskies – 82.7% First Ballot Jaxson Bradley was a 5’11’’, 205 pound left-handed hitting first baseman from East Longmeadow, Massachusetts; a small town that is part of the Springfield metropolitan statistical area. Bradley was best known for having an incredible eye and ability to draw walks. At retirement, he was one of two MLB Hall of Famers with an on-base percentage above .400. Bradley was also a very good contact hitter with respectable pop in his bat, reliable for around 30-35 doubles and 25-30 home runs per season. He was a very slow baserunner and a career first baseman, although he was generally viewed as average to above average with his glove. Bradley was also an ironman, very rarely missing any time due to injuries. Bradley attended Illinois in college and as a freshman, finished second in NCAA MVP voting. In three seasons for the Fighting Illini, he had 175 hits, 109 runs, 45 home runs, and 121 RBI in 147 games. Bradley ended up a late first round pick in the 1946 MLB Draft, picked 44^th overall by Hartford. The Huskies were a contender at this point, having made it to the National Association Championship Series in three of the prior four seasons. The hope was that Bradley could be that final piece to push Hartford to the promised land. He only played in 117 games as a rookie, but was immediately impactful with a .357 average, .461 OBP, and 6.5 WAR. Bradley was the 1947 Rookie of the Year as Hartford again got to the NACS, but fell short. Bradley was a full-time starter for the next nine seasons with the Huskies, leading the National Association in walks and OBP four times. In his sophomore season, he finished second in MVP voting with 8.1 WAR. Bradley had a stellar postseason as Hartford won the World Series. In 16 games, he had 18 hits, 19 runs, 8 RBI, and 23 walks. The 23 walks was a postseason record which still holds as the single-season record as of 2037. At the crowded first base position, Bradley only won Silver Sluggers thrice, coming in 1950, 1951, and 1953. He was second in MVP voting as well in 1950, which saw him lead the NA in OPS at 1.005 and wRC+ at 192. His best year by WAR was 1951 at 8.9 and he’d post 6+ WAR in nine of his 10 Hartford seasons. The Huskies made it to the World Series again in 1950, but were denied the ring by San Francisco. They never had a losing season in Bradley’s run, although they fell just short a few times in the early 1950s before having early exits in the mid 1950s. Bradley was a playoff performer, posting 74 hits, 38 runs, 19 doubles, 25 RBI, and 42 walks in 63 games. He was also a regular for the United States National Team in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-57. In 223 games, he had 197 hits, 157 runs, 36 doubles, 68 home runs, 175 RBI, 167 walks, and 11.5 WAR. He finished second in tournament MVP voting in 1956 and won world titles for the USA in 1947, 48, 51, 552, 55, and 57. Bradley led the tournament in walks five times and RBI twice. As of 2037, he is one of five players with 165+ walks in tournament history. His final overall stats with Hartford was 1716 hits, 1013 runs, 340 doubles, 283 home runs, 964 RBI, 946 walks, a .316/.416/.544 slash and 73.0 WAR. Bradley was well liked by Huskies fans and his #2 uniform would get retired once his career was over. Bradley entered the last year of his Hartford contract at age 31 and had seen his career worst production the prior year, although he was still a very solid starter. Still, Hartford opted to trade Bradley just before opening day 1957 to Las Vegas in exchange for five prospects. Bradley never reached the same heights, but was a reliable starter for five seasons with the Vipers, leading the American Association in OBP in 1960. Like Hartford earlier, Las Vegas had been a reliable playoff contender that just couldn’t get over the hump. They were one-and-done in 1957 and 1958, but in 1959 the Vipers won their first World Series title. In the 1959 run, Bradley had 18 hits, 8 runs, 5 home runs, and 18 RBI worth 0.8 WAR over 16 playoff games. Las Vegas peaked here with Bradley’s final Vipers stats at 687 hits, 421 runs, 131 doubles, 96 home runs, 369 RBI, 434 walks, and 19.2 WAR. Bradley became a free agent and for the 1962 season, the now 36-year old signed a three-year deal with Houston. He earned his 2500^th hit, 1500^th run, and 400^th home run with the Hornets, although his production in those two seasons was quite unremarkable. He did also cross 1500 walks drawn, only the ninth player to do so at that point. Houston let him go after the second year of his deal and Bradley went unsigned in 1964, retiring that winter at age 38. Bradley’s final stats: 2618 hits, 1560 runs, 508 doubles, 410 home runs, 1459 RBI, 1507 walks, a .299/.401/.505 slash and 94.5 WAR. At this point, only John Roberts at .425 was in the Hall of Fame with a better OBP. Bradley was also one of only 19 MLB players to that point with 500+ career doubles. It was a fine career and his postseason success and role in helping both Hartford and Las Vegas to titles put Bradley over the top, getting the first ballot nod at 82.7%. Ted “Fate” Henderson – Second Baseman – Las Vegas Vipers – 71.2% First Ballot Ted Henderson was a 5’9’’, 180 pound right-handed second baseman from San Jose, California. Henderson was known for having a good eye, solid speed, and a terrific work ethic. He was considered average to above average as a contact hitter and at avoiding strikeouts. Henderson’s power was sporadic and averaged out to around 25 home runs per year, but he’d occasionally whack 35-40 while giving you 25-35 doubles/triples. Henderson was a career second baseman and while not award-winning, was typically viewed as above average to solid with the glove. Henderson left the Bay Area and spent his college years with Texas, winning a Silver Slugger as a sophomore and taking third in NCAA MVP voting as a junior. With the Longhorns, Henderson had 174 hits, 123 runs, 35 home runs, 109 RBI, and 9.8 WAR over 143 games. Second basemen who could reliably hit like Henderson weren’t easy to find, thus he was selected second overall in the 1940 MLB Draft by Las Vegas. Henderson missed about a month or two in each of his first three seasons due to various injuries. He had shown promise when healthy in years two and three, but struggled in his first complete season in 1944. He saw improvement in 1945, but again missed notable time to injury. Patience would pay off for Las Vegas, as he’d see fewer injuries and more consistent strong production in his late 20s and early 30s. From 1946-1958, he had eight season worth 5+ WAR. Henderson won four Silver Sluggers, in 1947, 51, 54, and 58. In 1948, he hit for the cycle against Calgary. 1951 was his best season and the closest Henderson got to an MVP, finishing third in voting. That year at age 31, he led the American Association in WAR (7.6) and runs scored (126). These would be his only years as a league leader. He also hit 34 home runs, one of four seasons with 30+. After stinking in the 1940s, Las Vegas became a contender in the 1950s. They had six 100+ win seasons from 1950-56 and nine playoff berths in the decade, although the Vipers were often doomed to early exits. Henderson persisted and stuck it out with Vegas. He also played 71 games from 1954-61 in the World Baseball Championship for the US team, posting 43 hits, 38 runs, 15 home runs, 31 RBI, and 2.1 WAR. Henderson won four rings with the American team (1955, 57, 58, 61). In 1958, Henderson had a career best 41 home runs and seemed not to be losing a step into his late 30s. 1959 was the year Las Vegas finally broke through and won its first World Series. Unfortunately for Henderson, he missed the postseason with a fractured hand suffered in late August. Still, he finally got his ring. Vegas fell off as the 1960s began with Henderson missing most of 1960 to a torn meniscus. He was back in full in 1961, but merely average and would be let go at season’s end. With the Vipers, he had 2917 hits, 1862 runs, 413 doubles, 1444 RBI, a .277/.350/.455 slash, and 87.9 WAR. Despite his resume, his uniform number would not be retired by the team, a later source of friction. Henderson played two more years in the majors with the Chicago Cubs in generally a backup role. With the Cubs, he did earn his 3000^th career hit, the 32^nd batter to reach the mark. Henderson opted to retire after the 1963 campaign at age 43. Henderson’s final stats: 3020 hits, 1920 runs, 432 doubles, 431 home runs, 1476 RBI, 1204 walks, 596 stolen bases, a .276/.349/.452 slash, and 89.1 WAR. He was fifth all-time in runs scored at retirement and sits 12^th best still as of 2037. Despite a pretty good resume, Henderson’s lack of dominance meant many voters were iffy on him. He was able to defy the haters and get the first ballot nod, even if it was at a low-ish 71.2%. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)