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ayaghmour2 · 02-13-2024, 08:54 PM

I officially submitted my Hall of Fame ballot today, and just like I will do every season until I cannot, one of the five votes went to this thread's most referenced player Dick Lyons. The other four spots went to Jim Lonardo, one of Lyons' many teammates, a should have been Cougar and Illinois native Al Wheeler, Jack Cleaves, and Tom Bird. In terms of teams, you can actually get a full house with the 1943 Chicago Cougars and the 1944 Cincinnati Cannons, as Lyons and Lonardo spent '43 in Chicago while Bird, Cleaves, and Wheeler all took at bats for the '44 Cannons. Lonardo and Wheeler should both be locks, but unfortunately with more then five deserving candidates, I'm not sure who else gets in. If I could vote for more guys, one spot would go to another '43 Cougar Dick Walker, who also hit above Jack Cleaves in Philly. Assuming Lonardo and Wheeler get in and there's not another stacked class, I'm definitely voting for Walker, who played until a few weeks after his 41st birthday and recorded 2,742 hits and 1,769 walks with 422 steals, 433 doubles, 272 triples, 193 homers, 1,262 RBIs, and 1,840 runs. He's a first ballot guy, whereas Cleaves and Bird led the ballot last season, so I'm hoping votes to them get those two over the 75% threshold, so if Walker can't get in this year, he has a great chance next year.

RF Jimmy Hairston (#131 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 61st Overall (1943)
FABL: .282/.408/.359 (106 OPS+), 50 PA, HR, 10 RBI
AAA: .316/.427/.502 (142 OPS+), 361 PA, 20 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 52 RBI, SB
CWL: .258/.417/.682 (170 OPS+), 84 PA, 4 2B, 8 HR, 16 RBI

The Santa Clara Stallions may be doing exactly what the banged up Chicago Panthers and offense starved Chicago Packers are, losing pretty much every game they play, but Jimmy Hairston is immune to slumps like that. The Stallions have lost eight of their last ten, but that's not for Hairston's lack of effort, as like Elmer Grace he had a big two homer game in a loss. He then helped start their two game win streak with three runs scored, with one of those being his own 3-run homer that gave the Stallions a 5-1 lead that former Cougar farmhand Ron Berry (6-5, 1, 3.68, 63) finished off for a complete game win. The now 25-year-old has produced five two-hit games in his seven outings since his birthday, good for a grand total of 11-for-29, with his only o'fer an 0-for-2 where he walked twice. For the season, Hairston has now slashed ..275/.408/.642 (159 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 12 homers, 26 RBIs, and 22 walks. He's homered more in 147 PAs here then he did in the 411 between FABL and AAA, as he's really been hitting the ball hard. It helps that the parks are smaller, but that's what he'll get in Chicago. Our outfield is crowded, but there's still a quiet voice in my head whispering that Jimmy Hairston is ready to go. But I just don't think I can fit him yet.

02-13-2024, 08:54 PM	#1340
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,133	Cuban Winter League: Week 10 I officially submitted my Hall of Fame ballot today, and just like I will do every season until I cannot, one of the five votes went to this thread's most referenced player Dick Lyons. The other four spots went to Jim Lonardo, one of Lyons' many teammates, a should have been Cougar and Illinois native Al Wheeler, Jack Cleaves, and Tom Bird. In terms of teams, you can actually get a full house with the 1943 Chicago Cougars and the 1944 Cincinnati Cannons, as Lyons and Lonardo spent '43 in Chicago while Bird, Cleaves, and Wheeler all took at bats for the '44 Cannons. Lonardo and Wheeler should both be locks, but unfortunately with more then five deserving candidates, I'm not sure who else gets in. If I could vote for more guys, one spot would go to another '43 Cougar Dick Walker, who also hit above Jack Cleaves in Philly. Assuming Lonardo and Wheeler get in and there's not another stacked class, I'm definitely voting for Walker, who played until a few weeks after his 41st birthday and recorded 2,742 hits and 1,769 walks with 422 steals, 433 doubles, 272 triples, 193 homers, 1,262 RBIs, and 1,840 runs. He's a first ballot guy, whereas Cleaves and Bird led the ballot last season, so I'm hoping votes to them get those two over the 75% threshold, so if Walker can't get in this year, he has a great chance next year. RF Jimmy Hairston (#131 Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 61st Overall (1943) FABL: .282/.408/.359 (106 OPS+), 50 PA, HR, 10 RBI AAA: .316/.427/.502 (142 OPS+), 361 PA, 20 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 52 RBI, SB CWL: .258/.417/.682 (170 OPS+), 84 PA, 4 2B, 8 HR, 16 RBI The Santa Clara Stallions may be doing exactly what the banged up Chicago Panthers and offense starved Chicago Packers are, losing pretty much every game they play, but Jimmy Hairston is immune to slumps like that. The Stallions have lost eight of their last ten, but that's not for Hairston's lack of effort, as like Elmer Grace he had a big two homer game in a loss. He then helped start their two game win streak with three runs scored, with one of those being his own 3-run homer that gave the Stallions a 5-1 lead that former Cougar farmhand Ron Berry (6-5, 1, 3.68, 63) finished off for a complete game win. The now 25-year-old has produced five two-hit games in his seven outings since his birthday, good for a grand total of 11-for-29, with his only o'fer an 0-for-2 where he walked twice. For the season, Hairston has now slashed ..275/.408/.642 (159 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 12 homers, 26 RBIs, and 22 walks. He's homered more in 147 PAs here then he did in the 411 between FABL and AAA, as he's really been hitting the ball hard. It helps that the parks are smaller, but that's what he'll get in Chicago. Our outfield is crowded, but there's still a quiet voice in my head whispering that Jimmy Hairston is ready to go. But I just don't think I can fit him yet.