Missing after action: Hall of Famers with no biographies

November 16, 2015 · 1 comment

I recently created a bit of a stir of Facebook when, after doing some research for new titles coming down the pike, I questioned  the “necessity” for a biography on Mike Torrez. All due respect for the 18-year veteran, he doesn’t seem to have the gravitas of a Hall of Famer.

That reminded me of a project I did a few years ago about that very topic: books on or by Hall of Famers. As per my long-held attitude, I did not include titles written specifically for the younger crowd. I’m sure there have been additional titles published in the interim, especially for the perennial favorites like Mantle, DiMaggio, Berra, etc. I have not revised my original lists but I will at some point since there have been additional inductees in the intervening years.

Here are the links to those 2011 Bookshelf HOF entries for your convenience:

“Borrowing” from a table of Hall of Famers created by the good folks at Baseball-Almanac.com, I’ve edited it to note if a member of the Hall has been paid literary tribute. A “♦” indicates there has been at least one book written about/by the individual as the main subject. There were surprises on both sides of the publishing line: some unlikely personalities had books thanks to niche outfits like McFarland, while some who were more prominent (at least to me) did not. One of the things you will notice is the dearth of books about many of those who came out of the Negro Leagues.

Name

Year Method Position Books?
Hank Aaron (bio) 1982 BBWAA RF
Grover Alexander (bio) 1938 BBWAA P
Roberto Alomar 2011 BBWAA 2B
Walt Alston (bio) 1983 Veterans  M
Sparky Anderson (bio) 2000 Veterans  M
Cap Anson (bio) 1939 Veterans  1B
Luis Aparicio (bio) 1984 BBWAA SS
Luke Appling (bio) 1964 BBWAA SS
Richie Ashburn (bio) 1995 Veterans CF
Earl Averill (bio) 1975 Veterans CF
 
Frank Baker (bio) 1955 Veterans 3B
Dave Bancroft 1971 Veterans SS  
Ernie Banks 1977 BBWAA SS
Al Barlick 1989 Veterans  U  
Ed Barrow 1953 Veterans Executive 
Jake Beckley 1971 Veterans 1B
 
Cool Papa Bell 1974  Negro Leagues
CF
Johnny Bench 1989 BBWAA C
Chief Bender 1953 Veterans P
Yogi Berra 1972 BBWAA C
Bert Blyleven 2011 BBWAA P
Wade Boggs 2005 BBWAA 3B
Jim Bottomley 1974 Veterans  1B
Lou Boudreau 1970 BBWAA SS
Roger Bresnahan 1945 Veterans C
 
George Brett 1999 BBWAA 3B
Lou Brock 1985 BBWAA LF
Dan Brouthers 1945 Veterans 1B
Mordecai Brown 1949 Veterans P
Ray Brown 2006  Negro Leagues  P  
Williard Brown 2006 Negro Leagues P
Morgan Bulkeley 1937 Veterans  Executive
 
Jim Bunning 1996 Veterans  P
Jesse Burkett 1946 Veterans  LF  
Roy Campanella 1969 BBWAA C
Rod Carew 1991 BBWAA 2B
Max Carey 1961 Veterans CF
Steve Carlton 1994 BBWAA P
Gary Carter 2003 BBWAA C
Alexander Cartwright 1938 Veterans   Executive
Orlando Cepeda 1999 Veterans 1B
Henry Chadwick 1938 Veterans Executive
Frank Chance 1946 Veterans 1B
Happy Chandler 1982 Veterans Executive
Oscar Charleston 1976 Negro Leagues 1B-CF
 
Jack Chesbro 1946 Veterans  P  
Nestor Chylak 1999 Veterans  U  
Fred Clarke 1945 Veterans LF
John Clarkson 1963 Veterans P
 
Roberto Clemente 1973 BBWAA RF
Ty Cobb 1936 BBWAA CF
Mickey Cochrane 1947 BBWAA C
Eddie Collins 1939 BBWAA 2B
Jimmy Collins 1945 Veterans 3B
 
Earle Combs 1970 Veterans  CF  
Charlie Comiskey 1939 Veterans  Executive
Jocko Conlan 1974 Veterans  U
Tom Connolly 1953 Veterans U  
Roger Connor 1976 Veterans  1B
Andy Cooper 2006 Negro Leagues  P  
Stan Coveleski 1969 Veterans  P
Bobby Cox 2014 Veterans  M
Sam Crawford 1957 Veterans RF
Joe Cronin 1956 BBWAA SS
Candy Cummings 1939 Veterans  P  
Kiki Cuyler 1968 Veterans  RF
Ray Dandridge 1987 Veterans 3B
George Davis 1998 Veterans SS
 
Leon Day 1995 Veterans  P-2B-OF  
Andre Dawson 2010 BBWAA CF
Dizzy Dean 1953 BBWAA P
Ed Delahanty 1945 Veterans  LF
Bill Dickey 1954 BBWAA C
Martin Dihigo 1977 Negro Leagues  P-OF  
Joe DiMaggio 1955 BBWAA CF
Larry Doby 1998 Veterans  CF
Bobby Doerr 1986 Veterans 2B
Barney Dreyfuss 2008 Veterans  Executive
Don Drysdale 1984 BBWAA P
Hugh Duffy 1945 Veterans  CF
Leo Durocher 1994 Veterans M
Dennis Eckersley 2004 BBWAA P
Billy Evans 1973 Veterans U
 
Johnny Evers 1946 Veterans 2B
Buck Ewing 1939 Veterans C
Red Faber 1964 Veterans  P
Bob Feller 1962 BBWAA P
Rick Ferrell 1984 Veterans  C
Rollie Fingers 1992 BBWAA P
Carlton Fisk 2000 BBWAA C
Elmer Flick 1963 Veterans  RF  
Whitey Ford 1974 BBWAA P
Bill Foster 1996 Veterans  P  
Rube Foster 1981 Veterans  P-M
Nellie Fox 1997 Veterans  2B
Jimmie Foxx 1951 BBWAA 1B
Ford Frick 1970 Veterans Executive
Frankie Frisch 1947 BBWAA 2B
Pud Galvin 1965 Veterans P
 
Lou Gehrig 1939 BBWAA  1B
Charlie Gehringer 1949 BBWAA 2B
Bob Gibson 1981 BBWAA P
Josh Gibson 1972 Negro Leagues  C
Warren Giles 1979 Veterans  Executive
Pat Gillick 2011 Veterans  Executive
Tom Glavine 2014 BBWAA P
Lefty Gomez 1972 Veterans P
Joe Gordon 2009 Veterans 2B
Goose Goslin 1968 Veterans  LF
Goose Gossage 2008 BBWAA P
Frank Grant 2006 Negro Leagues 2B  
Hank Greenberg 1956 BBWAA 1B
Clark Griffith 1946 Veterans  Executive
Burleigh Grimes 1964 Veterans P
Lefty Grove 1947 BBWAA P
Tony Gwynn 2007 BBWAA RF
Chick Hafey 1971 Veterans  LF  
Jesse Haines 1970 Veterans  P
Billy Hamilton 1961 Veterans  CF
Ned Hanlon 1996 Veterans M
 
Will Harridge 1972 Veterans Executive
Bucky Harris 1975 Veterans M
 
Gabby Hartnett 1955 BBWAA C
Doug Harvey 2010 Veterans  U  
Harry Heilmann 1952 BBWAA RF
Rickey Henderson 2009 BBWAA LF
Billy Herman 1975 Veterans  2B  
Whitey Herzog 2010 Veterans  M  
Pete Hill 2006 Negro Leagues  CF  
Harry Hooper 1971 Veterans  RF
Rogers Hornsby 1942 BBWAA 2B
Waite Hoyt 1969 Veterans  P  
Cal Hubbard 1976 Veterans U  ♦
Carl Hubbell 1947 BBWAA P
Miller Huggins 1964 Veterans  M  
William Hulbert 1995 Veterans  Executive  
Catfish Hunter 1987 BBWAA P
Monte Irvin 1973 Negro Leagues  LF  
Reggie Jackson 1993 BBWAA RF
Travis Jackson 1982 Veterans  SS  
Fergie Jenkins 1991 BBWAA P
Hughie Jennings 1945 Veterans  SS
Ban Johnson 1937 Veterans  Executive  
Judy Johnson 1975 Negro Leagues 3B
 
Walter Johnson 1936 BBWAA P
Addie Joss 1978 Veterans  P  
Al Kaline 1980 BBWAA RF
Tim Keefe 1964 Veterans  P  
Willie Keeler 1939 BBWAA RF
George Kell 1983 Veterans  3B  
Joe Kelley 1971 Veterans LF
 
George Kelly 1973 Veterans 1B
 
King Kelly 1945 Veterans RF
 
Harmon Killebrew 1984 BBWAA 1B
Ralph Kiner 1975 BBWAA LF
Chuck Klein 1980 Veterans  RF  
Bill Klem 1953 Veterans  U  
Sandy Koufax 1972 BBWAA P
Bowie Kuhn 2008 Veterans Executive
Nap Lajoie 1937 BBWAA 2B
Kenesaw Landis 1944 Veterans  Executive  
Barry Larkin 2012 BBWAA SS
Tony La Russa 2014 Veterans  M  
Tommy Lasorda 1997 Veterans  M  
Tony Lazzeri 1991 Veterans  2B
Bob Lemon 1976 BBWAA P
Buck Leonard 1972 Negro Leagues  1B
Freddie Lindstrom 1976 Veterans  3B  
Pop Lloyd 1977 Negro Leagues SS
Ernie Lombardi 1986 Veterans  C  
Al Lopez 1977 Veterans  M  
Ted Lyons 1955 BBWAA P
Connie Mack 1937 Veterans  M
Biz Mackey 2006 Negro Leagues  C  
Larry MacPhail 1978 Veterans Executive
Lee MacPhail 1998 Veterans Executive
Greg Maddux 2014 BBWAA P
Effa Manley 2006 Negro Leagues Executive  
Mickey Mantle 1974 BBWAA CF
Heinie Manush 1964 Veterans  LF  
Rabbit Maranville 1954 BBWAA SS
Juan Marichal 1983 BBWAA P
Rube Marquard 1971 Veterans  P  
Eddie Mathews 1978 BBWAA 3B
Christy Mathewson 1936 BBWAA P
Willie Mays 1979 BBWAA CF
Bill Mazeroski 2001 Veterans  2B
Joe McCarthy 1957 Veterans M
 
Tommy McCarthy 1946 Veterans  RF  
Willie McCovey 1986 BBWAA 1B
Joe McGinnity 1946 Veterans  P
Bill McGowan 1992 Veterans  U  
John McGraw 1937 Veterans  M  
Bill McKechnie 1962 Veterans M
Bid McPhee 2000 Veterans 2B
 
Joe Medwick 1968 BBWAA LF
Jose Mendez 2006 Negro Leagues P  
Johnny Mize 1981 Veterans  1B  
Paul Molitor 2004 BBWAA DH
Joe Morgan 1990 BBWAA 2B
Eddie Murray 2003 BBWAA 1B
Stan Musial 1969 BBWAA 1B
Hal Newhouser 1992 Veterans  P  
Kid Nichols 1949 Veterans  P  
Phil Niekro 1997 BBWAA P
Hank O’Day 2013 Veterans U
Walter O’Malley 2008 Veterans  Executive  
Jim O’Rourke 1945 Veterans LF
 
Mel Ott 1951 BBWAA RF
Satchel Paige 1971 Negro Leagues  P  
Jim Palmer 1990 BBWAA P
Herb Pennock 1948 BBWAA P ♦*
Tony Perez 2000 BBWAA 1B
Gaylord Perry 1991 BBWAA P
Eddie Plank 1946 Veterans  P  
Alex Pompez 2006 Negro Leagues Executive  
Cum Posey 2006 Negro Leagues  Executive  
Kirby Puckett 2001 BBWAA CF
Old Hoss Radbourn 1939 Veterans  P  
Pee Wee Reese 1984 Veterans SS
Jim Rice 2009 BBWAA LF
Sam Rice 1963 Veterans RF
 
Branch Rickey 1967 Veterans  Executive  
Cal Ripken, Jr. 2007 BBWAA SS
Eppa Rixey 1963 Veterans    
Phil Rizzuto 1994 Veterans  SS  
Robin Roberts 1976 BBWAA P
Brooks Robinson 1983 BBWAA 3B
Frank Robinson 1982 BBWAA RF
Jackie Robinson 1962 BBWAA 2B
Wilbert Robinson 1945 Veterans  M
Bullet Rogan 1998 Veterans  P
Edd Roush 1962 Veterans CF
 
Red Ruffing 1967 BBWAA P
Jacob Ruppert 2013 Veterans  Executive
Amos Rusie 1977 Veterans  P  
Babe Ruth 1936 BBWAA RF
Nolan Ryan 1999 BBWAA P
Ryne Sandberg 2005 BBWAA 2B
Ron Santo 2012 Veterans  3B
Louis Santop 2006 Negro Leagues    
Ray Schalk 1955 Veterans  C  
Mike Schmidt 1995 BBWAA 3B
Red Schoendienst 1989 Veterans  2B  
Tom Seaver 1992 BBWAA P
Frank Selee 1999 Veterans M  
Joe Sewell 1977 Veterans  SS  
Al Simmons 1953 BBWAA LF
George Sisler 1939 BBWAA 1B
Enos Slaughter 1985 Veterans RF
Hilton Smith 2001 Veterans P  
Ozzie Smith 2002 BBWAA SS
Duke Snider 1980 BBWAA CF
Billy Southworth 2008 Veterans  M  
Warren Spahn 1973 BBWAA P
Al Spalding 1939 Veterans  Executive  
Tris Speaker 1937 BBWAA CF
Willie Stargell 1988 BBWAA LF
Turkey Stearnes 2000 Veterans CF
Casey Stengel 1966 Veterans  M  
Bruce Sutter 2006 BBWAA P  
Mule Suttles 2006 Negro Leagues 1B  
Don Sutton 1998 BBWAA P
Ben Taylor 2006 Negro Leagues 1B
 
Bill Terry 1954 BBWAA 1B
Frank Thomas 2014 BBWAA DH ♦ *
Sam Thompson 1974 Veterans  RF  
Joe Tinker 1946 Veterans  SS
Joe Torre 2014 Veterans M  
Cristobal Torriente 2006 Negro Leagues  CF  
Pie Traynor 1948 BBWAA 3B
Dazzy Vance 1955 BBWAA P
Arky Vaughan 1985 Veterans SS
 
Bill Veeck 1991 Veterans  Executive  
Rube Waddell 1946 Veterans  P  
Honus Wagner 1936 BBWAA SS
Bobby Wallace 1953 Veterans SS
 
Ed Walsh 1946 Veterans  P  
Lloyd Waner 1967 Veterans CF
 
Paul Waner 1952 BBWAA RF
John Ward 1964 Veterans  SS  
Earl Weaver 1996 Veterans  M  
George Weiss 1971 Veterans Executive
 
Mickey Welch 1973 Veterans  P  
Willie Wells 1997 Veterans  SS
Zack Wheat 1959 Veterans LF
 
Deacon White 2013 Veterans  3B
Sol White 2006 Negro Leagues  Executive
Hoyt Wilhelm 1985 BBWAA P
J.L. Wilkinson 2006 Negro Leagues  executive  
Billy Williams 1987 BBWAA LF
Dick Williams 2008 Veterans  M  
Joe Williams 1999 Veterans  P  
Ted Williams 1966 BBWAA LF
Vic Willis 1995 Veterans  P  
Hack Wilson 1979 Veterans  CF  
Jud Wilson 2006 Negro Leagues 3B
 
Dave Winfield 2001 BBWAA RF
George Wright 1937 Veterans  Executive  
Harry Wright 1953 Veterans Executive
 
Early Wynn 1972 BBWAA P
Carl Yastrzemski 1989 BBWAA LF
Tom Yawkey 1980 Veterans Executive
 
Cy Young 1937 BBWAA P
Ross Youngs 1972 Veterans RF  
Robin Yount 1999 BBWAA SS

* Release date 2016

Of the 32 players on the current BBWAA ballot, 10 have already been the subjects of or written books, including Mike Piazza, Curt Schilling, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mike Mussina, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Nomar Garciaparra, Ken Griffey, and Billy Wagner.

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1 Mark Harris November 16, 2015 at 11:25 pm

There are biographies of Jimmy Collins ("Jimmy Collins," Charlie Bevis, McFarland, 2012) and King Kelly ("Slide, Kelly, Slide," Marty Appel, Scarecrow Press, 1999).

I'm especially surprised to find these players among the missing: Bill Dickey, Joe Gordon, Goose Goslin, Chuck Klein, Ernie Lombardi, Greg Maddux (really?), Willie McCovey, Bill Terry, Arky Vaughan, and Hoyt Wilhelm.

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