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:
- Hank Aaron to Earl Averill
- Home Run Baker to Jesse Burkett
- Roy Campanella to Kiki Cuyler
- Ray Dandridge to Buck Ewing
- Red Faber to Frankie Frisch
- Pud Galvin to Tony Gwynn
- Chick Hafey to Monte Irvin
- Reggie Jackson to Bowie Kuhn
- Nap Lajoie to Ted Lyons
- Connie Mack to Stan Musial
- Hal Newhouser to Kirby Puckett
- Hoss Radbourn to Nolan Ryan
- Ryne Sandberg to Don Sutton
- Ben Taylor to Bill Veeck
- Rube Waddell to Robin Yount
“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.
{ 1 comment }
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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