The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY yesterday announced the ten finalists from the pre-1943 era who will be considered by the Veterans Committee for induction. Four former Red Sox players made the cut: Wes Ferrell, Carl Mays, Vern Stephens, and Mickey Vernon.
Ferrell was a 6' 2" righthander who was credited with 193 wins during his career from 1927-1941. He was very durable, leading the league in complete games on four occasions. In 1935, with the Red Sox he led the league with 25 wins and finished second in the MVP voting. His 38 career homers are a record for a pitcher and his .280 career batting average amply demonstrate his ability to swing the bat. In addition to the Red Sox (1934-1937), Ferrell pitched for the Indians, Senators, Yankees, Dodgers, and Braves.
Though Mays' career spanned from 1915-1929, he may be best known for a tragic incident that took place on August 16, 1920 and led to a ban on spitballs in major league baseball. Then with the Yankees, the righthanded submarine-style pitcher fired a spitball toward home plate. The ball got away and the batter, Ray Chapman of the Indians, was hit in the head. Chapman, 29, died in a NYC hospital the next day. Mays would go on to win 207 games in the course of his career and pitched in four World Series, including for the 1918 Red Sox team that won the franchise's last championship of the 20th century. Mays also played for the Reds and the Giants after leaving the Sox in 1919.
Shortstop Vern Stephens was an eight-time All Star who played from 1941-1955 (1948-1952 with the Red Sox). He also played for the Browns, White Sox, and Orioles , compiling a career .286 average with 247 home runs. He finished in the top five in MVP voting six times. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006.
Vernon was a star first baseman for the Senators who played two years for the Red Sox toward the end of his career (1956-1957). By the time his 21 year career ended in 1960, he accumulated 2,495 hits, 172 home runs, and 1,311 RBI to go along with a .286 career average. He also had stints with the Braves, Indians, and Pirates.
A 12 member committee will be named to review the finalists. Anyone receiving 75% of the committee members' votes will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next summer. Results of the vote will be announced on December 8 of this year.
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