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The Pro Baseball Hall of Fame is generally regarded as the hardest sports hall of fame to be enshrined in, but some players still slip through the cracks. These 15 players made it to Cooperstown despite not being worthy. All of them had very successful MLB careers, but none of them were elite enough to be immortalized in the hallowed halls of the league’s Hall of Fame.
15. SS Luis Aparicio
Credit: Jon Durr-USA Today SportsAparicio was a great fielder. In fact, he won nine Gold Glove awards, but fielding doesn't get you into the Hall of Fame. His numbers at the plate are modest at best as he didn't even reach 100 career home runs or 1,000 RBIs. Certainly his likability helped him reach Cooperstown's hallowed halls.
15. SS Luis Aparicio
Career Stats: .262 batting average, .311 OBP, 83 HRs and 791 RBIs
Aparicio was a great fielder. In fact, he won nine Gold Glove awards, but fielding doesn't get you into the Hall of Fame. His numbers at the plate are modest at best as he didn't even reach 100 career home runs or 1,000 RBIs. Certainly his likability helped him reach Cooperstown's hallowed halls.
14. 1B George Kelly
Credit: Getty ImagesFor his day, Kelly packed a decent pop in his bat, but one glance at his numbers still tells you he's not a Hall of Famer. Even in his day, he was never a top 10 player in his prime. Hall of Famers have to dominate their peers during their playing days, and Kelly never did that. He was a very good player, but he wasn't great.
14. 1B George Kelly
Career Stats: .297 batting average, .342 OBP, 148 HRs, and 1,020 RBIs
For his day, Kelly packed a decent pop in his bat, but one glance at his numbers still tells you he's not a Hall of Famer. Even in his day, he was never a top 10 player in his prime. Hall of Famers have to dominate their peers during their playing days, and Kelly never did that. He was a very good player, but he wasn't great.
13. SP Catfish Hunter
Credit: Getty ImagesHunter was a very good pitcher for an extended period of time and was a big piece of baseball's history. That's because he planted the roots of the free agency process as he left the Athletics for the Yankees after a technicality in his contract with Oakland. Despite four top-four Cy Young finishes, his overall numbers are just short of Hall of Fame worthy.
13. SP Catfish Hunter
Career Stats: 224-166, 3.26 ERA and 2,012 strikeouts
Hunter was a very good pitcher for an extended period of time and was a big piece of baseball's history. That's because he planted the roots of the free agency process as he left the Athletics for the Yankees after a technicality in his contract with Oakland. Despite four top-four Cy Young finishes, his overall numbers are just short of Hall of Fame worthy.
12. 2B Joe Gordon
Credit: Derick Hingle-USA TODAY SportsGordon is a relatively recent inductee to the Hall of Fame, but he never should have been enshrined. He was an important piece on some very good Yankees teams and captured one MVP award, but he was more of a complementary piece than a star. Players in the Hall of Fame have to have been stars in their day which Gordon never was.
12. 2B Joe Gordon
Career Stats: .268 batting average, .357 OBP, 253 HRs, and 975 RBIs
Gordon is a relatively recent inductee to the Hall of Fame, but he never should have been enshrined. He was an important piece on some very good Yankees teams and captured one MVP award, but he was more of a complementary piece than a star. Players in the Hall of Fame have to have been stars in their day which Gordon never was.
11. OF Lloyd Waner
Credit: Getty ImagesLloyd had the benefit of having a great baseball playing brother, Paul Waner, and may have been inducted in part because of him. He finished in the top five of MVP voting just one time and was rarely an elite player in any given season. He was very consistent and was a great singles hitter, but players like that don't have a place in the HOF unless they have over 3,000 hits.
11. OF Lloyd Waner
Career Stats: .316 batting average, .353 OBP, 27 HRs, and 598 RBIs
Lloyd had the benefit of having a great baseball playing brother, Paul Waner, and may have been inducted in part because of him. He finished in the top five of MVP voting just one time and was rarely an elite player in any given season. He was very consistent and was a great singles hitter, but players like that don't have a place in the HOF unless they have over 3,000 hits.
10. SP Herb Pennock
Credit: Getty ImagesLike many other players on this list, Pennock was very good, but not great during his playing days. During his prime, he was one of the league's premier pitchers, but his prime didn't last long. When it comes down to it, someone with a 3.60 career ERA has no place in the Hall of Fame.
10. SP Herb Pennock
Career Stats: 241-162, 3.60 ERA, and 1,227 strikeouts
Like many other players on this list, Pennock was very good, but not great during his playing days. During his prime, he was one of the league's premier pitchers, but his prime didn't last long. When it comes down to it, someone with a 3.60 career ERA has no place in the Hall of Fame.
9. C Ray Schalk
Credit: Getty ImagesSchalk was one of the most recognized players of his time, which helps people overlook his relative lack of production. He had a couple great years scattered throughout his 18-year career, but overall, he was not great. With a career batting average barely above .250, he shouldn't be in Cooperstown.
9. C Ray Schalk
Career Stats: .253 batting average, .340 OBP, 11 HRs, and 594 RBIs
Schalk was one of the most recognized players of his time, which helps people overlook his relative lack of production. He had a couple great years scattered throughout his 18-year career, but overall, he was not great. With a career batting average barely above .250, he shouldn't be in Cooperstown.
8. SP Rube Marquard
Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsA career ERA barely above 3.00 is very impressive on Marquard's end, but he had too many mediocre seasons to merit Hall of Fame consideration. Playing consistently dominant ball is a big part of the picture in voting for a candidate. It's curious how he got into the Hall of Fame.
8. SP Rube Marquard
Career Stats: 201-177, 3.08 ERA, and 1,593 strikeouts
A career ERA barely above 3.00 is very impressive on Marquard's end, but he had too many mediocre seasons to merit Hall of Fame consideration. Playing consistently dominant ball is a big part of the picture in voting for a candidate. It's curious how he got into the Hall of Fame.
7. SP Bob Lemon
Credit: Getty ImagesLemon was consistently very good, but outside a couple seasons, he was never great. He was a workhorse during his playing days which may have played into his selection, but he never crossed off enough boxes to reach Cooperstown. Count him as another on this list who was good, but not great.
7. SP Bob Lemon
Career Stats: 207-128, 3.23 ERA, and 1,277 strikeouts
Lemon was consistently very good, but outside a couple seasons, he was never great. He was a workhorse during his playing days which may have played into his selection, but he never crossed off enough boxes to reach Cooperstown. Count him as another on this list who was good, but not great.
6. SS Joe Tinker
Credit: Getty ImagesTinker is really only in the Hall of Fame because he was part of the most famous double play combination in league history. He was part of the greatest Cubs teams ever, but he was far from a Hall of Famer. Like a handful of others in the Hall, he is there because of his historical importance to the game, not because of his statistical contributions to it.
6. SS Joe Tinker
Career Stats: .262 batting average, .308 OBP, 31 HRs, and 785 RBIs
Tinker is really only in the Hall of Fame because he was part of the most famous double play combination in league history. He was part of the greatest Cubs teams ever, but he was far from a Hall of Famer. Like a handful of others in the Hall, he is there because of his historical importance to the game, not because of his statistical contributions to it.
5. SP Bruce Sutter
Credit: Getty ImagesSutter was one of the preeminent closers in the game, but there's only a place for so many specialty pitchers like that. He only played 12 years in the league, which doesn't seem long enough for a Hall of Famer who wasn't the best of his generation. Unless you're Mariano Rivera or Trevor Hoffman, it's hard to make a case for a closer being enshrined.
5. SP Bruce Sutter
Career Stats: 68-71, 2.83 ERA, 300 saves, and 861 strikeouts
Sutter was one of the preeminent closers in the game, but there's only a place for so many specialty pitchers like that. He only played 12 years in the league, which doesn't seem long enough for a Hall of Famer who wasn't the best of his generation. Unless you're Mariano Rivera or Trevor Hoffman, it's hard to make a case for a closer being enshrined.
4. 2B Bill Mazeroski
Credit: Getty ImagesMazeroski is in the Hall of Fame because of a single swing of the bat. His walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series against the Yankees is one of the most momentous home runs in the league's history. Moments like that shouldn't define a player, though, and his sub-.300 career on-base percentage tells you all you need to know.
4. 2B Bill Mazeroski
Career Stats: .260 batting average, .299 OBP, 138 HRs, and 853 RBIs
Mazeroski is in the Hall of Fame because of a single swing of the bat. His walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series against the Yankees is one of the most momentous home runs in the league's history. Moments like that shouldn't define a player, though, and his sub-.300 career on-base percentage tells you all you need to know.
3. SS Phil Rizzuto
Credit: Getty ImagesRizzuto was one of the most cheery and kind baseball players of his time, but he certainly didn't merit being in the Hall of Fame. The small slap hitter was mostly a role player, although he did win the 1950 MVP award. In most seasons, he was merely very good and that's not good enough to be enshrined in Cooperstown.
3. SS Phil Rizzuto
Career Stats: .273 batting average, .351 OBP, 38 HRs, and 563 RBIs
Rizzuto was one of the most cheery and kind baseball players of his time, but he certainly didn't merit being in the Hall of Fame. The small slap hitter was mostly a role player, although he did win the 1950 MVP award. In most seasons, he was merely very good and that's not good enough to be enshrined in Cooperstown.
2. SP Jesse Haines
Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY SportsIt's still a head-scratcher how Haines is in the Hall of Fame. He registered less than 1,000 strikeouts his career, barely over 200 wins and a less-than-impressive ERA. Sometimes players fall through the cracks, and Haines is the most glaring example of that.
2. SP Jesse Haines
Career Stats: 210-158, 3.64 ERA, and 981 strikeouts
It's still a head-scratcher how Haines is in the Hall of Fame. He registered less than 1,000 strikeouts his career, barely over 200 wins and a less-than-impressive ERA. Sometimes players fall through the cracks, and Haines is the most glaring example of that.
1. 2B Johnny Evers
Credit: Getty ImagesLike Joe Tinker, Evers is in the Hall of Fame, because he's part of baseball lore as part of the Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance combination. He hit for zero power (which wasn't uncommon at the time) and hit above .300 just three times in his 18-year career. Despite the great teams he played on, he doesn't belong in Cooperstown.
1. 2B Johnny Evers
Career Stats: .270 batting average, .356 OBP, 12 HRs, and 536 RBIs
Like Joe Tinker, Evers is in the Hall of Fame, because he's part of baseball lore as part of the Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance combination. He hit for zero power (which wasn't uncommon at the time) and hit above .300 just three times in his 18-year career. Despite the great teams he played on, he doesn't belong in Cooperstown.
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