# The SDMB Baseball Hall of Fame: Let's Create It! First Ballot: Catchers **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [July 25, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742 "2008-07-25T16:17:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/1 "2008-07-25T16:17:24Z")
Everyone likes to argue about who should or shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame. Why argue about who should be in Cooperstown when we can establish our own Hall of Fame right here? Here’s how it will work. We will vote on a position by position basis, which allows up to break up the vote a little so we can get a handle on it. At each position you may vote for TEN players, no more; you can vote for fewer if you like but please vote for ten if you can. Eligibility will be open to all players in the entire history of baseball who have played a substantial amount in the Major Leagues, including the National League prior to 1901. We will have a separate category for Negro League stars, since it’s hard to gauge where they rank in a list of MLB stars. \*\*You may vote for active players or players who have retired too recently to be eligible for Cooperstown. \*\* The ten players who receive the most votes are in. Maybe. To help jog your memory I will make by best attempt to name all players who are in the Hall of Fame, or might be, or have impressive careers. Our first ballot is for CATCHER. Please vote for ten catchers. Here is a list, but please post and cite any names I have forgotten. VOTE AWAY! Johnny Bench Yogi Berra Ray Schalk Gary Carter Bill Dickey Roy Campanella Ernie Lombardi Roger Bresnahan Carlton Fisk Thurman Munson Bob Boone Bill Freehan Gabby Hartnett Mickey Cochrane Ivan Rodriguez Mike Piazza Rick Dempsey Lance Parrish Buck Ewing Rick Ferrell Alan Ashby Jim Sundberg Dan Wilson Jim Hegan Tony Pena Sr. Del Crandall Mike Scioscia Matty Sanguillen Ted Simmons Jason Kendall Brad Ausmus Ernie Whitt Gene Tenace Jorge Posada Darren Daulton Ed Bailey Benito Santiago Sandy Alomar Jr. Smoky Burgess Stan Lopata Bo Diaz Steve Yeager Earl Smith Darrell Porter Elston Howard Walker Cooper Johnny Roseboro Tim McCarver ---
**Author:** ![mshar253](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@mshar253](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mshar253)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/2 "2008-07-25T18:39:00Z")
Yogi Berra. I read a book recently that argued that he was the greatest player in the history of team sports because of his ten World Series rings. If I remember correctly, that puts him behind only Bill Russell’s 11 championships. I’m not exactly sure how the author rationalized putting him behind Russell, when, obviously, a basketball player–one of only five players on the court–has more individual impact on the game… but I digress. My vote is for Yogi. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/3 "2008-07-25T19:04:00Z")
Bench Yogi Fisk Campanella Dickey Cochrane Allomar Jr Piazza Munson Freehan This is not a popular choice but he handled a staff very well and commanded the game. Life time over 280 . ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/4 "2008-07-25T19:05:27Z")
[QUOTE=mshar253] Yogi Berra. I read a book recently that argued that he was the greatest player in the history of team sports because of his ten World Series rings. If I remember correctly, that puts him behind only Bill Russell’s 11 championships. I’m not exactly sure how the author rationalized putting him behind Russell, when, obviously, a basketball player–one of only five players on the court–has more individual impact on the game… but I digress. My vote is for Yogi. [/QUOTE] That’s a very reasonable vote; do you think you could vote for a few more? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/5 "2008-07-25T19:17:04Z")
Johnny Bench Yogi Berra Bill Dickey Roy Campanella Roger Bresnahan Carlton Fisk Mickey Cochrane Mike Piazza Smoky Burgess Elston Howard ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/6 "2008-07-25T19:46:52Z")
1. Yogi Berra: He is the Best, even James said so. 😉 2. Johnny Bench: The best in my lifetime 3. Bill Dickey: A great catcher, eclipsed by his protégé 4. Roy Campanella: Might be a sentimental favorite of mine 5. Carlton Fisk: so many innings on those knees, Go Pudge (and this from a Yankee Fan) 6. Mickey Cochrane (because pre-Yogi, by Dad says he was #2 behind Dickey) 7. Ernie Lombardi 8. Ivan Rodriguez: Best catching since Bench retired 9. Mike Piazza: Best hitting catcher 10. Thurman Munson: My captain, sentimental vote (Josh Gibson of course, but we’ll wait if you insist) ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/7 "2008-07-25T20:45:24Z")
Awesome idea, RickJay. The big debate, of course, isn’t really about who’s better than whom, but where the mythic cutoff point should be: Big Hall versus Small Hall, so to speak. That being said, while I’ll be voting in all of these (and will happily attempt to defend my assertions that all of the mid-90’s Indians should be in), I don’t know if I’m gonna vote for 10 in each category. I should add that I probably rate catchers higher for their offensive productivity than I really should. There’s nothing quite like a team being able to extend the heart of their order with a player who’s chosen for their defensive talents. Yogi Berra Johnny Bench Carlton Fisk Buck Ewing Mike Piazza Sandy Alomar, Jr. Bill Dickey ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/8 "2008-07-25T20:54:00Z")
Yogi Berra Johnny Bench Mickey Cochrane Gabby Hartnett Bill Dickey Mike Piazza Ivan Rodriguez Roy Campanella Ernie Lombardi Carlton Fisk ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/9 "2008-07-25T20:58:37Z")
[QUOTE=mshar253] I read a book recently that argued that he was the greatest player in the history of team sports because of his ten World Series rings. If I remember correctly, that puts him behind only Bill Russell’s 11 championships. [/QUOTE] Henri Richard, “The Pocket Rocket”, won 11 Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens. ---
**Author:** ![Parthol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@Parthol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parthol)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/10 "2008-07-25T21:03:30Z")
Johnny Bench Mickey Cochrane Mike Piazza Bill Dickey Roy Campanella Yogi Berra Gabby Hartnett Ivan Rodriguez Carlton Fisk Gary Carter ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/11 "2008-07-25T21:26:18Z")
Great idea for a series of threads. Will you have a round of voting for DH? Will RP and SP be separate? Where will you get the names from? Johnny Bench Yogi Berra Gary Carter Bill Dickey Gabby Hartnett Roy Campanella Carlton Fisk Thurman Munson: I propose we are allowed one sentimental choice that defies statistical logic. Mickey Cochrane Mike Piazza: Boy, I really didn’t want to vote for him, but his offensive numbers are too great to ignore. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/12 "2008-07-25T21:38:00Z")
I’m more of a “total package guy.” (also, I’m old) Mickey Cochrane Johnny Bench Yogi Berra Gabby Hartnett Bill Dickey Roy Campanella I can’t decide on the final four. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/13 "2008-07-25T21:58:21Z")
Mike Piazza Ivan Rodriguez Johnny Bench Gabby Hartnett Bill Dickey Yogi Berra Mickey Cochrane Carlton Fisk Buck Ewing Gary Carter ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/14 "2008-07-25T23:28:13Z")
[QUOTE=Hugh Jass] Great idea for a series of threads. Will you have a round of voting for DH? Will RP and SP be separate? Where will you get the names from? [/QUOTE] 1. There won’t be separate voting for DHs because there aren’t enough career DHs. There are very few players who amassed impressive careers who didn’t play a defensive position most of their careers, and the few that were DHs most of the time… well, I can only think of three. At the end there will also be a Wild Card Round, where players who just missed the cut will compete against each other to add a few more Hall of Famers, and I might throw the career DHs - really, just Edgar, Hal McRae, and Baines - into that mix. 1. There will be multiple rounds of voting for SP, divided by era. (Time era, not ERA.) Relief pitchers will have a separate round. 2. I’m compiling the names from a variety of sources; all actual Hall of Famers and lists of players compiled by various statistical categories. 3. In case you wondered there will be three rounds of voting for outfielders. I’m not sure that’s really the right approach, since left fielders are left fielders largely because they aren’t good enough to pay center or right, but when I get the lists together I’ll decide what to do. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/15 "2008-07-25T23:52:38Z")
Johnny Bench Yogi Berra Bill Dickey Carlton Fisk Thurman Munson Ivan Rodriguez Mike Piazza Rick Dempsey Gene Tenace Darrell Porter ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/16 "2008-07-26T00:13:05Z")
Johnny Bench - Boyhood hero. Yogi Berra - His folksy malapropisms disguise what a tremendous competitor he was. Gary Carter - Bench Jr. Carlton Fisk - Incredibly long career. Mickey Cochrane - Even with the beaning ending his career prematurely. Ivan Rodriguez - Still think Bench is the better overall defensive catcher tho. Mike Piazza- Can’t argue with the bat, underrated D. Ted Simmons - Also underrated, seriously jobbed by the BBWAA. Gabby Hartnett - Hope Soto can be 1/5th the player this guy was. Roy Campanella - Inconsistent but with huge peaks. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/17 "2008-07-26T00:29:02Z")
Johnny Bench Yogi Berra Roy Campanella Carlton Fisk Mickey Cochrane Bill Dickey Ivan Rodriguez Gabby Hartnett Gary Carter Mike Piazza ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/18 "2008-07-26T02:05:01Z")
Johnny Bench Yogi Berra Sandy Alomar, Jr. Carlton Fisk Mike Piazza Ivan Rodriguez Thurman Munson Tony Pena, Sr. Gary Carter Roy Campanella ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/19 "2008-07-26T02:43:04Z")
Johnny Bench Yogi Berra Bill Dickey Carlton Fisk Gabby Hartnett Ivan Rodriguez Mike Piazza Mickey Cochrane Thurman Munson Ernie Lombardi ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2008, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742/20 "2008-07-26T02:49:05Z")
1. Yogi Berra 2. Johnny Bench 3. Carlton Fisk 4. Gary Carter 5. Mickey Cochrane 6. Roy Campanella 7. Gabby Hartnett 8. Bill Dickey 9. Roger Bresnahan 10. Ivan Rodriguez If I were making the rules, I’d compell people to include players from various time periods. What we’re doing here, admirable fun tho’ it is, is electing a Hall of Fame of the late 20th century, with scant attention for those bozos who played before the Eisenhower administration, which is fine, but it ain’t a real HOF. Catching IMO is a position for players with defensive skills. Lombardi and Piazza, both great with the stick, were in the wrong era or wrong league–both should have played 90% of their games at DH, and certainly would have if they’d been on AL squads post-1973. I ain’t voting for half a ballplayer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-baseball-hall-of-fame-lets-create-it-first-ballot-catchers/457742.md?page=2)