Hall of Fame

Topic of the day: The Baseball Hall of Fame.

I don't recall the exact conversation just the other day I was having with my wife, but the topic of her family history in the context of baseball came up. She has three relatives (all on her maternal grandfather's side, as I understand it) in the Hall: Paul and Lloyd Waner and Carl Hubble.

We could play a classic game of "Which one of these is not like the other."

Every year when the balloting for the new year's class comes around, all the national writers (whether they have an official vote or not) weigh in with their choices and justifications. Some will say that a Hall candidate needs to be better than the average Hall of Famer, so that each class raises the bar even higher. Some say a player only has to be better than the worst player already in. Then the discussion shifts to who the worst player is.

If asked, the vast majority of baseball fans will reply with one of two answers:
I have no idea.
-or-
Lloyd Waner.

So today I begin my quest to nominate the 10 worst players in the Hall of Fame, if for no other reason than to help "clear**" the name of my extended family.

** Being the "worst Hall of Famer" is sort of like being the "poorest millionaire." It's only derogatory when compared to the upper echelon of his peers. Hitting a baseball better than 99.95% of Americans in his time is nothing to be ashamed of.