Author Topic: Who's the penultimate HOF asshole? (Read 6123 times)

JackAstro · « **on:** May 18, 2007, 04:28:01 pm »

Watching Frankenbarry this week got me to thinking about the fairly cliché point that the Hall is filled with less than stelar examples of decency, and that players shouldn't be kept out on moral grounds. It comes up a fair amount when discussing guys like Bonds, Rose, etc, and the de facto justification is always Ty Cobb. It seems clear that he's head and shoulders above the class in terms of being a rotten, miserable bastard.

So, I wondered, who's the runner up? Who's the second best example in the HOF of complete, insufferable prickitude? And is it a close second, or does Cobb stand alone? (Bonus points for attempted homicides or other major individual acts, but I want to really explore the whole body of work here.)

JimR · « **Reply #1 on:** May 18, 2007, 04:32:39 pm »

Quote from: JackAstro on May 18, 2007, 04:28:01 pm

Watching Frankenbarry this week got me to thinking about the fairly cliché point that the Hall is filled with less than stelar examples of decency, and that players shouldn't be kept out on moral grounds. It comes up a fair amount when discussing guys like Bonds, Rose, etc, and the de facto justification is always Ty Cobb. It seems clear that he's head and shoulders above the class in terms of being a rotten, miserable bastard.

So, I wondered, who's the runner up? Who's the second best example in the HOF of complete, insufferable prickitude? And is it a close second, or does Cobb stand alone? (Bonus points for attempted homicides or other major individual acts, but I want to really explore the whole body of work here.)

Rogers Hornsby is in the top 5.

JackAstro · « **Reply #2 on:** May 18, 2007, 04:57:34 pm »

Quote from: Jim R on May 18, 2007, 04:32:39 pm

Rogers Hornsby is in the top 5.

As one of the few people here who have played against both, how would you compare the two men, on and off the field?

Mr. Happy · « **Reply #3 on:** May 18, 2007, 05:00:22 pm »

Orlando Cepeda is a convicted felon (marijuana smuggling) who was recently arrested on suspicion of marijuana and cocaine possession. Don't know what kind of guy he is.

Mr. Happy · « **Reply #4 on:** May 18, 2007, 05:01:09 pm »

Quote from: JackAstro on May 18, 2007, 04:57:34 pm

As one of the few people here who have played against both, how would you compare the two men, on and off the field?

He shoots; he scores.

JimR · « **Reply #5 on:** May 18, 2007, 05:01:21 pm »

Quote from: JackAstro on May 18, 2007, 04:57:34 pm

As one of the few people here who have played against both, how would you compare the two men, on and off the field?

they were so much younger than i that we did not have much contact.

Noe · « **Reply #6 on:** May 18, 2007, 05:07:11 pm »

Quote from: JackAstro on May 18, 2007, 04:28:01 pm

Watching Frankenbarry this week got me to thinking about the fairly cliché point that the Hall is filled with less than stelar examples of decency, and that players shouldn't be kept out on moral grounds. It comes up a fair amount when discussing guys like Bonds, Rose, etc, and the de facto justification is always Ty Cobb. It seems clear that he's head and shoulders above the class in terms of being a rotten, miserable bastard.

So, I wondered, who's the runner up? Who's the second best example in the HOF of complete, insufferable prickitude? And is it a close second, or does Cobb stand alone? (Bonus points for attempted homicides or other major individual acts, but I want to really explore the whole body of work here.)

It's hard to say, but one person who did not distinguish himself as a nice guy was Enos "Country" Slaughter, a hall of famer who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and was an avowed racist. He was trying to get the players of his time to protest the inclusion of black players into the game by Branch Rickey, his former owner. He wanted the players to go on strike. They didn't, so he did the next worse thing... he purposely spiked Jackie Robinson in a game to show that he did not like the times that were a'changing one bit.

Enos Slaughter is a HOF'er, he was a proverbial all out hustle guy who played hard. But his roots as a country boy from the south influence his really bad decisions to speak up during the Robinson days of trying to break the color barrier.

HudsonHawk · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2007, 05:11:30 pm »

Quote from: Noe in Austin on May 18, 2007, 05:07:11 pm

It's hard to say, but one person who did not distinguish himself as a nice guy was Enos "Country" Slaughter, a hall of famer who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and was an avowed racist. He was trying to get the players of his time to protest the inclusion of black players into the game by Branch Rickey, his former owner. He wanted the players to go on strike. They didn't, so he did the next worse thing... he purposely spiked Jackie Robinson in a game to show that he did not like the times that were a'changing one bit.

Enos Slaughter is a HOF'er, he was a proverbial all out hustle guy who played hard. But his roots as a country boy from the south influence his really bad decisions to speak up during the Robinson days of trying to break the color barrier.

Cap Anson was also a tremendous racist and a man of well-known ill-temper.

mihoba · « **Reply #8 on:** May 18, 2007, 05:17:39 pm »

Quote from: HudsonHawk on May 18, 2007, 05:11:30 pm

Cap Anson was also a tremendous racist and a man of well-known ill-temper.

And if one chooses to delve into HOF managers, John "Little Napoleon" McGraw was a tyrant, to say the least.

Read this about McGraw.

JimR · « **Reply #9 on:** May 18, 2007, 06:15:43 pm »

Charles Comiskey--miserable owner

utastro · « **Reply #10 on:** May 18, 2007, 06:41:21 pm »

Joe Morgan hates the Astros. Does that count as being a bad bad man.

EmirOfSchmoe · « **Reply #11 on:** May 19, 2007, 02:09:25 am »

Quote from: utastro on May 18, 2007, 06:41:21 pm

Joe Morgan hates the Astros. Does that count as being a bad bad man.

I just thought he was a lousy color guy.

Houston · « **Reply #12 on:** May 21, 2007, 08:54:10 am »

Quote from: HudsonHawk on May 18, 2007, 05:11:30 pm

Cap Anson was also a tremendous racist and a man of well-known ill-temper.

I'm coming in very late into this discussion, but I was going to mention the same thing about Anson. Don't forget, he conspired with Albert Spaulding (who left baseball to begin the sporting good company) to keep blacks out of the game in the late 19th century.

So, I'd add Anson and Spaulding to this list.

Andyzipp · « **Reply #13 on:** May 21, 2007, 09:43:00 am »

Quote from: EmirOfSchmoe on May 19, 2007, 02:09:25 am

I just thought he was a lousy color guy.

That's racist!

JGrave · « **Reply #14 on:** May 21, 2007, 11:23:04 am »

I think the penultimate HOF asshole is AndyZipp. pravata is probably a close second.

We are talking about the TZ HOF, right?

homer · « **Reply #15 on:** May 21, 2007, 11:25:25 am »

Quote from: JGrave on May 21, 2007, 11:23:04 am

I think the penultimate HOF asshole is AndyZipp. pravata is probably a close second.

We are talking about the TZ HOF, right?

JimR isn't in the HOF?

JimR · « **Reply #16 on:** May 21, 2007, 11:28:53 am »

Quote from: homer on May 21, 2007, 11:25:25 am

JimR isn't in the HOF?

wow. i'm just sitting here, minding my own business, and somebody takes a shot at me.

no, i'm not. me and Buck O'Neil.

homer · « **Reply #17 on:** May 21, 2007, 11:31:09 am »

Quote from: Jim R on May 21, 2007, 11:28:53 am

wow. i'm just sitting here, minding my own business, and somebody takes a shot at me.

no, i'm not. me and Buck O'Neil.

The TZ is slow today.

davek · « **Reply #18 on:** May 21, 2007, 11:34:01 am »

Quote from: Jim R on May 21, 2007, 11:28:53 am

no, i'm not. me and Buck O'Neil.

I was thinking more along the lines of you and Sal Maglie...

Limey · « **Reply #19 on:** May 21, 2007, 12:14:26 pm »

Quote from: homer on May 21, 2007, 11:31:09 am

The TZ is slow today.

Long days the next three will be.

MusicMan · « **Reply #20 on:** May 21, 2007, 12:28:13 pm »

Quote from: Limey on May 21, 2007, 12:14:26 pm

Long days the next three will be.

The first line of tonight's recap is already written:

"Fuck the West Coast."

JaneDoe · « **Reply #21 on:** May 21, 2007, 12:45:30 pm »

Quote from: MusicMan on May 21, 2007, 12:28:13 pm

The first line of tonight's recap is already written:

"Fuck the West Coast."

Are you baiting the BBG's with your signature?

MusicMan · « **Reply #22 on:** May 21, 2007, 12:57:49 pm »

Quote from: JaneDoe on May 21, 2007, 12:45:30 pm

Are you baiting the BBG's with your signature?

No more than DQ's bait of going to the team that gave him the best chance of winning a championship.

We're 21-22... what else are the BBGs going to throw at us?

Taras Bulba · « **Reply #23 on:** May 21, 2007, 02:18:04 pm »

Quote from: MusicMan on May 21, 2007, 12:57:49 pm

No more than DQ's bait of going to the team that gave him the best chance of winning a championship.

We're 21-22... what else are the BBGs going to throw at us?

Lowry, Lincecum, and Zito.

ybbodeus · « **Reply #24 on:** May 21, 2007, 10:43:23 pm »

Quote from: Andyzipp on May 21, 2007, 09:43:00 am

That's racist!

No, calling Morgan a lousy guy of color would be racist.

oops.

As for the whole F THE WEST COAST thing.....could we tailor that one a bit? Perhaps localize it to the northern west coast? I request that, as I'm in Santa Monica for the week and would HATE to see the ENTIRE west coast get fucked while I'm here. Maybe if we could fuck the west coast starting at noon Friday? Much obliged.