Sports: Name the Baseball Hall of Famers (1800s)

My eight year-old son has been working on the Hall of Fame project that I gave to him for about a month now. He has gotten through all players who started their careers in the 1800s. You'll recall that I grouped players by era and mixed in players who were not inducted along with the ones who were. The task? With names removed, determine which players deserved induction and which did not based on statistics alone.

He needed a little progress report, so we checked his answers so far. To make it fair, I also made my evaluations of which players are deserving to see if I could do any better.

While there are 28 players who began their careers in the 1800s who were inducted, I only felt comfortable enshrining 23. Of course, I was not right on those 23.

The results? Of the 46 players listed, I was able to get 33 correct (71.7%). However, only 19 of the 23 players I thought were deserving actually made it into the Hall of Fame. That means there were nine other players I did not believe were deserving who are in the Hall.

My eight year-old son? He got 32 correct (69.6%). How many can you get right? Are you able to better analyze these players than a third grader?

Other tests for eras beyond the 1800s will follow soon.

Answers, with names, are at the bottom of this page. Don't cheat!

Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player1	27	1871	1897	11,319	1,996	3,418	97	2,076	276	.333	.393	.445	.838
Comparison										.265	.314	.349	.663
Ratio										1.26	1.25	1.27	1.26
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player2	20	1871	1890	6,972	1,140	2,066	23	977	57	.312	.346	.392	.738
Comparison										.257	.294	.334	.628
Ratio										1.22	1.18	1.17	1.18
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player3	23	1872	1904	9,051	1,729	2,643	62	1,203	224	.311	.352	.423	.775
Comparison										.257	.302	.337	.640
Ratio										1.21	1.16	1.25	1.21
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player4	20	1872	1891	7,470	1,217	2,134	57	855	163	.302	.340	.409	.750
Comparison										.256	.297	.335	.632
Ratio										1.18	1.14	1.22	1.19
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player5	16	1878	1893	6,455	1,357	1,813	69	950	368	.308	.368	.438	.806
Comparison										.255	.308	.340	.648
Ratio										1.21	1.20	1.29	1.24
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player6	17	1878	1894	8,084	1,408	2,104	26	867	540	.275	.314	.341	.655
Comparison										.258	.313	.347	.660
Ratio										1.06	1.00	0.98	0.99
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player7	19	1879	1904	7,658	1,523	2,296	106	1,296	256	.342	.423	.519	.942
Comparison										.263	.320	.354	.673
Ratio										1.30	1.32	1.47	1.40
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player8	17	1879	1895	7,535	1,163	2,040	27	825	372	.290	.337	.374	.712
Comparison										.261	.317	.351	.669
Ratio										1.11	1.06	1.06	1.06
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player9	18	1880	1897	8,837	1,620	2,467	138	1,322	244	.317	.397	.486	.883
Comparison										.265	.323	.357	.680
Ratio										1.20	1.23	1.36	1.30
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player10	18	1880	1897	5,770	1,129	1,625	71	883	354	.303	.351	.456	.807
Comparison										.265	.323	.357	.680
Ratio										1.14	1.09	1.28	1.19
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player11	18	1882	1899	9,409	1,678	2,250	53	1,067	568	.271	.355	.372	.727
Comparison										.267	.329	.359	.687
Ratio										1.01	1.08	1.04	1.06
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player12	17	1882	1898	8,182	1,521	1,951	64	736	657	.265	.337	.361	.698
Comparison										.266	.328	.358	.686
Ratio										1.00	1.03	1.01	1.02
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player13	13	1884	1896	5,739	1,069	1,496	44	735	468	.292	.364	.376	.740
Comparison										.265	.330	.359	.689
Ratio										1.10	1.10	1.05	1.07
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player14	15	1885	1906	6,502	1,256	1,979	127	1,299	229	.331	.384	.505	.888
Comparison										.269	.334	.362	.696
Ratio										1.23	1.15	1.40	1.28
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player15	18	1885	1903	9,106	1,642	2,502	118	1,093	418	.306	.374	.444	.818
Comparison										.270	.334	.360	.694
Ratio										1.13	1.12	1.23	1.18
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player16	21	1887	1907	9,710	1,333	2,645	47	1,371	301	.292	.328	.382	.710
Comparison										.267	.331	.354	.685
Ratio										1.09	0.99	1.08	1.04
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player17	17	1887	1903	8,979	1,639	2,532	69	1,014	583	.316	.385	.417	.802
Comparison										.272	.337	.364	.701
Ratio										1.16	1.14	1.15	1.14
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player18	13	1887	1899	7,610	1,227	2,083	66	1,124	323	.302	.364	.416	.781
Comparison										.273	.340	.367	.707
Ratio										1.11	1.07	1.13	1.10
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player19	20	1888	1907	10,470	1,600	2,930	86	1,575	315	.308	.361	.435	.796
Comparison										.267	.331	.354	.684
Ratio										1.15	1.09	1.23	1.16
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player20	16	1888	1903	8,389	1,599	2,596	101	1,464	455	.346	.411	.505	.917
Comparison										.272	.337	.363	.700
Ratio										1.27	1.22	1.39	1.31
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player21	17	1888	1906	7,827	1,552	2,282	106	1,302	574	.324	.384	.449	.834
Comparison										.270	.335	.360	.695
Ratio										1.20	1.15	1.25	1.20
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player22	14	1888	1901	7,584	1,690	2,158	40	736	912	.344	.455	.432	.887
Comparison										.274	.340	.366	.705
Ratio										1.26	1.34	1.18	1.26
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player23	14	1888	1902	8,369	1,426	2,044	40	726	594	.287	.386	.373	.759
Comparison										.273	.339	.364	.703
Ratio										1.05	1.14	1.02	1.08
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player24	22	1888	1912	8,198	1,020	1,944	15	823	328	.261	.311	.317	.628
Comparison										.266	.329	.351	.681
Ratio										0.98	0.94	0.90	0.92
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player25	16	1889	1904	8,493	1,455	2,127	91	1,055	534	.277	.335	.383	.718
Comparison										.273	.338	.363	.701
Ratio										1.02	0.99	1.06	1.02
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player26	16	1890	1905	9,605	1,720	2,850	75	952	389	.338	.415	.446	.862
Comparison										.272	.336	.361	.697
Ratio										1.24	1.24	1.24	1.24
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player27	20	1890	1909	10,151	1,539	2,660	73	1,437	616	.295	.361	.405	.766
Comparison										.266	.329	.350	.680
Ratio										1.11	1.10	1.16	1.13
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player28	18	1890	1907	9,368	1,184	2,252	34	1,135	387	.256	.289	.335	.625
Comparison										.269	.333	.355	.688
Ratio										0.95	0.87	0.94	0.91
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player29	18	1890	1907	7,741	1,131	1,929	71	984	302	.273	.325	.360	.685
Comparison										.269	.333	.355	.688
Ratio										1.02	0.98	1.01	1.00
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player30	17	1890	1907	8,133	1,318	2,253	16	736	518	.301	.347	.355	.702
Comparison										.270	.334	.357	.691
Ratio										1.11	1.04	0.99	1.02
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player31	17	1891	1918	5,639	994	1,527	18	840	359	.311	.390	.406	.796
Comparison										.278	.343	.369	.712
Ratio										1.12	1.14	1.10	1.12
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player32	17	1891	1908	8,120	1,421	2,220	65	1,194	443	.317	.402	.451	.853
Comparison										.269	.332	.355	.687
Ratio										1.18	1.21	1.27	1.24
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player33	21	1891	1911	10,390	1,589	2,457	84	1,233	547	.272	.358	.382	.739
Comparison										.265	.329	.349	.678
Ratio										1.02	1.09	1.09	1.09
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player34	19	1892	1910	9,594	1,719	2,932	33	810	495	.341	.388	.415	.802
Comparison										.266	.328	.349	.678
Ratio										1.28	1.18	1.19	1.18
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player35	21	1894	1915	9,819	1,619	2,672	67	1,015	506	.312	.386	.429	.814
Comparison										.267	.328	.349	.677
Ratio										1.17	1.18	1.23	1.20
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player36	25	1894	1918	9,612	1,057	2,309	34	1,121	201	.268	.332	.358	.690
Comparison										.263	.326	.346	.671
Ratio										1.02	1.02	1.04	1.03
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player37	17	1894	1911	8,807	1,278	2,231	22	688	285	.294	.371	.358	.730
Comparison										.268	.328	.351	.679
Ratio										1.10	1.13	1.02	1.07
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player38	14	1895	1908	7,452	1,055	1,999	65	983	194	.294	.343	.409	.752
Comparison										.267	.326	.348	.673
Ratio										1.10	1.05	1.18	1.12
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player39	21	1896	1916	10,460	1,504	3,242	83	1,599	380	.338	.380	.467	.847
Comparison										.261	.323	.341	.664
Ratio										1.30	1.18	1.37	1.28
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player40	17	1897	1915	5,374	682	1,252	26	530	212	.279	.386	.377	.764
Comparison										.254	.316	.333	.649
Ratio										1.10	1.22	1.13	1.18
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player41	21	1897	1917	11,739	1,736	3,415	101	1,732	722	.327	.391	.466	.857
Comparison										.259	.321	.338	.659
Ratio										1.26	1.22	1.38	1.30
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player42	17	1897	1913	9,118	1,296	2,084	56	813	465	.274	.375	.378	.753
Comparison										.261	.322	.340	.662
Ratio										1.05	1.16	1.11	1.14
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player43	17	1898	1914	5,099	797	1,273	20	596	401	.296	.394	.394	.787
Comparison										.259	.320	.337	.658
Ratio										1.14	1.23	1.17	1.20
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player44	13	1898	1910	6,414	950	1,752	48	756	330	.313	.389	.445	.834
Comparison										.258	.317	.334	.651
Ratio										1.21	1.23	1.33	1.28
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player45	19	1898	1918	9,051	1,355	2,143	63	810	361	.269	.340	.370	.710
Comparison										.258	.320	.337	.657
Ratio										1.04	1.06	1.10	1.08
Name	Yrs	From	To	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player46	19	1899	1917	10,594	1,391	2,961	97	1,525	366	.309	.362	.452	.814
Comparison										.257	.318	.335	.654
Ratio										1.20	1.14	1.35	1.25