Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred dropped a bomb on Tuesday, announcing that he has brought back 17 players from the dead and reinstated them from the permanently ineligible list. But hold up, these players are no longer among the living, so why bother bringing them back? Well, it seems like the only reason for this reinstatement is to consider them for a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame has already hinted that these players will be put up for consideration by the Historical Overview Committee for a potential spot on the Classic Baseball Era Committee ballot come December 2027. If any of these players make it to the ballot, they will face judgment from a 16-person panel consisting of Hall of Fame members, former team executives, and veteran media members/historians. And to seal the deal, they’ll need a “yes” vote from at least 12 out of the 16 voters.
Pete Rose and ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson are the big names making a comeback from this list of reinstated players. Alongside them, we have Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver, Lefty Williams, Joe Gedeon, Gene Paulette, Benny Kauff, Lee Magee, Phil Douglas, Cozy Dolan, Jimmy O’Connell, and William Cox. The burning question now is, do any of these players stand a chance at earning a spot in the prestigious Hall of Fame? Let’s dive into the details and see if any of them have what it takes to make it to baseball immortality.
Starting with the players who might not have a strong case for the Hall of Fame, we have names like Buck Weaver, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Phil Douglas, Lefty Williams, Lee Magee, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Joe Gedeon, Gene Paulette, Jimmy O’Connell, Cozy Dolan, and William Cox. These players, although they had their moments on the field, fell short in various aspects that could hinder their chances of making it to the Hall of Fame. On the other hand, players like Eddie Cicotte and Benny Kauff present a more plausible case for consideration based on their career stats and accomplishments. And of course, the favorite among them all, Pete Rose, stands out with his impressive on-field achievements, making a strong case for his potential induction into the Hall of Fame. Time will tell if any of these players will eventually be enshrined among the baseball greats.
