Hall of Fame Worthy? Pt. 16: Carl Mays

The Hall of Fame has inducted many players who were borderline choices, and many players who deserve induction have been on the outside looking in. I want to look at some players to determine if they deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.

Carl Mays comes up in discussions when the Veteran's Committee votes on Deadball Era players. Mays pitched from 1915 through 1929, with his first several seasons with the Red Sox. Mays also pitched for the Yankees, Reds, and Giants.

Mays was a very good pitcher, winning 20 games five times. He finished with a record of 208 -126 with a 2.92 career ERA. Certainly good numbers, but perhaps not quite Hall-worthy.

What really hurts Carl Mays's candidacy however is that one of his pitches killed Ben Chapman. Mays's pitch hit Chapman in the head and he remains the only player to die from an injury sustained in a baseball game. Mays was apparently not remorseful enough about it for this black mark to ever be erased.

THE VERDICT: He is a borderline choice to begin with and the Chapman situation does not help.