Ghosts in the Gallery at Cooperstown

An irony of enshrinement at the baseball Hall of Fame is that it's no guarantee of lasting name recognition. The sport's history stretches too far back, as today fans scratch their heads about athletes and owners who were among the most celebrated public figures of their time. Who was more renowned than George Wright, baseball's greatest star during the transition from amateur to professional play? Who was more feared than Big Dan Brouthers? Maybe it was Amos Rusie, who threw so hard that some say the rules makers increased the pitching distance just to make things fair. Of the 256 players, managers and executives in the Hall of Fame, the names that are known well--Ty Cobb, Connie Mack, Willie Mays--account for a small minority.

This book contains biographical and statistical information on 16 previously overlooked Hall of Famers, including Morgan G. Bulkeley, Candy Cummings, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Chesbro, Jesse Burkett, Kid Nichols, Bobby Wallace, John Clarkson, Elmer Flick, Eppa Rixey, Jake Beckley, Roger Connor, Vic Willis, Willie Wells, Frank Selee, and Bid McPhee. These men, selections of the oft-criticized Veterans Committee, all enjoyed remarkable careers--and were themselves remarkable stories, as the author discovered.