Those Hall of Fame members honored wholly or mainly as players, who arrived as major figures before 1897 ("19th century", for short), were inducted in three batches 1937-49, 1961-77, and 1998-2000. This table presents a snapshot: 19th century baseballists, players and others, who were members of the Hall after the 1949 induction of Kid Nichols (27 members). The snapshot did not change until the "Veterans Committee" met for the first time in 1953 and elected Harry Wright; then did not change again until 1961.
The subgroup of 16 who are now officially classed as "Players" makes a team that is thin at the crucial fielding positions (where + and - indicate that Mike Kelly, counted here as a catcher, might be counted as an outfielder):
P C 1B 2B SS 3B OF 3 2- 2 0 1 1 7+
See Hall of Fame members from 19th Century Base Ball for a recent snapshot with more explanation.
Class
Name Induction Date
* honored mainly for 20th century activity, in my opinion (seven)
Pioneers and Executives who did not play professionally
Morgan Bulkeley 1937
Henry Chadwick 1938
Alexander Cartwright1938
Managers (20c managers are listed at 19c playing positions)
--
Pitcher
Cy Young 1937
Charles Radbourne 1939
Candy Cummings 1939 ("pioneer")
Albert Spalding 1939 (executive)
* Clark Griffith 1946 (20c manager, executive)
Kid Nichols 1949
Catcher
* Connie Mack 1937 (20c manager, owner/executive)
Buck Ewing 1939 (multi-position)
Mike King Kelly 1945 (multi-position)
* Wilbert Robinson 1945 (20c manager)
First Base
Cap Anson 1939 (multi-position, manager)
* Charles Comiskey 1939 (manager, 20c owner/executive)
Dan Brouthers 1945
Second Base
--
Shortstop (J.M. Ward listed at pitcher)
George Wright 1937 ("pioneer")
Hugh Jennings 1945 (20c manager)
Third Base
* John McGraw 1937 (20c manager)
* Jimmy Collins 1945
Outfield
Willie Keeler 1939
* Fred Clarke 1945 (19-20c player-manager)
Ed Delahanty 1945
Hugh Duffy 1945
Jim O'Rourke 1945 (multi-position)
Jesse Burkett 1946
Tom McCarthy 1946
Members of some famous teams.
1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings: G.Wright
1873-75 Boston Red Stockings: Spalding, G.Wright, O'Rourke
1884-85 Chicago White Stockings: Anson, Kelly
1885-88 St. Louis Browns: Comiskey
1885-89 New York Giants: Ewing, O'Rourke
1892 Boston Beaneaters: Nichols, Kelly, Duffy, McCarthy (Kelly on last legs)
1892-93 Philadelphia Phillies: Delahanty
1894 Baltimore Orioles: Robinson, Brouthers, Jennings, McGraw, Keeler, (Brouthers on last legs)
1898 Boston Beaneaters: Nichols, Collins, Duffy