Hagerty: Abner Powell, the forgotten Hall of Fame candidate
From SABR member Tim Hagerty at The Hardball Times on January 9, 2019:
Abner Powell’s Hall of Fame candidacy received significant endorsements.
“Abner Powell was the greatest pioneer of baseball,” Connie Mack, MLB’s all-time winningest manager, told Baseball Digest in 1956. “I’d sincerely say that Abner did more for the sport than any other man in history.”
Powell was a pitcher, infielder, outfielder, manager, owner, and inventor in his 22-year career in professional baseball. He made the Providence Grays roster as an outfielder in 1883 before converting to pitching at the request of manager Harry Wright, a Hall of Famer himself. Powell spent time in the major leagues in 1884 and 1886 with Washington, Baltimore, and Cincinnati as both a pitcher and position player.
Read the full article here: https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-forgotten-hall-of-fame-candidate/
Originally published: January 9, 2019. Last Updated: January 9, 2019.