MINNIE MINOSO IS NOT IN THE HALL OF FAME; ENOS SLAUGHTER IS. Minnie Minoso failed again this week to be chosen for baseball’s Hall of Fame. It’s always problematic to argue that a player should be admitted to the Hall of Fame based on a comparison with only one other player. I have juxtaposed Minoso and Slaughter for two reasons. 1. Their statistics are remarkably similar, with Minoso’s being somewhat better. 2. They were on opposite sides of the biggest issue confronting baseball in the twentieth century. Minoso was a pioneer in breaking the color line when it was still difficult. Slaughter is a symbol of opposition by some players to the integration of baseball.
Slaughter’s career was a little longer than Minoso’s. Slaughter lost three years to military service in World War II. Minoso came to the majors later than he would have because the of the color line. Here is the Hardball Times page of batting statistics for Slaughter; here is the page for Minoso.
Slaughter’s lifetime average OPS was 834. Minoso’s was 848.
Slaughter’s OPS+ was 124. Minoso’s OPS+ was 130. This wikipedia entry for Minoso notes that Minoso was a “defensive standout”.