1961 Hall of Fame

In 1960 no one was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, my family was still living in Hawaii and we had welcomed my second sister to the family.  Since the last time anyone was inducted into the HOF Hawaii had become a state.  I have one sister who was born in the territory of Hawaii and one who was born in the state of Hawaii.  My Dad was stationed on board the U.S.S. Kawishiwi in Honolulu for another year.  

In 1961 Max Carey was inducted into the HOF after being on the ballot since 1937, he started by getting 3% of the vote in 1937 and 51% in 1958.  He led the league in steals 10 times and is 9th all time in Major League steals at 738. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Brooklyn Robins from 1910-1929.  He managed the Dodgers in 1932 and 1933, he also managed the Milwaukee Chicks and Fort Wayne Daisies of the All American Girls Baseball League.  He lived until 1978 and passed away at the age of 86.

Billy Hamilton was inducted posthumously and was represented at the ceremony by his three daughters.  He was known as "Sliding Billy"  because of all the base stealing he did, he is third all time in steals behind Rickey Henderson and Lou Brock.  He is fourth all time in on base percentage behind  Ted Williams, Babe Ruth and John McGraw.  From 1888-1901 he played for the Kansas City Cowboys, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Beaneaters.  He holds the record for most runs scored in a season with 198 in 1894 for the Phillies, the played to come closest to him was Babe Ruth in 1921 with 177.   Billy only appeared on the HOF ballot in 1936, 1942 and 1961 when he was elected by the  Veterans' Committee.  He lived until December 16, 1940 and passed away at age 74.