Why Isn't Vern Stephens in the Hall of Fame?

Vern Stephens was a shortstop who hit like an outfielder. For ten of his fifteen seasons in the majors, Vern Stephens was one of the American League's most dangerous hitters. Vern Stephens led the league in RBI on three separate occasions and in homers in 1945. His 39 home runs for Boston in 1949 were the most ever by a shortstop in one year until Ernie Bank came along a few seasons later. His batting numbers dwarf those of such Hall of Fame contemporaries at his position as Phil Rizzuto and Lou Boudreau, yet Vern Stephens has never received any support to be inducted into the Baseball Hall Of Fame.

Signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Browns, Vern Stephens joined that lowly club in 1941 for a cup of coffee, and then became their full time shortstop the following year. The Browns' fortunes took an immediate turn for the better, as they would finish over .500 for three of the next four years. Vern Stephens possessed an extremely strong arm and good hands to make up for his lack of range at short. At five-foot ten inches tall and weighing 185 pounds, Vern Stephens was large for a shortstop at that time. An old knee injury caused Vern Stephens to flunk his army physical so that he could not join the military in the midst of World War II. He slugged 36 homers and knocked in 183 runs his first two years with St. Louis and in 1944 helped lead them to their only AL pennant by hitting .293 and knocking in 109 runs to lead the circuit. However, Vern Stephens failed to knock in a run in a six game loss in the World Series to the cross-town Cardinals.