Colavito was a great power hitter and run producer in the 1950s who received surprisingly little support in his Hall of Fame candidacy. Paul Konerko A sold-out crowd cheers for Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox as he is honored during a pre-game ceremony. generally a low batting average used to be a bad thing and the only way to make the hall as a sub 300 hitter used to be hitting 500+ home runs (killebrew). All of them are retired from the game, and two are in the Hall of Fame: Frank Thomas and Paul Molitor. Discussion of suicide or self-harm is not tolerated and will result in an immediate ban. He was only a tiny bit better than Billy Mueller. He finished first or second in fielding percentage for 13 of his 19 major league seasons. In baseball, the batting average (BA) is defined by the number of hits divided by at bats. The 10-time All-Star won the NL MVP in 1974 and led the NL in hits in both 1978 and 1980. He ended with 2,712 hits, 1,493 RBI and a .290 average. Hes never been close to being considered a bona fide Hall of Fame candidate, though. April 18, 2022 . With another 2-3 seasons, he wouldve reached the magic 3,000 number that wouldve almost assuredly ensured his induction. He lingered on the Hall of Fame ballot for the full 15-year run, never really threatening to be elected or dropped off the ballot. Pinson's career is somewhat overshadowed by the contemporaries he played against as an outfielder in the 1960s and 1970s. The 1964 NL MVP was a seven-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner. O'Doul actually is in the Baseball Hall of Fame, just not the one in Cooperstown. Bridges was a fine pitcher for the Tigers starting in 1930 and running right up until he was called into service for World War II in 1944. He was a key pitcher on the great A's teams of the 1970s and finished his 17-year career with a record of 209-161. Walker batted .357 between 1997 and 2001, leading the National League in batting three of the four years in which he was eligible. Research by Baseball Almanac. Rube Marquard was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1971. Backup: Ken Singleton 8) Ted Simmons -- Catcher During that time he made the all-star game every year, hit more than .300, and hit more than 35 home . During that time, Harder made four straight All-Star games. He also didn't thrive in the postseason, going 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in four games. Cincinnati Reds star Joey Votto collected career hit No. George Kell was a 10-time All-Star and hit more than .300 nine times. Staub was an excellent player early in his career, and by the age of 27, he was already a five-time All-Star. His Hall of Fame case remains one of the most controversial and hes been bypassed by the Veterans Committee four times. He currently ranks 12th and is 18 hits away from tying Paul Molitor, who currently occupies 10th place. Despite his 119-121 record, Vander Meer consistently received over 20 percent of the votes in Hall of Fame balloting throughout hiseligibility. There has been a "rule of thumb" in baseball for quite some time that any player who accumulates 3000 hits in his career will be elected to the Hall of Fame. Minoso is a player whose importance transcends hisaccomplishmentson the diamond. Rolen ended his career playing for the Cincinnati Reds at the age of 37. He has a .279 average with a .350 OBP, 435 home runs, 1,587 RBIs and 312 steals to go along with nine. Garvey was a durable player who played in 160 or more games nine times and won four Gold Glove awards at first base. Maris' lifetime numbers simply don't stack up, as he tailed off dramatically after the age of 29. The highest batting average for an ELIGIBLE player is Lefty O'Doul, 6th place overall, at .3493. He won three Gold Glove awards and is known for having one of the great outfield arms of all time. Published: Mar. He has just two years left on the ballot but figures to have a tough time cracking through against stiff competition the next two seasons. Doug Clark to be inducted in WMass Baseball Hall of Fame. Brown won 21 games in 1992 and had an ERA under 3.00 six times during the steroids era. His .564 slugging percentage ranks 14th all time. He had four top-four finishes in Cy Young award voting, winning the award unanimously in 1988. Top 3 Seaons. One of the great power and speed combination players of all time, Bonds was just the second player to ever hit 300 home runs and steal 300 bases in a career, joining Willie Mays in that group. His fiery attitude caused him to wear out his welcome with many clubs, and he ended up playing with five different teams over 18 years. First, here are the ten current members of the 500 HR club ranked according to their career WAR through 2008: Name. The 1945 NL MVP, Cavarretta played more seasons with the Cubs than anybody in the 20th century. His play on the field, though, is worthy of enshrinement. Torre's best showing on the ballot came in his final year of eligibility when he finished ninth with 105 votes. At the time of his retirement, only Harmon Killebrew and Jimmie Foxx had more home runs in the American League by a right-handed hitter. In 1956 he received more votes than 14 future Hall of Famers, including Leo Durocher, Phil Rizzuto, Joe Sewell, Ernie Lombardi and Bobby Doerr. As of this writing, Cabrera was also just one homer away from No. Be respectful even if you disagree. The 3,000 Hits Club is a collection of Major League Baseball players who have recorded 3,000 or more regular-season hits during their big league career. Before getting started on the modern ballplayers, here is a look at nine deserving players from the 1800s who haven't been inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was the 1997 NL MVP after hitting .366 with 49 home runs, 130 RBI and 33 stolen bases. That it took Votto, one of the best pure hitters of his era, 15 seasons to reach 2,000 hits came as a bit of a surprise to many baseball fans. Baines played in 2,830 career games, 19th all time, and amassed 2,866 career hits, the highest total of any eligible non-Hall of Famer. Derringer went on to make six All-Star games for the Reds and had two top-four finishes in NL MVP voting. Maz got in because of his glove. The righty went 48-16 and struck out 417 batters in 587 innings. As shown in Table 5, seven former members of the Career .300 Hitters Club finished their major-league careers with .296 batting averages. Vizquel had a borderline Hall of Fame case, but thats gone after the sexual harassment and domestic abuse allegations that have been recently leveled against him. What is the highest career batting average for an MLB player who is not in the Hall of Fame? Maris was considered a power show more content Rose has more hits than anyone whos ever picked up a bat, but his decision to bet on baseball has kept him the sports most famous living outsider. He threw over 500 innings five times, including 657 innings in 1880. Despite being just a part-time player over his final five seasons, Staub amassed 2,716 career hits, falling 184 short of 3,000 and a probable place in Cooperstown. Hodges' case for the Hall of Fame is interesting because he is a player whose value went beyond the numbers he put up. Edgar Martinez, who will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, could really hit the baseball. Blue never did reach those heights again, but he still made six All-Star games and received Cy Young votes in five seasons. White became the second batting champion ever in the National League when he hit .387 in 1877. He finished fourth in the MVP voting that year behind Hall of Famers Paul Waner, Frankie Frisch and Rogers Hornsby. He finished fifth in the AL MVP voting on three separate occasions. That is clear from his numbers: a .312 batting average and a .418 on . Mullane was anambidextrous pitcher who compiled 284 wins from 1881 to 1894. Overall, he received MVP votes in eightdifferentyears and won three Gold Gloves. Although he never reached an elite level, he did stick around to compile some impressive stats. Please check your email for a confirmation. He led the AL in doubles three times, RBI once, hits twice and OPS once. Guidry turned in one of the great pitching seasons of all time when he went 25-3 in 1978 with a 1.78 ERA. He played five years in the NA before the league morphed into the National League. There's a legitimate case for him to garner support on the Hall of Fame ballot. July 20, 2019. 1. Brown was a six-time All-Star and finished in the top six in Cy Young voting five times. In the World Series, he hit .529 in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Reds. now in the modern age batting average is deemed pretty meaningless by Saber metrics. But not many . Simmons may not have the hardware of Hall of Fame catching peers Gary Carter and Carlton Fisk, but he really isn't that far off. 7) Ken Griffey Jr.: 630 500th HR: June 20, 2004 Through the 1988 season, it looked like Hershiser was on his way to a truly elite pitching career. The two-time AL batting champ made seven All-Star games and won five Silver Slugger awards. Parker falls short of the magic numbers needed for induction, though. I don't think Votto catches him in the power numbers even with 8 . Reynolds got his start in the majors as a solid pitcher for the Indians in the 1940s. 01, 2023, 6:00 a.m. 9. Like Dave McNally, who appeared earlier on this list, Cuellar had a terrific, but brief, peak as a pitcher for the great Orioles' staff of the 1970s. Baines was a pure hitter who would be a phenomenal candidate for the Hall of Compilers if there ever was such a thing. At the time of his retirement, Williams was the National League's all-time home run leader with 251. Arguably the best designated hitter of all time, Martinez was very similar to Baines but with a little bit more hardware. Oliver had perhaps his best year in 1982 when he led the National League in hits, doubles, runs batted in, and batting average, was an All Star, and finished third in Most Valuable Player voting. Career statistics/162: .306 BA, 7 HR, 79 RBI, 5 . He was up for Hall of Fame consideration in 2008, but he fell short of enshrinement once again. Over his final seven seasons, he topped 130 games played just once. With such a rich history and so many different eras that exist in stark contrast of each other, baseball lends itself to some great arguments. Raines' candidacy has been gaining momentum in the past few seasons, and it seems that one day he will take his place in Cooperstown. Helton is one of only two players in baseball history to have at least. It was one of the truly remarkable runs of success in the decade. McCarthy had 170 Win Shares but only 14.6 WAR, for a Hall of Fame Value of 228.4. Oliver accumulated 2,743 hits in his career. He is also one of the few multiple MVP winners who has been left out of Cooperstown. Browning compiled a .341 batting average over 13 seasons starting in 1882. From 1988 to 1993, he batted .234 and averaged just 15 homers a season. Because of this and a quick downfall to his production after age 35, Hodges amassed only 1,921 hits. His career average of .320 ranks fifth. Damon is no longer on the writers Hall of Fame ballot, but his consistency and starring roles on both Red Sox and Yankees title teams might get him in one day. Over his 12-year career, his 162-game average season was 40 home runs, 130 RBI and a .295 average. Best 3 Year Period. His best season on the Hall of Fame ballot came in 1960, when he received 45 Hall of Fame votes, a total higher than 27 future Hall of Famers. Bartell didn't have the hitting prowess of Cobb, but he did have a fine career nevertheless. Mattingly made six straight All-Star games, won three Silver Slugger awards and nine Gold Gloves, a record for AL first basemen. He went 208-126 with a 2.92 ERA and twice led the league in complete games, shutouts and saves. While he never reached those heights again, Guidry had four top-five Cy Young finishes, made four All-Star games and won five straight Gold Gloves in the 1980s. Injuries sapped him of his production over the last half of his career so most of his Hall of Fame resume was built with both the Phillies and Cardinals before the age of 32. Look for your favorite MLB slugger in this impressive list of baseball's top 500 career batting leaders. 97. Bill Buckner Only four players who are eligible for the Hall of Fame and not enshrined have more hits than Buckner's. The three-time 20-game winner finished his career with a 170-91 record for a .651 winning percentage, good for 27th all time. A terrific run-producer, Cooper led the league in RBIs twice and doubles twice. It is usually reported to three decimal places and pronounced as if it were multiplied by 1,000: a player with a batting average of .300 is "batting three-hundred." A point (or percentage point) is understood to be .001. McGriff was remarkably consistent, belting 30 home runs in a season 10 times during the steroid era without a whisper of accusation about him. And the adage seems to hold true since every player who has 3000 hits and has been eligible for the Hall of Fame has been elected (with the exception of Rafael Palmeiro who has been . His support waned from there, though. Bagwell led the NL in home runs in 1996, scored 100 runs nine times and drove in 100 runs eight times. Whitaker was a solid all-around player for the Tigers, but never really excelled in any one area on an elite level. As a player, Palmeiro should have received automatic first-ballot induction into Cooperstown after compiling over 3,000 hits and 500 home runs in his 20-year career. Not for me. He ended his career with a .293 average and 1,977 hits. He was the 1980 National League batting champion and is one of only 16 players since World War II who have played in four decades. Hernandez was the 1979 MVP for the Cardinals and finished in the top 10 of MVP voting three straight years for the Mets. Garvey was a remarkably consistent and clutch performer for the great Dodgers teams for over a decade in the 1970s and 1980s. McGwire's candidacy is obviously tainted by his steroids admissions, and it could keep him out of the Hall of Fame altogether. But it also just underscored the difficulty of racking up big hit totals, particularly in the age of the three true outcomes (homer, strikeout, walk). He is still in the top 50 for career strikeouts and was the author of one of baseball's all-time greatest pitching seasons in 1985. Morris is in a race against time and semantics in his quest to make it to Cooperstown. Some will be coming off this list soon. Research is still ongoing and we'll continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. He consistently received between 25 to 30 percent of the votes on the Hall of Fame ballot, peaking in 1988 when he finished sixth with 39.3 percent. Usually when you finish your career as the all-time leader in a major category, you are a lock for the Hall of Fame. Herman's best seasons came in 1929 and 1930 when he combined to hit .387 over the two-year span. Beltre put up amazing numbers before retiring after the 2018 season. DiMaggio played just 11 years for the Red Sox, but had a big impact as the team's everyday center fielder playing next to Ted Williams. Mattingly batted over .300 in each of his first six full seasons, leading the AL in 1984 with a .343 average. In terms of overall productivity, the sweet spot for the average Hall of Famer is a WAR between 50 and 70. For all of his accomplishments, though, he only made four All-Star games and had just three top-10 MVP finishes. With Ron Santo's election to the Hall of Fame, many now feel that Boyer is the best third baseman not enshrined in Cooperstown. Belle may have been a jerk and got caught with a corked bat, but the fact that he had just two meek representations on the Hall of Fame ballot before being dropped is a crime. Herman was an excellent hitter in the 1920s and 1930s, even if he never did really break through to the elite level. He had more votes than players like Ralph Kiner, Chuck Klein, Lefty Grove and Lloyd Waner. However, the high intensity took its toll physically on Martin, who only played over 100 games five times in his career. Travis played in just 226 games after returning from the war, though, batting just .241 over that time. During his time with the White Sox, Minoso was a seven-time All-Star who finished fourth in the MVP voting on four different occasions. Thome played 22 years in the league. Reaching 3,000 hits, in our opinion, is a benchmark of true greatness that few will ever achieve. His name showed up in the Mitchell Report, but it came without the hard evidence like shipping receipts or direct accusations that others had. Sure, it was a different era, but those are some incredible numbers. McInnis received eight votes for the Hall of Fame in the 1949 balloting, more than 23 other players that year who were eventually elected to the Hall. Through Aug. 13, 2020, 203 qualified players had batting averages over .300. He was the 1978 NL MVP, won two World Series titles and received MVP votes in nine seasons, finishing in the top five of the voting five times. Another 10 hit .299, but the average rounded up to .300. But when it came to hitting towering shots, no one was better than "Big Donkey." 1 1. Pierce is a tremendously underrated pitcher who hurled mostly for the White Sox over an 18-year, post-WWII career. Although his case was one of 10 reviewed by a special committee in 2008, Ferrell's numbers fell short. Cramer played a total of 20 seasons from 1929 to 1948 and had long stints with the As, Red Sox and Tigers. Here are the best Hall of Fame candidates at each position. Baseball Hall of Fame after playing much of his career as a designated hitter. Oliver was a six-time All-Star, received MVP votes in 10 different seasons and won the 1982 batting title when he hit at a .331 clip. He was also the premier first baseman in his league (the National League) while he was playing. Lopat was a mainstay in the rotation of the great New York Yankee teams of the 1950s. Raines has been on the ballot for six years, and during that time his vote percentage has gone from 24.3 in . He batted .300 in six seasons between 1971 and 1980 and was a power threat for a catcher, topping 20 home runs six times as well. The big draw for Maris' Hall of Fame case is obviously his 61 home runs in 1961. Also of note here, because this is the era in which we live, the steroids issue must be addressed. From age 26 to 28, DiMaggio served during World War II, losing three peak seasons serving overseas as many players of his era did. Buffinton authored one of the most incomprehensible statistical seasons in baseball history in 1884. Oliver bounced around on seven different teams during his career, but wherever he went, he flat out hit. He never led the league in any major categories, but was still a very productive leader and beloved player on the great Brooklyn Dodger teams of the 1950s. Yost was also prolific at drawing walks, leading the American League six times in his career. His .248 career batting average and status as a "compiler" are his main detractors. Pinson was a very good all-around player, though, even if he wasn't in the class of those immortals. This is the first story in a three-part series about . Trammell played for 20 years, all for the Detroit Tigers, and was a six-time All-Star. He retired following the 1993 season with eight All-Star Game selections, 773 starts (second all-time to Cy Young) and the lowest hits-per-nine-innings-pitched ratio (6.56) of any pitcher in history. Bagwell's numbers are there, and he passes the eye test as a dominant player in his era, but the cloud of steroids has kept him out so far, right or wrong. Groat was also the 1963 MVP runner-up to Sandy Koufax. He finished in the top five in Cy Young voting three times, made seven All-Star games and received MVP votes in four seasons. Cavarretta got excellent support in Hall of Fame balloting in the 1970s, peaking in 1975 when he received 35.6 percent of the vote. Richardson played just 12 years in the major leagues, appearing in the World Series in seven of them. His best representation on the Hall of Fame ballot came in 1981 when he received 62 votes, which was more than Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski and just shy of Orlando Cepeda's total. While he wasn't a superstar on the level of contemporaries like George Brett or Mike Schmidt, he wasn't far off from players like Jim Rice and Andre Dawson. Smith's case is based on being very good and compiling stats over an 18-year career. A career .303 hitter, Daubert accumulated 2,326 hits in his 15-year career and is the National League's all-time leader in sacrifice hits with 392. Dave Orr-hit .342 but only played 8 seasons, so he isn't eligible for the Hall. Career: 24 years (1984-2007) Teams: Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Houston Astros For a short period of time in the mid-to-late 1980s, Mattingly was on the short list of the best players in the game. Like many others,. He didn't get his start until he was 26 and lasted just 12 years in the bigs, compiling a 166-112 record. For the kind of player Raines was, that should not keep him out of the Hall of Fame. Garvey will likely be a strong Veterans Committee candidate years down the line. HR Rank All Time. He received more votes than six eventual Hall of Famers. In addition to being a winning pitcher for the Yanks during eight regular seasons, he excelled in the World Series, accumulating a 4-1 record with a 2.60 ERA over seven starts. He lasted just five years before falling off after getting just 4.8 percent of the vote in 2011. Williams was one of the National League's first great home run hitters. That being said, here are the top 100 eligible players not in the MLB Hall of Fame. A-Rods unpopularity with the public and his suspensions for PED use means hell likely require a ticket to visit Cooperstown for the forseeable future. Answerbag wants to provide a service to people looking for answers and a good conversation. Minimum of 1000 IP, 3000 PA, 500 games (fielding, 500 IP for Ps), 200 stolen base attempts (catchers) or 80 stolen base attempts (baserunners only since 1951) or 100 decisions for career and active leaderboards for rate statistics. He had more than 300 strikeouts in a . Yet while Rice and Dawson were elected to the Hall of Fame, Parker only received 24.5 percent of the vote in his second year on the ballot and went down from there. Evans played tremendous defense at third base and belted 414 career home runs, but received just eight votes the only year he appeared on the MLB Hall of Fame ballot. Second, a player has to be eligible for induction. Baseballs collusion case in the mid-80s brought an early end to his career. He drove home 1,707 runs while scoring 1,524 times. Reynolds got a late start to his MLB career and pitched in only 12 full seasons. Travis was a popular shortstop and third baseman for the Washington Senators who missed four seasons of action when he was shipped off to fight in World War II just as he was reaching the prime of his career. One of the great clutch hitters of his era, Martinez finished with a .312 career average and topped 500 doubles and 300 homers in his 18-year career. In the nine years prior to World War II, Travis had compiled a .327 average, topping .300 in eight of the nine seasons he played. After his playing career ended Buck became a scout for the Cubs, signing Lou Brock for the team. Well, we've got Shoeless Joe Jackson in 4th place overall at .3558, but he's technically ineligible because of his role in the Black Sox scandal. A rare switch-hitting catcher, Simmons held the National League record for switch-hit home runs at any position when he retired with 182. Although he was never a serious threat to make the Hall of Fame, it's surprising that he lasted just one year on the ballot before being removed after getting a mere 19 votes in 1991. He won the batting title in 1913 and 1914 while also displaying average power and speed and playing excellent defense. Home Runs. The two-time World Series champion finished with 2,326 career hits. Although he didn't have the quickness of Johnny Bench, Boone was incredibly durable and was the only catcher who consistently placed in the top 10 for defensive WAR for the better part of two decades. He retired early at the age of 36, and if he hung on as long as some of his more accomplished outfield peers, he could have easily gotten to 3,000 hits. The very worst position player ever selected to the Hall of Fame was Tommy McCarthy, a 19th-century outfielder. Johnson's career numbers were hurt by a late start, as he didn't make his debut until he was 27 years old. Those players attract a lot of attention and discussion, which takes away from the examination of a career like Teixeira's. However, the numbers speak for themselves. There just is no way to pick and choose who definitely did use steroids, who didn't and just what kind of impact they had on their play. In 1985, at the age of 38, he enjoyed a revival when he hit 40 home runs. Hes first eligible for Cooperstown in 2024. The list includes everyone from John Kruk, a 10-year veteran who hit .302, to Tigers legend Ty Cobb, who hit an MLB-record .366. Torre will one day get into the Hall of Fame as a manager, but the chance also remains that he will be inducted as a player one day by the Veterans Committee. Negative racial/anti-Semitic, or religious stereotypes are prohibited. Bold denotes active player Stats through end of the 2008 season. He didn't top 100 strikeouts in any of his final 11 seasons. He batted .398 that season and led the league with a .465 on-base percentage. Torre was a nine-time All-Star and the 1971 NL MVP after batting .363 with 230 hits and 137 RBI. Allen is a divisive figure when it comes to the Hall of Fame debate. He hit 136 homers over his final five seasons after hitting just 159 the previous 10 seasons. He still holds a number of Dodgers franchise records, and at the time of his retirement, his .532 slugging percentage was the fourth-best in NL history. One of the best and longest-running arguments fans like to get involved with revolves around the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Bagwell has been on the Hall of Fame ballot for two years and if trends hold up, he should find himself in Cooperstown one day. The general rule is that 3,000 career hits is an automatic ticket to induction in the Hall of Fame and that generally remains the case, though there are a handful still on the outside looking. Parrish was considered one of the top all-around catchers of the 1980s along with Gary Carter, Carlton Fisk and Ted Simmons. Cross was a deadball era standout from 1887 to 1907, who played most of his career in Philadelphia. Of his 310 career starts, 298 of them were complete games. Starting in 1953, Pierce made the All-Star game seven out of the next nine years and received MVP votes in five seasons. Tony Gwynn is now in the Hall of Fame. He won three batting titles, led the AL in hits five times and had two runner-up finishes in MVP voting. In an era dominated by the long ball, Grace was a consistent .300 hitter who played an outstanding defensive first base. The highest number of games he played in after the age of 29 was 109 in 1951. He made eight straight All-Star games and 10 overall, was the 1974 NL MVP and had four other top-six finishes and had 200 hits six times. Brown has a better winning percentage than Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton and Don Drysdale, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio is better than Ton Seaver, Warren Spahn, Nolan Ryan, Gibson and Carlton. He was a six-time All-Star and won 20 games three times. John's 288 career wins are the highest total of any eligible non-Hall of Famer, and he is one of just eight pitchers to start at least 700 games in his career. His 1,330 walks ranks 36th all time and his 606 stolen bases ranks fifth. McInnis was a fine defender who set numerous fielding records as a first baseman. Almost every eligible candidate who had a career .300 batting average, 2,500 hits and 300 home runs has been enshrined. Total WAR. In 2012, his second year, Bagwell received 56 percent of the vote to finish in third place. 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Played a total of 20 seasons from 1929 to 1948 and had an under! 19 major League baseball Hall of Fame, just not the one Cooperstown. The 10-time All-Star won the batting average, 2,500 hits and 137 RBI of Fame ( the National League all-time. Cabrera was also the premier first baseman in his career in Philadelphia 's... Looking for answers and a good conversation standout from 1887 to 1907 who. Vote in 2011 2020, 203 qualified players had batting averages Martinez, who played most of his final seasons! Main detractors and 137 RBI 160 or more games nine times Ralph Kiner, Klein! The rotation of the 1980s along with nine 2018 season legitimate case for him to garner on... Excellent support in Hall of Compilers if career 300 hitters not in hall of fame ever was such a.... Through 2008: Name it comes to the Hall of Famer is a tremendously underrated pitcher who compiled wins! On the great pitching seasons of all time and his 606 stolen bases ranks fifth Win. 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