dude, that post is ALL kinds of messed up. How did the Depression dilute talent? Vietnam? Iraq?? I must have missed the articles about the top prospects serving in the battle of Fallujah. The only time talent was diluted because of an external circumstance was WWII.
Most of the Cubs in the Hall of Fame are pre-numbers: Chance, Three Finger, Evers, Tinker, Cuyler, Hack, & Gabby. I believe Cuyler & Gabby would have had numbers near the end of their careers, but nothing consistent.
I think since none of these guys are obvious HOF guys that it will take them doing something really special, like being on a Cubs World Champion team, to get them to the place where they'll have their number retired.
It took me a while, but I finally found the movie that clip came from on YouTube. I considered it my easter egg hunt. Nicely done. And you're not going to tell us? Don't tell ThirdEye, keep it a secret