RIP Jack Sheldon. Why was he Less Well Known Than Chet Baker?

Jack Sheldon (November 30, 1931-December 27, 2019) and Chet Baker (December 23, 1929- May 13, 1988) are two trumpeter/vocalists with a great deal in common. They spent their years of jazz apprenticeship, the early 1950’s, on the West Coast, largely in L.A. They played in similar styles and their musical career paths early on were pretty similar, although Baker got started recording earlier than Sheldon, recording more prolifically and making early waves playing with Gerry Mulligan’s group. They played sessions and recorded with each other and with West Coast mainstream stalwarts like Art Pepper, Jack Montrose, Carson Smith and Chico Hamilton. Both saw drugs and booze as natural allies, loved to party; often, together. The question I ask here is: While I would say that the reputation of Sheldon is slightly higher than that of Baker within the world of jazz musicians, the exact opposite is true outside that world. I don’t have specifics on records sold, files streamed or views on YouTube, but outside of the insular world of jazz, far more people would recognize Baker’s name than Sheldon’s. No qualitative difference in their musical contribution would explain that. Nor is this is a case of Sheldon’s being a "musician's musician;" someone whose playing is too esoteric, too ecstatic or subtle for the general public to appreciate; au contraire. My theory is that there were