Hats off to Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice on entering the prestigious baseball Hall Of Fame. Most people have been spending the last 24 hours waxing praise on these two men. I'd like to comment on the other guys who didn't get in.
The era that a lot of these guys played in is in the 1980's and 1990's so this is perfect. Here are the guys who didn't get in this year starting with those who received the most votes to the lowest (they needed 401 votes to get in I think):
1.) Andre Dawson (361 votes) - He was one of the better players in 1980's. Its too bad he played on the Cubs. Had a pretty cool nickname..."The Hawk".
2.) Bert Blyleven (338 votes) - His last name was one of those I couldn't pronounce as a kid and still struggle with today. Although he has around 290 wins, I never got excited if I knew he was going to pitch against the Yankees. I was more excited to see Melido Perez pitch for the Yankees than Bert Blyleven.
3.) Lee Smith (240 votes) - All I remember about him was that he originally had the record for most career saves...and no one caring.
4.) Jack Morris (237 votes) - Hopefully this guy gets in one day. He had the most wins in the 1980's, won two World Series, and had an awesome mustache/mullet combination. Also pitched 10 innings in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series...you will never see this again trust me.
5.) Tommy John (171 votes) - He's more known now as having a major reconstructive elbow surgery named after him rather than his somewhat decent career. He would join Lou Gehrig, Michael Crone, Tom Parkinson, and Billy Aids in the inaugural induction to the Hall Of Fame of Ailments and Diseases named after real people.
6.) Tim Raines (122 votes) - I remember him on the Expos, White Sox, and Yankees and other than being really fast, that's about it. I admire him most for always sliding head first because he didn't want to break the cocaine vials he kept in his back pocket.....that's dedication.
7.) Mark McGwire (118 votes) - Oh how the mighty have fallen...I still have his 1987 Topps rookie card in hard plastic. Sadly, the hard plastic is probably worth more than the card itself. There was this one kid in my neighborhood growing up who I idolized because he had McGwire's 1984 Olympic Team card...sucks for him now.
8.) Alan Trammell (94 votes) - One of the better white players of the 1980's, he and Lou Whitaker handled the Detroit Tigers infield throughout the 80's. I think he had a mustache too.
9.) Dave Parker (81 votes) - Better known as the "Cobra", Parker was a huge HUGE burly
player, a precursor of Boston's David Ortiz. Supposedly he also had a major cocaine problem as well. Good slugger for the Pirates.
10.) Don Mattingly (64 votes) - I like Mattingly and can't believe Dave Parker gets more votes than Donnie Baseball does. Then again, when you have a corny nickname like Donnie Baseball, maybe you only deserve 64 votes.
11.) Dale Murphy (62 votes) - I loved Dale Murphy. It was probably because he had a cool first name and really nothing more...Dale.
12.) Harold Baines (32 votes) - I can't remember much about this guy except he played for the White Sox and ripped a key double for me against the computer for me in one of Nintendo's old baseball games.
13.) Mark Grace (22 votes) - Had some good years with the Cubs and I think he ended up in Arizona. His rookie card was worth something during his playing career but now is probably worth a couple of nickels...wooden nickels.
14.) David Cone (21 votes) - Three Cone memories...1.) Meeting him at the 1988 Long Island' South Shore Little League champion's dinner (I still have his autograph on a piece of wax paper), 2.) His perfect game when he was with the Yankees (very cool). 3.) Getting absolutely shelled in the 2003 Spring Training games trying to make a comeback with the Mets (poor guy).
15.) Matt Williams (7 votes) - Part of the feared middle of the lineup of the late 80's San Francisco Giants with Will Clark and Kevin Mitchell. Now like the others, he is entering the world getting a real estate license or opening up a car wash.
16.) Mo Vaughn (6 votes) - Boston fans remember Mo Vaughn as willing them to the AL East title in 1995 and winning the MVP. Mets fan remember him as blowing his knee out a few months into a long term contract and ruining any chance of being good during the 2002-2004 seasons.
17.) Jay Bell (2 votes) - Damn, I remember this guy but couldn't tell you what team he played on. I think it was the decent Pirate teams of the early 90's. I love how two people thought he deserves entry to the Hall Of Fame and stand along side greats like Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, and Babe Ruth....Jay Bell?
18.) Jesse Orosco (1 vote) - YES!!! He holds the record for most appearances ever by a pitcher over the course of his career. I'd trade any Hall Of Fame induction for that recognition. I'd also love to know who the one person that voted for him is. Still is part of one of my favorite baseball moments of all time (The 1986 Mets).
3 comments:
Jack Morris was the original Brett Favre...they are both highly over rated.
If Jack Morris was overrated, he'd be in the hall of fame you idiot. He's deserving, but it's close. Stop posting anonymously and put your name on these comments.
I think they should have a rule for the voters, that if they vote for a person that less than 5% of the other voters also voted for, they should be left off the panel. Jay Bell is a joke.
I completely forgot about Greg Vaughn and Ron Gant. They didn't even get a vote. I loved Gant on that 1991 Braves team.
Anyway, yes those baseball writers who think that Rickey Henderson was not a first ballot Hall of Famer and the others who think Jay Bell is should be curbed like that guy in "American History X"
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