He's a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer
It seems that whenever anyone mentions a good baseball player nowadays the conversation inevitably turns to whether or not he's worthy of becoming a Hall of Famer. Oftentimes if the guy has had a good, long career; media types will say he's a "surefire first ballot Hall of Famer". Whenever I hear crap like this it drives me crazy. How can someone paid to talk about sports be so moronic?
Most people assume (and wrongly I might add) that if you've had a great career you should be a first ballot Hall of Famer. But do you know how many players were ever elected on the first ballot? Since 1936, in the Hall inception, there have been 32 players elected on the first ballot. That's it. 32 freaking players out of a total of 196 enshrined in the Hall. It comes out to 14% of HOF's elected on the first ballot.
So who are these players? Well, you may be surprised to know that players like Joe Dimaggio and Rogers Hornsby were not elected in their first try. Neither were Yogi Berra, Harmon Killebrew or Jimmie Foxx. In fact, only 8 players from 1937-1979 were elected in their first year of eligibility. But from 1980-today we've elected 24 first ballot players. Guys like Eddie Murray and Robin Young and Kirby Puckett. You know "true" greats of the game.
But why is this?
I have no real answer. I'm thinking that many writers nowadays don't appreciate the Halls true significance. How else would you explain Hal Morris, of all players, receiving 5 votes last year for the Hall? Or Darryl Kile getting 7 votes in 2003? It's just ludicrous to imagine who voted these guys in.
I mean let's consider the 5 guys voting for Hal Morris. Morris never made an All Star team, he never led the league in any category and the guy averaged 10 homers/yr as a first baseman. And you're voting him in!?!? While we're at it we may as well cast a vote for Tony Eusebio too.
All kidding aside, we've gone way too far in naming players to the Hall in their first year of eligibility. That used to be reserved for guys like Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle. Guys that were amongst the top 15 of all time. Not guys like Murray, Yount Puckett. You just can't compare the two groups.
So I'm starting a movement right now, to bring back honor to the Baseball Hall of Fame. No more borderline guys getting in. You're either in or your out. And unless you're truly a transcendent player......you're gonna have to wait your turn.
Most people assume (and wrongly I might add) that if you've had a great career you should be a first ballot Hall of Famer. But do you know how many players were ever elected on the first ballot? Since 1936, in the Hall inception, there have been 32 players elected on the first ballot. That's it. 32 freaking players out of a total of 196 enshrined in the Hall. It comes out to 14% of HOF's elected on the first ballot.
So who are these players? Well, you may be surprised to know that players like Joe Dimaggio and Rogers Hornsby were not elected in their first try. Neither were Yogi Berra, Harmon Killebrew or Jimmie Foxx. In fact, only 8 players from 1937-1979 were elected in their first year of eligibility. But from 1980-today we've elected 24 first ballot players. Guys like Eddie Murray and Robin Young and Kirby Puckett. You know "true" greats of the game.
But why is this?
I have no real answer. I'm thinking that many writers nowadays don't appreciate the Halls true significance. How else would you explain Hal Morris, of all players, receiving 5 votes last year for the Hall? Or Darryl Kile getting 7 votes in 2003? It's just ludicrous to imagine who voted these guys in.
I mean let's consider the 5 guys voting for Hal Morris. Morris never made an All Star team, he never led the league in any category and the guy averaged 10 homers/yr as a first baseman. And you're voting him in!?!? While we're at it we may as well cast a vote for Tony Eusebio too.
All kidding aside, we've gone way too far in naming players to the Hall in their first year of eligibility. That used to be reserved for guys like Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle. Guys that were amongst the top 15 of all time. Not guys like Murray, Yount Puckett. You just can't compare the two groups.
So I'm starting a movement right now, to bring back honor to the Baseball Hall of Fame. No more borderline guys getting in. You're either in or your out. And unless you're truly a transcendent player......you're gonna have to wait your turn.
posted by christopher at 5:56 PM
1 Comments:
i don't really pay attention to "hall of fames" or other frivolous things like that, but you know who should be in it? bo jackson. that guy was phenomenal! here's proof:
1) this one time, he hit a ball so hard it exploded!!! it was really cool, you should've been there. i probably peed myself when i saw it, it was so unbelievable
2) he played baseball and football ... at the same time! and he was really good at both of them
3) he was in PROstars! were there any other baseball players on PROstars? hell no! there weren't any other football players either. you know who else was lucky enough to hang out with bo jackson? michael jordan and wayne gretsky, people who you immediately think of when you think about their respective sports.
4) he knows everything. when he was in school, he won the spelling be eight years in a row! that's why they made a rule where a winner can't compete in the spelling bee anymore. he also wrote this little collection of books, maybe you've heard of it. it's called ... the encyclopedia!!!
so yeah, if he's not there already, he should be. i've heard rumors that he even helped build the hall of fame. if that doesn't get you automatically inducted, i don't know what does
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