The LuLac Edition #163, Feb. 28, 2007
PHOTO INDEX: BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LOGO
A SLIGHT DIGRESSION
If you heard me last week on the Sue Henry program you know that one of my passions is baseball. Today, I thought we'd take a turn away from politics but as I wrote this, I realized that the Hall of Fame Veteran's committee's inaction to pick anyone to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame was politics and voting of the worst order. As you know, I am fond of saying that not everyone should vote, that I don't want to put my fate in the hands of uneducated people who have no clue about the candidates and the issues. Here's what happened yesterday:
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Committee for Baseball Veterans announced balloting results Tuesday for its 2007 election of players, managers, executives and umpires. Two ballots – one featuring 27 players and another featuring 15 managers, umpires and executives – were considered by the 84-voting member Committee, comprised of all living Hall of Famers, Ford C. Frick Award and J.G. Taylor Spink Award winners.
Former Cubs third baseman Ron Santo led all candidates on the Player Ballot with 57 votes, totaling 69.5 percent of all ballots cast. Umpire Doug Harvey led all Composite Ballot nominees with 52 votes, 64.2 percent of the tally.
With 82 of 84 (97.6%) ballots cast for the Player Ballot, 62 votes were necessary to meet the 75% standard for election. Eighty-one of 84 (96.4%) ballots were cast for the Composite Ballot (managers, executives and umpires), with 61 needed to earn Hall of Fame election. An average of 5.96 votes were cast per Player Ballot, an all-time high in three elections (5.72 in 2005, 5.34 in 2003), while an average of 4.17 votes were cast per ballot for the Composite Ballot.
Results of the 2007 Player Ballot (62 needed for election): Santo (57 votes, 69.5%), Jim Kaat (52, 63.4%), Gil Hodges (50, 61%), Tony Oliva (47, 57.3%), Maury Wills (33, 40.2%), Joe Torre (26, 31.7%), Don Newcombe (17, 20.7%), Vada Pinson (16, 19.5%), Roger Maris (15, 18.3%), Lefty O’Doul (15, 18.3%), Luis Tiant (15, 18.3%), Curt Flood (14, 17.1%), Al Oliver (14, 17.1%), Mickey Vernon (14, 17.1%), Minnie Minoso (12, 14.6%), Cecil Travis (12, 14.6%), Dick Allen (11, 13.4%), Marty Marion (11, 13.4%), Joe Gordon (10, 12.2%), Ken Boyer (9, 11%), Mickey Lolich (8, 9.8%), Wes Ferrell (7, 8.5%), Sparky Lyle (6, 7.3%), Carl Mays (6, 7.3%), Thurman Munson (6, 7.3%), Rocky Colavito (5, 6.1%) and Bobby Bonds (1, 1.2%).
Results of the 2007 Composite Ballot (61 needed for election): Harvey (52 votes, 64.2%), Marvin Miller (51, 63%), Walter O’Malley (36, 44.4%), Buzzie Bavasi (30, 37%), Dick Williams (30, 37%), Whitey Herzog (29, 35.8%), Bill White (24, 29.6%), Bowie Kuhn (14, 17.3%), August Busch Jr. (13, 16%), Billy Martin (12, 14.8%), Charley O. Finley (10, 12.3%), Gabe Paul (10, 12.3%), Paul Richards (10, 12.3%), Phil Wrigley (9, 11.1%) and Harry Dalton (8, 9.9%).
Former Cubs third baseman Ron Santo led all candidates on the Player Ballot with 57 votes, totaling 69.5 percent of all ballots cast. Umpire Doug Harvey led all Composite Ballot nominees with 52 votes, 64.2 percent of the tally.
With 82 of 84 (97.6%) ballots cast for the Player Ballot, 62 votes were necessary to meet the 75% standard for election. Eighty-one of 84 (96.4%) ballots were cast for the Composite Ballot (managers, executives and umpires), with 61 needed to earn Hall of Fame election. An average of 5.96 votes were cast per Player Ballot, an all-time high in three elections (5.72 in 2005, 5.34 in 2003), while an average of 4.17 votes were cast per ballot for the Composite Ballot.
Results of the 2007 Player Ballot (62 needed for election): Santo (57 votes, 69.5%), Jim Kaat (52, 63.4%), Gil Hodges (50, 61%), Tony Oliva (47, 57.3%), Maury Wills (33, 40.2%), Joe Torre (26, 31.7%), Don Newcombe (17, 20.7%), Vada Pinson (16, 19.5%), Roger Maris (15, 18.3%), Lefty O’Doul (15, 18.3%), Luis Tiant (15, 18.3%), Curt Flood (14, 17.1%), Al Oliver (14, 17.1%), Mickey Vernon (14, 17.1%), Minnie Minoso (12, 14.6%), Cecil Travis (12, 14.6%), Dick Allen (11, 13.4%), Marty Marion (11, 13.4%), Joe Gordon (10, 12.2%), Ken Boyer (9, 11%), Mickey Lolich (8, 9.8%), Wes Ferrell (7, 8.5%), Sparky Lyle (6, 7.3%), Carl Mays (6, 7.3%), Thurman Munson (6, 7.3%), Rocky Colavito (5, 6.1%) and Bobby Bonds (1, 1.2%).
Results of the 2007 Composite Ballot (61 needed for election): Harvey (52 votes, 64.2%), Marvin Miller (51, 63%), Walter O’Malley (36, 44.4%), Buzzie Bavasi (30, 37%), Dick Williams (30, 37%), Whitey Herzog (29, 35.8%), Bill White (24, 29.6%), Bowie Kuhn (14, 17.3%), August Busch Jr. (13, 16%), Billy Martin (12, 14.8%), Charley O. Finley (10, 12.3%), Gabe Paul (10, 12.3%), Paul Richards (10, 12.3%), Phil Wrigley (9, 11.1%) and Harry Dalton (8, 9.9%).
Look at the names they could've picked to get in the Hall of Fame!! And they chose nobody. It appears to me that the Hall of Famers who had a vote figured, "hey I got mine" and the sportswriters got on their high horses and decided to not decide. That's crap of the highest order. The people on this committee (they are listed below) should resign. Have the Hall of Fame start over again with baseball voters who think, not ones who hold imaginary grudges, have snobbish attitudes toward different eras or are too old and bitter to remember what a good baseball player contributed to the team.
LADIES & GENTS:
THE MORONS!
THE HALL OF FAME VOTERS
Gene Elston
Tracy Ringolsb.
The above all should tender their resignations right now. They are a disgrace to the voting process they were privileged to be a part of. Blow it up and start all over again!
posted by David Yonki @ 12:18 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
That guy in the Negro League -- Buck O'Neil -- people used to say he was the black Babe Ruth, but real baseball people said Babe Ruth was the white Buck O'Neil. He got screwed, too. So he wasn't in the majors, even with a one-day contract in the minors in an attempt to make him eligible for the Hall of Fame. I don't think he needed any gimmick.
From ESPN's site last year:
The grandson of a man brought to this continent a slave, O'Neil moved to Kansas City to avoid racial persecution in the Deep South. He played baseball during an era of segregation, and earlier this year was denied entry into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by a special 12-member panel.
You are correct in saying these Hall of Fame voters have to go. This committee is top heavy with people who should know better. Gil Hodges,Ron SAnto, Jim Kaat? THey couldn't decide on one? This is what happens when you become more inclusive, you get more opinions that divide the proper goal and objective into smaller segments. Ya think the HOF got a hold of one of the old Luzerne County Study Commissions?
Nice digression there. I wonder how a guy like Jim Bunning, who I think is senile now, did you see him ihn his last Senate campaign, can make some of these guys wait after he waited so long to get in? I think you also have a lot of balls calling Hank Aaron and Willie Mays morons. I busted a gut laughing because you were most likely the kid who loved the Smokey Burgesses of the world. Nice break from the bullshit. Well this is a diffeent type of bullshit but what the heck.
Any one of those type guys should have been considered. But baseball's hall of fame kind of mirrors the sport, they think too much. Too many layers. Loved your article though. Any hope of a baseball blog from you?
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