Joe Gordon - HOF [Archive] - Net54baseball.com Forums

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12-08-2008, 10:37 AM

Posted By: J LevineGordon? Really? Yuck... Wow...a career .268 hitter!! Most comparable stats according to baseball reference... Jose Valentin (902) Bret Boone (900) Jorge Posada (891) Adrian Beltre (890) Vern Stephens (890) Javy Lopez (890) Bill Nicholson (889) Doug DeCinces (883) Ken Caminiti (881) Kirk Gibson (880) Sad...I was hoping Santo and Hodges might make it. Joshua

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12-08-2008, 10:38 AM

Posted By: Chris CountsOh, Boy ... get ready for the latest installment of the never-ending debate on the comparative merits of borderline Hall-0f-Famers. As always, I fall into the category that wants more ... and not less ... Hall-of-Famers. I guess I'm in the minority here. As for Joe Gordon, he was a solid, all-around player with excellent power, a good glove and a knack for playing on winning teams. I would have put about 12 or 14 other guys in Cooperstown first, but I really can't complain because I have few more Hall of Fame cards in my collection than I had yesterday ...

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12-08-2008, 10:40 AM

Posted By: MattHe may be a product of guys like Ozzie Smith - once the Hall decided they would accept infielders who were great defensively and only average at the plate, they re-evaluated other such players they passed over. I think Omar Vizquel gets in, if Joe Gordon gets in.

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12-08-2008, 10:42 AM

Posted By: John H.I don't think it's ridiculous. Gordon was a helluva player during a war shortened 11 year career who also contributed a monster year to a WS championship with Cleveland. He also won a MVP award in 1942, even though it should have gone to Williams who won the Triple Crown. I think Gordon's a guy who could have gone in a lot sooner.

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12-08-2008, 10:49 AM

Posted By: James FeaginThe Hall of "watered down".

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12-08-2008, 10:50 AM

Posted By: Jodi BirkholmI always figured the Gordon-Vern Stephens comparison would spark heated debate between Yankees and BoSox fans, yet I heard no such conversation as each man was nominated this year. Both men were solid players, but neither deserves induction. I ran into Gordon's daughter Judy many years ago. I had a signed GPC up on eBay, and she happened to see it and thought it was great to see her Dad's signature up for sale. Gordon was such a willing and prolific signer in his brief 63 years on this earth that there will never be a shortage of autographs out there. I will be curious to see what signed items will fetch in the next month. Premium items (single-signed ball, bat, quality photographs) will be sound investments, but cuts and 3X5s, as well as newspaper photos, are very common.

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12-08-2008, 11:06 AM

Posted By: PaulI think Joe Gordon was the worst pick for MVP ever when he beat out Ted Williams in 1942, a year when Williams won the triple crown. I don't think he's a particularly deserving Hall of Famer either, but probably not the worst. I've heard comparisons to Doerr, who I also don't think is a particularly deserving Hall of Famer. More to the subject of this Board, I've got a few post-war cards of him. Does anyone know what pre-war cards he has?

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12-08-2008, 11:07 AM

Posted By: barrysloateThe bigger issue is: what is his rookie card?

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12-08-2008, 11:12 AM

Posted By: leonI think I have seen some R303 cards of him....

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12-08-2008, 11:12 AM

Posted By: Rob D.I hope Beckett has enough oversized holders on hand to handle the flood of submissions of team-issued, photo-pack pictures they're about to receive. Best double-play combo ever? E-mail for scans and Bump for price reduction

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12-08-2008, 11:15 AM

Posted By: Dan BrettaHeh...I didn't think I could get more infuriated today after hearing that Merrill Lynch's CEO recommended himself for a $10,000,000 bonus.... I was wrong. <img src="/images/sad.gif" height="14" width="14" alt="sad.gif">

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12-08-2008, 11:17 AM

Posted By: Dan BrettaAmazingly enough not one single item appears in an ebay search yet for "Joe Gordon Rookie".

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12-08-2008, 11:22 AM

Posted By: MattHis R303B is on eBay. Who is gonna grab it?

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12-08-2008, 11:22 AM

Posted By: JimBJoe who???

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12-08-2008, 11:27 AM

Posted By: Dan McHugh IVthe 1st thing I did when I saw he got in was go to ebay and search for his RC but I also would like to know what it is? I will find out later when I go home, Dan

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12-08-2008, 11:28 AM

Posted By: Kevin CummingsI would hardly call him great defensively and to mention him in the same breath as Ozzie Smith to defend the pick as a "glove man" is a stretch. Compare their two sets of stats - Smith's were head-and-shoulders above his peers during his tenure; not Gordon's. He did have some good home run and RBI totals for a second baseman, but nothing else about him really stands out other than his MVP award in 1942. I'm a Yankee fan and I think this was a bad pick. I would much rather have seen Deacon White or Bill Dahlen have gotten in.

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12-08-2008, 11:29 AM

Posted By: boxingcardmanThe Yankees variation. Likely issued in 1939. Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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12-08-2008, 11:38 AM

Posted By: MattKevin - I think you're right. I must have mis-remembered reading at some point that he was a stellar defensive player. Checking his stats that does not seem to be the case.

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12-08-2008, 11:42 AM

Posted By: barry arnoldnever heard of him. I guess he didn't play between 1909-1911. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height="14" width="14" alt="happy.gif"> best, barry

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12-08-2008, 11:45 AM

Posted By: Chris CountsJust think, one more vote and Allie Reynolds would have made too. I don't think he was on anybody's radar ...

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12-08-2008, 11:55 AM

Posted By: RhysJust in case anyone really wants to spend a fortune, his rookie is........ 1936 Overland Candy. If anyone owns this the card just went from a $500 item to a $2,000+ item overnight. Rhys Yeakley

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12-08-2008, 12:00 PM

Posted By: Mattnice one Rhys - from the 2008 REA (bottom right): <img src="http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2008images/Item_10331_2.jpg" alt="[linked image]">

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12-08-2008, 12:01 PM

Posted By: Marty OgelvieJoe Gordon, love it!! Go Yankees! <img alt="jgordon.jpg" src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1228766467.JPG"> marty

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12-08-2008, 12:15 PM

Posted By: Rhett YeakleyHere is Joe's strictly pre-war checklist... Gordon, Joseph L. (Joe) 1938 Baseball Mag Prem 1941 Double Play 67-68 1941 Double Play 83-84 1939 Goudey R303A 1939 Goudey R303B (2 - B/W or Sepia) 1936 Overland Candy 1941 Wheaties Champs 21 My only Gordon card, wishing now I had bid more on the Overlands in REA... <img src="http://www.geocities.com/rhettmatthew_37/83_84dp.JPG" alt="[linked image]">

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12-08-2008, 12:16 PM

Posted By: Chris CountsYesterday, this was a $5 card. Today, it's ... probably not worth much more than that ... not bad for a pre-war rookie ... <a href="http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e278/ccmcnutt/?action=view&current=exhibitgordon.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e278/ccmcnutt/exhibitgordon.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

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12-08-2008, 12:28 PM

Posted By: Steve Murray<img src="http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g5/jacklitsch1/M114/GordonFlash.jpg" alt="[linked image]">

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12-08-2008, 12:48 PM

Posted By: Shawn ChambersGordon is a shocker to me... Anyone have a link to the voting. This makes my man Bobby Veach look better and better! Shawn

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12-08-2008, 01:34 PM

Posted By: Greg EcklundGordon's selection is a joke - he was quite a good player, but does anyone think he would even be considered if he had played for the Browns or Senators? The only player from either Veterans Committee ballot that deserves to get in is Ron Santo, and he should have been elected a long time ago.

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12-08-2008, 01:34 PM

Posted By: jdrum"Under the revamped rules, another committee including Hall of Famers, historians and members of the BBWAA examined 10 players whose careers began prior to 1943. Aside from Gordon, that group included Bill Dahlen, Wes Ferrell, Sherry Magee, Carl Mays, Allie Reynolds, Vern Stephens, Mickey Vernon, Bucky Walters and Deacon White. Gordon was the only survivor."

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12-08-2008, 01:38 PM

Posted By: Rob D.Contained within <a href="http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081208&content_id=10390&vkey=hof _pr" rel="nofollow">this link</a> are the voting results and a list of who is on the Veterans Committee. Results of the 2008 Pre-1943 Players Ballot (nine votes needed for election): Gordon (10 votes, 83.3 percent) Allie Reynolds (eight, 66.7 percent) Wes Ferrell (six, 50.0 percent) Mickey Vernon (five, 41.7 percent) Deacon White (five, 41.7 percent) Bucky Walters (4, 33.3 percent) Sherry Magee (three, 25.0 percent) Bill Dahlen, Carl Mays and Vern Stephens (fewer than three). Edited to add: Under "hopenchange" rules, would it be possible to redistribute one of Gordon's votes -- which he doesn't really need and, as has been pointed out here, deserve -- and give it to Reynolds, who obviously needs -- and possibly deserves -- it more?

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12-08-2008, 01:41 PM

Posted By: JimiThe Hall of Fame will decide whether Gordon goes into Cooperstown as a Yankee or Indian. The decision is based on where a player had his biggest moments. Said Feller, jokingly, "There's enough Yankees in the Hall of Fame. He should go in as an Indian." Amen...... <img src="/images/happy.gif" height="14" width="14" alt="happy.gif"> Jimi Always looking for T222 Fatimas!

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12-08-2008, 01:59 PM

Posted By: LetsGoBucsWhat is even worse is that Reynolds almost made it. Gordon was a good solid ballplayer. He was on some winning teams. He's a minor star. He doesn't belong in the HOF IMO. At this rate we'll need to reconsider guys like Bill Madlock, Dick Groat, Al Oliver, etc. Perhaps what needs to be done is to have a HOF which is really a HOF. And then have a Hall of Stars next to it where they can induct people due to being a star for a period of time, or a really great character, or having done something out of the ordinary or very well in the playoffs or for a few years, etc. I just can't get excited about finding all my joe gordon cards because he's a HOF now.

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12-08-2008, 02:31 PM

Posted By: keywayJoe Gordon in the HOF. Can't believe it. Maybe I can get in for my little league base stealing. What a joke.

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12-08-2008, 02:34 PM

Posted By: Jodi Birkholm...and I will open up a Hall of Fame which enshrines nothing but Negro Leaguers without verifiable statistics and mediocre Yankees! Nay, I will simply re-elect Wilmer Fields and Tom Sturdivant year after year. We will have a picnic every Labor Day. There will be jazz. And balloon animals.

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12-08-2008, 02:35 PM

Posted By: Ted ZanidakisJoe Gordon....who ? Well, have you ever heard of Bill Mazeroski ? ? Both Gordon and Maz were career All-Star 2nd Baseman......and, if Maz is in......then Joe Gordon deserves to be in, for Joe was an all-around better player and has 6 World Series rings to prove it. The 1941 World Series was his best performance...... GA......5 AB.....14 H........7 HR......1 RBI.....5 BB......7 BA.... .500 SLG... .929 However, I would have preferred to have seen Bill Dahlen and Gil Hodges selected this year. But, Joe's alright with me. TED Z

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12-08-2008, 02:42 PM

Posted By: Jeff LichtmanI'm surprised at the general sentiment here; I think as a second baseman Gordon deserves entry into the HOF.

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12-08-2008, 03:03 PM

Posted By: Donavon ArabieHow strange? I was just thinking about how I overpayed for this one about a month ago for my set. Now, it's not looking so bad. <img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1228777412.JPG" alt="[linked image]">

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12-08-2008, 03:34 PM

Posted By: Rob D.While I'm a staunch advocate of everyone collecting what they like and the naysayers be damned, this selection illustrates perfectly why I've always resisted putting together a Hall of Fame (rookie or not) collection. Yesterday there was a large group of baseball card collectors who could not have cared less about owning a Joe Gordon card. And today, because of a margin of two votes by a relatively small group of voters who are qualified or unqualified -- depending on your opinion -- to make such a decision, those same collectors will be seeking Joe Gordon cards. Most would agree that there is a core group of Hall of Famers whose cards most any collector would love to own. But if my collecting goals were driven in part by the likes of Veterans Committee members Wade Boggs, Orlando Cepeda and Monte Irvin, I'd have to stop and think twice.

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12-08-2008, 03:44 PM

Posted By: Greg EcklundRob...well said - I have the same feelings as you Unless I'm trying to put a set together I'm simply not going to pay premium prices for a card of Rick Ferrell, Jesse Haines, Travis Jackson, Fred Lindstrom, etc. To pay up for those cards just because a group of old timers decided to reward one of their buddies or said "ah hell, why not reward old Freddie...he's still alive!" makes no sense to me.

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12-08-2008, 03:49 PM

Posted By: howardFor what it's worth, Joe Gordon was considered a superstar while he was an active player. In his eleven seasons he was named by The Sporting News the top second baseman in the major leagues nine times. In those seasons he was chosen over fellow Hall of Famers Billy Herman, Bobby Doerr, Red Schoendienst and even Jackie Robinson once. I doubt any similarly honored players are not or will not be in the Hall. Howard

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12-08-2008, 04:03 PM

Posted By: Dan BrettaDale Murphy was considered a superstar too I guess we should enshrine him today as well? Joe Gordon does not have the qualifications for the Hall of Fame...arguably there are others already in who also shouldn't be, but that doesn't mean you compound the problem by adding more borderline players.

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12-08-2008, 04:08 PM

Posted By: Phil GarryThanks for the heads-up guys/gals. I just picked up a 1938 M114 on ebay for $18.00 using BIN. I have to state that the 1936 Overland Candy date listed in the 2009 SCBB must be incorrect as Joe Gordon never played a Major League game prior to 1938 so the issue must be at best a 1936-1938 time span.

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12-08-2008, 04:08 PM

Posted By: dan mckeeLooks like Cal Ripken stats, when he went in, I said they might as well build a large addition to the Hall of Fame if every 270 hitter with 20 home runs per year gets in.

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12-08-2008, 04:22 PM

Posted By: Jeff LichtmanJoe Gordon was a second baseman, not a power-hitting outfielder. And he had one less year of 100 RBI than Dale Murphy did. Murphy was a really good player who burned out quickly; Gordon's stellar play lasted a few years longer. He's obviously a border-line HOFer but I still think he merits induction.

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12-08-2008, 04:29 PM

Posted By: howardTo expand on Jeff's point, had it not been for two years lost to the war Gordon would have had a good shot of breaking the HR record for second baseman. In addition I would imagine that he lost a good number of HRs simply because he was a right handed hitter playing in Yankee Stadium.

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12-08-2008, 05:49 PM

Posted By: PaulRob D. makes an excellent point about HOF collectors being subject to the whims of the committee du jour. I am a Hall of Fame collector myself. And originally I drew the line at players who I thought were unqualified. So, for the longest time, I did not have Harry Hooper, Tommy McCarthy, Roger Bresnahan, Eppa Rixey, and others. But over time, the group I didn't have became smaller and smaller, and, apart from McCarthy, they didn't cost much. So I went ahead and bought them. Then they elected Bid McPhee. I already had everyone else, so I had to have his card. That was obviously a lot of money for a player I had never heard of. Then they elected Biz Mackey and friends. Ditto. Now they've elected Barney Dreyfuss. Ditto again. Still looking for that one. So, I feel exactly the pain and sense of utter stupidity that Rob D. alludes to. I do occasionally consider selling off the HOFers I don't care about and putting that money into cards I do care about. Maybe some day I'll do it. But for now I'm pretty happy owning all the Hall of Famers except Dreyfuss and Pete Hill. And I do already have a Leaf card of Joe Gordon.

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12-08-2008, 05:50 PM

Posted By: MisunderestimatedNot a great choice -- especially in terms of the other candidates in his bracket. "Missing-years during the war" makes it difficult to evaluate players like Gordon and he played a tough and especially valuable position. Certainly he's entitled to credit for that, and for his role in winning championships. Even so I have the sneaking feeling that he got in by jumping over a bar that Scooter Rizutto held down for him . . . Dahlen, for example, was a much better shortstop defensively and his career offensive numbers are vastly superior, especially when you factor in the era in which he played. Shorter careers with high "peak value" are always problematic because they don't yield the big raw numbers -- look at the career #s for HOFers like Koufax, Dizzy Dean, Kirby Puckett, Ross Youngs, Addie Joss, Hughie Jennings (for starters). . . I would put him in the lower 40% of the HOF -- not nearly the least worthy SS in the HOF ---> off-hand I think Wallace, Tinker, Maranville, Aparicio, Sewell, & Travis Jackson are all worse. - Edited to add that as a HOF collector Gordon's does not create any hardship -- as Dreyfus did. . . Actually I already have an acceptable Gordon card.

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12-08-2008, 06:23 PM

Posted By: john/z28jd I don't believe anyone could have really done their homework and said,Joe Gordon is the best player not enshrined yet and not still on the baseball writers ballot. For instance, a 2nd baseman named Cupid Childs has stats that would easily fall into the same class as Gordon. Childs got on base as good as anyone when he played and he scored a ton of runs,stole some bases and drove in his share of runs. Plus he compares amazingly well to Gordon defensively and they played basically the same amount of time. Has anyone ever stepped up and said Cupid Childs should be a hall of famer? Well if you think he should,you have a great case now,Joe Gordon wasn't any better than him. Gordon also has a few contemporaries at his position already enshrined while Childs just has Bid McPhee. It really is a shame that the hall of fame can't get things right and it seems like everytime they do something now it highlights past mistakes. I'm not mad Joe Gordon is in the Hall, I am not one of those people who say only the best of the best should be in because there are too many forgotten great players who aren't in the hall because someone said something along the lines of "Joe Gordon should be in instead of Cupid Childs for no good reason other than I want him to be there"

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12-08-2008, 07:14 PM

Posted By: Ken McMillansucks that Santo didn't get in. What do these idiots that vote want??? You probably have to die first. Kmac

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12-08-2008, 07:16 PM

Posted By: Kenny ColeHe was an all-star 9 of the 11 years he played, impressed the voters enough to win the MVP when Williams won the triple crown, was in the top 10 in MVP voting 5 times in 11 years, averaged close to 100 runs batted in a year over his career, hit for power when 2B didn't do that, could steal a bag every once in a while, scored 90+ runs 4 times (and 80+ 4 more), and (contrary to some posts above) was considered to be an absolute acrobat around the bag. He doesn't do too well on the black ink test, and is only mediocre on the gray ink test, but I suspect that's true for every HOF 2B not named Lajoie, Collins, Hornsby, Gehringer, Robinson, Carew (who was a much worse fielder than Gordon) or Morgan I haven't looked at his fielding stats because they are pretty much irrelevant. Guys who are anchored to the bag can have good fielding stats and kill their team because they have no range and can't get to any balls. Guys with range, which I believe those who saw Gordon play would say he had, get the errors because they get to balls that others wouldn't be able to come close to. Gordon also played his home games in what were among the worst parks for right handed power hitters in that time. Gordon was probably the best 2B of the 40s, with his only competition coming from Billy Herman. Head to head, he beat Doerr practically every year. When his numbers are considered in context, they aren't too bad. His election doesn't give me too much heartburn. I wouldn't have picked him as the most deserving of the pre-'40s candidates, but he certainly doesn't drag the membership down

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12-08-2008, 07:21 PM

Posted By: Ted ZanidakisKENNY C....you are one really informed guy....DITTO to everything you said. And, I'll reiterate...... If Doerr and Mazeroski are in the HOF, then Joe Gordon belongs there, too. As a kid, I watched him play and I'll say that Joe was impressive (even in his later years). His 1948 stats illustrate this...... GA = 144, AB = 550, Hits = 154, HR = 32, R = 96, RBI = 124, BA = .280 One of the last cards of Joe in a Yankees uniform. I paid a penny for this exhibit card at the boardwalk in Asbury Park, NJ when I was a kid. <img src="http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd339/tz1234zaz/aex1947joegordon.jpg" alt="[linked image]"> TED Z

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12-08-2008, 07:21 PM

Posted By: Ted Zanidakis............1947 BOND BREAD............................................1 948 Indians Photo pack.............................................. ..........1949 LEAF <img src="http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd339/tz1234zaz/ajoegordon1947v1950.jpg" alt="[linked image]"> ..................1949 BOWMAN............................................ .................................................. ................................1950 BOWMAN TED Z

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12-08-2008, 08:14 PM

Posted By: Stephen MitchellHoward has expressed my sentiments well, specifically: "...Joe Gordon was considered a superstar while he was an active player. In his eleven seasons he was named by The Sporting News the top second baseman in the major leagues nine times..." and "had it not been for two years lost to the war Gordon would have had a good shot of breaking the HR record for second baseman. In addition I would imagine that he lost a good number of HRs simply because he was a right handed hitter playing in Yankee Stadium." That Joe Gordon was picked by The Sporting News (THE Baseball Paper) as THE All-Star Second Baseman for the MAJOR Leagues in 9 of his 11 seasons is powerful. Two years of military service must be honored, too, and not merely cited. (Check out Cecil Travis' record before and after WWII and see how much HOF support the late Senator shortstop receives.) I'm very pleased for family, friends and the few ballplayers still living who knew Joe Gordon and salute his belated election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

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12-08-2008, 08:33 PM

Posted By: AnonymousJoe Gordon. Good player. Hall of Fame? Here is a link which indicates over a 162 game season he would avaraged 25 home runs and 101 RBIs. Also a nine time all star. I will also listen to any defensive statistics: <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/gordojo01.shtml" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/gordojo01.shtml</a> <img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1228797179.JPG" alt="[linked image]"> Thank You for the photo pack, Phil.

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12-08-2008, 08:51 PM

Posted By: Jeff LichtmanBeing the best player at one's position in all of Major League Baseball for 9 of 11 years is more than most Hall of Famers can say.

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12-08-2008, 08:55 PM

Posted By: john/z28jd Bringing up Gordon's 162 game average should lead anyone to check out Vern Stephen's avg 268 26 101 vs 286 23 111 Stephens was an 8 time all-star and had 3 rbi crowns yet he got less than 3 votes today? These people have no clues when it comes to voting.

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12-08-2008, 09:51 PM

Posted By: boxingcardmanSay it ain't so...Joe?!?!? Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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12-08-2008, 09:52 PM

Posted By: Jodi BirkholmI must have something against second sackers with sub-HOF offensive stats. Ted, I backhandedly agree with you! Maz, Doerr and Gordon really don't belong! <img src="/images/happy.gif" height="14" width="14" alt="happy.gif"> I obviously never saw these guys play, but I really think that each of these men have benefitted by having friends on the Committee, ergo Greg E's point. I know I have always been a better judge of third basemen than I have of second basemen, but I need some informed justification to convince me of the worthiness of these three fellows. On a personal note, I know nothing of Maz' personality, have heard that Gordon was a decent guy, and it's safe to say that the entire collecting community knows what kind of man Bobby Doerr is.

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12-08-2008, 09:57 PM

Posted By: davidcyclebackMy opinion is Gordon is not a Hall of Famer. However, the numbers I've seen here and elsewhere show his was a strong offensive second baseman. Second base is traditionally a fielder's position, where Gordon's type of offensive production is rare. His annual MVP votes show he was considered valuable by the sportswriters of the day.

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12-08-2008, 10:05 PM

Posted By: Jodi BirkholmI understand what you say, and certainly feel that sportswriters from the pre-war era had much more astute eyes for a player's defensive capabilities. It's always struck me as odd that, in the past seven decades of televised ballgames, more emphasis hasn't been placed on defensive play. Far more was made of that aspect prior to when most fans could actually see such feats. Perhaps writers revered the acrobats of their time because it made their jobs so much easier to do! After all, there are only so many ways to describe a home run; the prosaic possibilities in describing a stellar catch are endless!

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12-08-2008, 10:13 PM

Posted By: BobSo as I understand it, the pre-1943 players are voted upon by a 12 man select committee of former players who are in the HOF. The select committee was established as a direct result of the cronyism which resulted in the Mazeroski vote. They showed their complete ignorance of players who played from 1900-1920. I read a while back that someone here flatly stated there would never be another HOFer from pre-1920 and I guess he was right. The other thing that ticked me off was that for the fourth straight year, (I believe I read that somewhere), the 64 man surviving HOFers who comprise the veterans committee which votes on guys from 1944 on who ran out of time in the regular eligibility, failed to elect anyobody. Santo was very close, Oliva was close, Kaat was close, but no cigar. Joe Gordon New York Yankee in. Tony Oliva and Jim Kaat Minnesota Twins out. Tell me again how players who play in New York don't have a built in advantage...

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12-09-2008, 04:35 AM

Posted By: Jeff LichtmanBob, as soon as Gil Hodges is elected and Kirby Puckett kicked out of the HOF I'll agree with your argument. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height="14" width="14" alt="happy.gif">

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12-09-2008, 08:13 AM

Posted By: Ted ZanidakisAs I said previously, Bill Dahlen and Gil Hodges are long overdue to be in the HOF....and, I was hoping that they would have been selected. Also, perhaps Santo, Oliva and Kaat are long overdue. In Santo's case, I think the lack of any post-season play has hurt him. Having said all that, and having seen Joe Gordon play, I'm quite happy with his selection to the HOF. And, I find some of the responses here, to the contrary, somewhat amusing. I have an advantage over most of you, in that I saw Jackie Robinson, PeeWee Reese, Phil Rizzuto, Bobby Doerr, Marty Marion, and Joe Gordon play. And, I have a very good memory of the years from 1947 - 1957, when these guys covered their respec- tive inside positions of the infield. They were in a class of their own......with their defensive and offensive contributions. It is one thing to read about these players.....but, it's another thing to have seen them play. Videos are available of all the World Series from 1941 on. I highly recommend viewing them to see these players in real action. Numbers in a BB encyclopedia don't always tell the real story. Yes, as Bob said, "cronyism" does have a lot to do with the selection process. HOF Committee members who were Joe Gordon's peers, like Berra, Boudreau, Doerr, Feller, Kell, Kiner, Musial, Roberts, and Snider would understandably favor him. TED Z

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12-09-2008, 09:42 AM

Posted By: BobI'm still pulling for Blyleven. I find it hard to believe Ricky H. would be the only selection and there are sports writers out there who still hate Jim Rice for being "surly," so BB may have a legitimate chance. Did anyone notice that although the veterans committee was allowed to vote for 4 candidates for the post 1944 players that the average numbers of votes cast per HOF voter was 3.3?

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12-09-2008, 04:05 PM

Posted By: Donavon ArabieAnybody else notice the two SGC graded R303 Gordon's are now gone from ebay? They were just there yesterday (& have been on ebay for months) & now they are both sold.

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12-09-2008, 07:44 PM

Posted By: Jason LAfter taking a day to ponder this new addition, I have to say, what else do we expect from a process that is designed to sift through the otherwise forgotten and previously un-decorated heroes of baseball past? The best that can happen is a marginal player is awarded entry. I don't understand Santo's continued lack of support, unless it's true that everyone is afraid of Mike Schmidt's disapproval. It's true that he lost HRs due to the war absence. But I lost alot of HRs due to my not playing MLB baseball. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height="14" width="14" alt="happy.gif">