Will Roger Maris ever get into the HOF?

[Touch'EmAll]

Can't wait to see the plaque of Harold Baines. And while I am visiting, didn't I hear of some guy who broke Babe Ruth's record - please direct me to his plaque.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by Touch'EmAll

Can't wait to see the plaque of Harold Baines. And while I am visiting, didn't I hear of some guy who broke Babe Ruth's record - please direct me to his plaque.

I agree that Harold Baines doesn't deserve a plaque, but just because he got in, it doesn't mean Maris should. I would guess there is plenty more in the museum part of the Hall of Fame about Roger Maris than there is Harold Baines even if Maris doesn't have a plaque.

[toppcat]

He needed another 2-3 top years IMO and also raked in what were two expansion years, so there is some dilution there of MLB talent.

Two guys who really should be in are both second basemen: Bobby Grich and (especially) Lou Whitaker.

[jingram058]

Well, if we're going down this road, here is $.02, FWIW...no, I don't think Harold Mediocre Baines needs to be in, and no Maris doesn't need to get in. Like the man said, if he hit 59, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

But consider these rather serious omissions...Chuck Klein, Riggs Stephenson, Cecil Travis, and Gil Hodges.

Then we have Joe Jackson (he didn't take the money), Pete Rose (I couldn't care less about his gambling), and Barry Bonds (I couldn't care less about his steroids).

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by jingram058

Well, if we're going down this road, here is $.02, FWIW...no, I don't think Harold Mediocre Baines needs to be in, and no Maris doesn't need to get in. Like the man said, if he hit 59, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

But consider these rather serious omissions...Chuck Klein, Riggs Stephenson, Cecil Travis, and Gil Hodges.

Then we have Joe Jackson (he didn't take the money), Pete Rose (I couldn't care less about his gambling), and Barry Bonds (I couldn't care less about his steroids).

Chuck Klein was elected in 1980. Fun Fact: Klein and Lou Gehrig are the only players in history that have recorded 400 or more total bases in three separate seasons.

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Chuck Klein was elected in 1980.

Duh...Alzheimer's, I guess.

[tjenkins]

I live in northern South South Dakota. Maris grew up 150 miles from me and personally alot of us in this area don't understand, why he is not in? He held arguably the most prestigious record in baseball during a time period when pitching was pretty darn tough. I understand he only had two superstar level seasons but I feel if Maris had one negative quality, it was how the pressure of the 1961 season and outdoing the Babe and Mantle really negatively affected his health. I believe it shortened his career, which in my opinion says something about the type of person he was. I wish like hell he would get in but I do not think he will. There are certainly players less deserving than Maris who are in.

[UKCardGuy]

Originally Posted by jingram058

Well, if we're going down this road, here is $.02, FWIW...no, I don't think Harold Mediocre Baines needs to be in, and no Maris doesn't need to get in. Like the man said, if he hit 59, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

But consider these rather serious omissions...Chuck Klein, Riggs Stephenson, Cecil Travis, and Gil Hodges.

Then we have Joe Jackson (he didn't take the money), Pete Rose (I couldn't care less about his gambling), and Barry Bonds (I couldn't care less about his steroids).

I completely agree with you about Hodges. I never understood Gil's omission especially considering the additional consideration of his managerial career

8× All-Star (1949–1955, 1957)
3× World Series champion (1955, 1959, 1969)
3× Gold Glove Award (1957–1959)
Managed the '69 Miracle Mets

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by UKCardGuy

I completely agree with you about Hodges. I never understood Gil's omission especially considering the additional consideration of his managerial career

8× All-Star (1949–1955, 1957)
3× World Series champion (1955, 1959, 1969)
3× Gold Glove Award (1957–1959)
Managed the '69 Miracle Mets

I second this one...Harold Baines and Barry Larkin...no Gil Hodges?? Cmon...

As for Maris...Here is a player still revered, talked about, and relevant...above many of his peers...I would want him in for emotional reasons, and not sure that's good enough. I certainly wouldn't be upset if he got in...

[tjenkins]

Originally Posted by jingram058

Well, if we're going down this road, here is $.02, FWIW...no, I don't think Harold Mediocre Baines needs to be in, and no Maris doesn't need to get in. Like the man said, if he hit 59, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

But consider these rather serious omissions...Chuck Klein, Riggs Stephenson, Cecil Travis, and Gil Hodges.

Then we have Joe Jackson (he didn't take the money), Pete Rose (I couldn't care less about his gambling), and Barry Bonds (I couldn't care less about his steroids).

I also agree with EVERYTHING that jingram has said other than I believe Maris should be in.

[mortimer brewster]

Gil Hodges should most definitely be a Hall of Famer.

At the time of his retirement he was 10th on the all time HR list. Second all time among Right Handed hitters. Also at the Time of his retirement he was first on the all time grand slam list. Great defensive first baseman.

Piloting the Miracle Mets to the World Championship in 1969 should also be a factor.

[riggs336]

Originally Posted by jingram058

Well, if we're going down this road, here is $.02, FWIW...no, I don't think Harold Mediocre Baines needs to be in, and no Maris doesn't need to get in. Like the man said, if he hit 59, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

But consider these rather serious omissions...Chuck Klein, Riggs Stephenson, Cecil Travis, and Gil Hodges.

Then we have Joe Jackson (he didn't take the money), Pete Rose (I couldn't care less about his gambling), and Barry Bonds (I couldn't care less about his steroids).

I'm a big fan of Riggs Stephenson as my avatar and user id indicate.

Is he more deserving than some of the people already in the Hall? Yes...hello Fred Lindstrom. But he really wasn't a HOF caliber player.

There are already way too many mistakes from that big-hitting era of the late 20's and 1930's. We don't need any more.

Although I collect them both, either he nor Maris belong in the Hall.

[Mark17]

When there is a decent sized list of guys more deserving ahead of Maris (and I'll add Tony Oliva to that list now,) that is reason he shouldn't be in.

If we're going to say his one great year (1961) season and another MVP season (1960) puts him in, then how about Denny McLain? A great year (1968, 31 wins - last guy to win 30, Cy Young award, MVP) and 1969 (24 wins, another Cy award) are comparable. Not to mention 20 wins in 1966.

Despite a long and painfully tedious goodbye, McLain still ended with a .590 winning percentage.

No I don't think McLain should be in, just saying, stat-wise and accomplishment-wise, he's reasonably comparable to Maris, who also shouldn't be in.

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by riggs336

I'm a big fan of Riggs Stephenson as my avatar and user id indicate.

Is he more deserving than some of the people already in the Hall? Yes...hello Fred Lindstrom. But he really wasn't a HOF caliber player.

There are already way too many mistakes from that big-hitting era of the late 20's and 1930's. We don't need any more.

Although I collect them both, either he nor Maris belong in the Hall.

Well, I agree defensively. His football injury hurt him, no doubt. But he hit above .300 for years, and was looked on as a star by every writer and fan it seems.

I guess for me my most glaring omission, the one that I just don't understand, is Gil Hodges. That one I just don't get at all.

[Exhibitman]

Frank "Lefty" O'Doul is the greatest eligible position player not in the Hall of Fame. Over 970 games (30 shy of the 1,000 used for official records) from 1919 to 1934, Lefty averaged .349, winning two batting championships and setting the NL record for most hits in a season. Not in any way a "homer", Lefty hit .352 at home and .347 on the road, proving he belongs among the elite hitters in history. After his days in the majors ended, he returned to the Pacific Coast League, where he was the longtime manager of the San Francisco Seals and later the San Diego and Seattle teams. Lefty was instrumental in organizing Japanese baseball, whose premiere team, the Giants, was named in his honor. Lefty is one of only 3 Americans in the Japanese baseball hall of fame.

[G1911]

The greatest eligible position player not in the HOF is Barry Bonds. Whether he should be in or not is another issue.


I’d pick Dahlen over O’Doul among old timers who are eligible, for one. O’Doul played 6 full time seasons, 4 of his 11 years were under 40 games. One has to ascribe to the theory that very short peaks are enough in and of themselves (the Maris argument, though Maris’ was far more significant), or that O’Doul should be the first person inducted into the Cooperstown Hall of Fame primarily for his contributions to Japanese Baseball.