HOF Results

[Hankphenom]

So very happy for Buck, a truly wonderful man. Wish he was around to enjoy it.

[earlywynnfan]

I agree with the majority of posts here: These choices don't water down the hall, and we probably all had a favorite to argue for in this group. (I thought Minoso deserved this a long time ago, and I always wanted Buck in.) I also agree that Tommy John should get ready to update his resume, he and Kaat are so similar.

How about some autographs?? Sorry to say, I don't have a Fowler. (Does anyone???)

[egri]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

How about some autographs?? Sorry to say, I don't have a Fowler. (Does anyone???)

The only one of the new inductees I have, obtained TTM in November 2014:

[IMG] [/IMG]

[Brian Van Horn]

Talk about rarely getting an autograph. Outside of Manny Sanguillen and in hockey Mario Lemieux and J Bob "Battleship" Kelly. Not for sale:

[rhettyeakley]

Here is a tough to find early Buck O'Neil item.

[flpm08]

All modern selections were well deserved choices, i.e., Hodges, Minoso, kaat and Oliva. I cannot comment on Fowler or O'Neil since my knowledge of the Negro leagues is not that great. I think that Allen, who was so close, should have made it. He was a very good player.
Like several other persons who commented on the selections, I was extremely happy to see that Gil Hodges made the Hall. Growing up in New Jersey in the late 1940s and 1950s the Dodgers were a fixture on WOR Channel 9. The Boys of Summer now have five starters in the Hall of Fame , Reese, Robinson, Snider, Campy and Hodges. I am sure that Doris Kearns Goodwin who wrote that classic, Wait 'Till Next Year, is also happy.
flpm42

[sycks22]

Happy to see two fellow Twins getting in. Kaat / Oliva are great guys as well.

[Mike D.]

The committee's actually meet in person and discuss the candidates, then vote...so it's not particularly shocking they reached something like a consensus.

[jingram058]

Here is a great photo of "Mr. White Sox", Minnie Minoso. That is one sharp-looking uniform he is wearing!

[Misunderestimated]

I feel compelled to echo loudly -- someone else wrote this above -- that Bill Dahlen really got screwed in this one. If I were a voter I would have voted for Dahlen, O'Neill, and Minoso... I don't really feel competent to vote either way on Fowler, Redding, or Donaldson. They all seem deserving from what little I know.
Oliva, Kaat and Hodges will not be the worst HOFers. All three bring the median down in terms of on the field performance. As people/ role models they bring the character and role model median up. It will be nice to see beloved figures like Kaat and Oliva inducted while they are still with us and Minoso and O'Neill while their memories are fresh.

[Casey2296]

Happy for Buck but would have been more appropriate to induct him and Lefty at the same time for the same reason, Without Lefty O'Doul Shoei Ohtani wouldn't be playing For the Angels.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Happy for Buck but would have been more appropriate to induct him and Lefty at the same time for the same reason, Without Lefty O'Doul Shoei Ohtani wouldn't be playing For the Angels.

Yes, and they should have created a separate "Ambassadors" category for both of them. Electing Buck in any other capacity is a bigger joke than Harold Baines being inducted. As wonderful a human being as he was, O'Neil had no business being considered for enshrinement alongside people who were being elected predominantly on the basis of their level of play.

[frankbmd]

I'm not an autograph expert, but this Minnie was obtained in person in 1957 before my tenth birthday after a spring training game in Clearwater against the Phillies. I like it more now.

I only have two of the three famous M. M. autographs.

Minnie Minoso



Mickey Mantle



Moms Mabley


Does anyone have a Moms Mabley autograph for sale?

Let me know.

[Scocs]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

Yes, and they should have created a separate "Ambassadors" category for both of them. Electing Buck in any other capacity is a bigger joke than Harold Baines being inducted. As wonderful a human being as he was, O'Neil had no business being considered for enshrinement alongside people who were being elected predominantly on the basis of their level of play.

This is so true: just make separate categories for “ambassadors” (O’Neil, Fowler) and “executives” (Pompez, Manley) so that more actual HOF-caliber Negro League baseball players can get inducted such as Redding, Johnson, Scales, Marcelle, Lundy, Oms, and the like…

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by Scocs

This is so true: just make separate categories for “ambassadors” (O’Neil, Fowler) and “executives” (Pompez, Manley) so that more actual HOF-caliber Negro League baseball players can get inducted such as Redding, Johnson, Scales, Marcelle, Lundy, Oms, and the like…

I'm right there with you. The Early Baseball ballot is hard to fathom. Redding getting under 3 votes when many experts believe him the best player not in the Hall (and one that we have pretty extensive stats for at this point, and greatly expanded stats since 2006 when he was last considered) is hard to fathom. (I've mentioned elsewhere that I can't fathom voting for Donaldson over Redding, but that is neither here nor there.)

I'm thrilled that Minoso got in, and find with O'Neil getting in, although I hate that the vote was a competition, as the voters could not vote for all the candidates they thought were eligible.

Similarly, I don't understand how you could justify keeping Dick Allen out.

Happy for those who made it in. I don't think any bring down the stature of the Hall (although there are a couple of entries that I'd have been ok with going either way. Glad that Hodges finally gets in, but I'm sentimental for the 1955 Dodgers, and his roll with the 1969 Mets, so not sure if that's all that's driving my feeling on that.

[Marchillo]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

Yes, and they should have created a separate "Ambassadors" category for both of them. Electing Buck in any other capacity is a bigger joke than Harold Baines being inducted. As wonderful a human being as he was, O'Neil had no business being considered for enshrinement alongside people who were being elected predominantly on the basis of their level of play.

I think this would be a great addition for the Hall - Guys like Pesky, Don Zimmer etc. deserve a spot in the Hall imo - just not for playing/managing resumes.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Marchillo

I think this would be a great addition for the Hall - Guys like Pesky, Don Zimmer etc. deserve a spot in the Hall imo - just not for playing/managing resumes.

Wouldn't it be hilarious if they did that, and Bob Uecker made it into the Hall? God, his acceptance speech would be classic!!!

[chadeast]

I'm really happy about Oliva. He was a truly great hitter. I think that he's been undervalued due to the fact that he played during the modern deadball era of the early and mid sixties when the game greatly favored pitchers and they were putting up sub 2.00 ERAs. His career was on the short side, but OPS+ of 130 or more for seven straight years is a helluva run. His rookie year was insane, especially considering it happened in 1964.

[Yoda]

Perhaps Allen's sometimes odd behavior kept him 1 vote shy?

[cjedmonton]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Perhaps Allen's sometimes odd behavior kept him 1 vote shy?

That’s the only thing I could think of…but how many on that 16 person panel even had direct interactions with Allen to have wanted to hold back their vote for him if they had a negative experience?

[clydepepper]

I'm so happy that two of 'my three Cubans' got in!

This is a GREAT GROUP!- VERY WORTHY!!


It's great that Oliva & Kaat got in while still living.


It's a shame that Minnie and Gil weren't elected while they were still around.

Sad that Dick Allen fell one vote short...

GIL HODGES! Finally!

I love Buck O'Neil! What a great ambassador of the Game.

Lefty O'Doul was also a great ambassador for the Game...maybe next time.



I thought Ken Boyer and Billy Pierce were great players, but borderline HOF candidates.

I still want Luis Tiant, Jr. to be in.



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