AZ_
Hall-of-Famer
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Easy money, no way in hell does Hoffman or Thomas get in on their first try.
Especially Glavine...
Easy money, no way in hell does Hoffman or Thomas get in on their first try.
If all of them get a first ballot nod I'll let you set my avatar. No restrictions, no veto.
If not, you make a $20 donation to RCF...In the name of b00bie.
One thing I learned today, Joe DiMaggio received 0.4 percent of the vote on his first ballot.
One thing I learned today, Joe DiMaggio received 0.4 percent of the vote on his first ballot.
Took him four tries to get in
This was a different situation. It was unclear whether he was actually eligible or not on that first ballot, there was a huge backlog. The whole system got revamped pretty much because of the Dimaggio situation.
Still took him four tries.
I know I am in the minority here, but I actually agree with the voters on the 'first time' thing. And the reason is simple: you only get elected to the Hall once. It has everything to do with giving the true 'best of the best of the best' a last recognition on their way into the Hall. I think people are being shortsighted here and not looking at it for what it really is: an honor to be a 1st ballot guy.
Look, Induction Day is the day for all of baseball to celebrate a great player's career. The argument of 'if a player belongs in the hall, they belong on the 1st ballot' is fine- but it has nothing to do with why baseball writers are so picky on that first ballot. The players mentioned for next year by Deezy are a perfect case in point: All of them (Johnson, Maddux, Thomas, Hoffman) belong in the Hall. Are all of them equals? No. Some were, somehow, greater than the others. By being so picky on the '1st ballot' thing, it is one way to give players a last honor before they all end up with the same final honor: a plaque on the wall. One last way to let the 'best of the best of the best' know that they, well, were. In my opinion? Having Johnson and Maddux get a that kind of recognition, along with a day for all of baseball to recognize them- and them alone- is something their careers deserve (Thomas, too, but I can make that case in another post). While there may be multiple players worthy of the Hall coming up for next year, it doesn't mean all should have to share the same day. That to me diminishes the honor for them, and they shouldn't have to do that.
The baseball HOF was the first sports HOF, and frankly, the only one that does it right. The Hall of Fame is not a Top 100 list, or a ranking on a sports web log or BBC. It is an honor. It is a time for the whole sport to remember a great career. One way to do that, properly, for the greats is to ensure that they get a chance to stand alone- and the whole 'first ballot' idea does just that.
Biggio not getting in was nothing more than the writers trying to make a statement towards Bonds and Clemens by electing absolutely no one despite Craig deserving to get in.
I'm sorry but if you are 20th all time on the career hits in all of baseball history. A game that's been played for 2 centuries...you are a shoe in. Think about how many TOTAL players have played in the MLB over the entire span and it's astronomical. Being 20th for all time hits is like being 5th in NBA History in scoring just based on the longevity baseball has vs basketball.
Do you guys honestly think not being in the HOF bothers Bonds, Clemens or any of the others?