Hodges received just 43% of the vote, while Tiant did even worse, with just 20%. Gil has now received more votes than other candidate in history, but still is on the outside looking in. Ron Santo just missed also, and Allie Reynolds missed getting in in the "pre-1943" vote by just one.
Joe Torre received nearly 30% of the vote, but only one active manager (Connie Mack in 1937) has ever been elected to the Hall of Fame. Torre should get in as soon as he retires from active managing.
They elected Yankees and Indians second baseman Joe Gordon as the lone player to receive 75% of the 64 votes of the committee, which is made up of all living Hall of Famers. (Gordon got in in the seperate "pre-1943" vote, which had just 12 voters.)
While Gordon was a terrific player and a nine-time All-Star, he was also the beneficiary of what is considered by many to be one of the worst choices in history for MVP. (And I had to laugh when a few weeks ago I heard that said about Dustin Pedroia.) Gordon won the award in 1942 the same year that Ted Williams won his first of two Triple Crowns. Gordon his .322 that year with 18 HRS and 103 RBI. But of course, the Yankees won the pennant that year.
The press must REALLY have hated Ted.
Here is the complete vote:
| SINCE 1943 | ||
| Player | Votes | Pct. |
| Ron Santo | 39 | 60.9 |
| Jim Kaat | 38 | 59.4 |
| Tony Oliva | 33 | 51.6 |
| Gil Hodges | 28 | 43.8 |
| Joe Torre | 19 | 29.7 |
| Maury Wills | 15 | 23.4 |
| Luis Tiant | 13 | 20.3 |
| Vada Pinson | 12 | 18.8 |
| Al Oliver | 9 | 14.1 |
| Dick Allen | 7 | 10.9 |
| PRE-1943 | ||
| Player | Votes | Pct. |
| Joe Gordon | 10 | 83.3 |
| Allie Reynolds | 8 | 66.7 |
| Wes Ferrell | 6 | 50.0 |
| Mickey Vernon | 5 | 41.7 |
| Deacon White | 5 | 41.7 |
| Bucky Walters | 4 | 33.3 |
| Sherry Magee | 3 | 25 |
| Bill Dahlen | >3 | |
| Carl Mays | >3 | |
| Vern Stephens | >3 |
All quiet on the Las Vegas front, as there was just one trade made on the opening day of the Winter Meetings. Texas trdaed catcher Gerald Laird to Detroit for two minor league pitchers.
I also read today in the Boston Herald that the Red Sox are planning to unveil changes to their "select uniforms" on Thursday, and to their "logos." It is believed the Sox may have a new alternate uniform. I really hope the Red Sox don't do something really silly, in a New York Islanders "fish sticks" sort of way. Stay tuned.
2 comments:
I understand the reasons, but kind of a shame about Mickey Vernon not making it. I sometimes work with his daughter (she's in radio) and it would have been an awfully nice thing, seeing as how he passed away just a couple of months ago. Oh, well.
Mickey Vernon's one of those "forgotten" great players who almost seems lost to history. Never played in a big market, and that would have helped him. Too bad.
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