BBHOF Snubs?
Now that the Baseball Hall of Fame has released their official ballot, now we look to the past and wonder why these players did not make the list. Also, note that I will look at their career and do a little in-depth research on why they are not in the Hall. I, as a fan, have submitted mine—have you done yours?
Up First: Thurman Munson
Thurman was a stalwart for Yankees teams in the late 60s and 70s, where his grit and determination redefined the catcher position. For his career, he hit .292 and a 116 OPS+, alongside a trophy case of two World Series rings, a Rookie of the Year winner, and 1976 AL MVP. The reason that he is not in? To me, it’s longevity. Had he not died in a tragic plane crash in the middle of 1979 (he picked up his pilot’s license earlier that year), and played more, he would be an easy shoo-in for the Hall. Thurman, nicknamed “Tugboat”, was the guy to rally behind, especially in the midst of the chaotic Bronx Zoo of the late 1970s in New York. Factions of George Steinbrenner supporters and Reggie Jackson supporters meant Thurman had to be the captain to weather the storm. His charisma and panache, alongside his locker never being used again, made him the captain for years and paved the way for Aaron Judge and Derek Jeter to be the next ones for the Bronx Bombers.
Next: Dale Murphy
Dale Murphy is a case of “Why is this guy not in the Hall?”, every year that the ballot is announced. He has statistics that can back up the claims: back-to-back MVP winners, 7x All-Star, 398 home runs, and a career average of .265. To me, the average is what is killing him, but also the fact that after 1985, he fell off a cliff and was never able to recoup what was once his former glory. The fact is that he played on a Braves teams that really did not do a lot of good things for postseason, finishing as high as second in 1984. Was he a great defender? Yes, as his five straight Gold Gloves attests. Hitting wise, he won four straight Silver Sluggers for his position. Again, it’s the career average and just overall falling out in 1985 that keeps him away from the Hall.
Up Next: Steve Garvey
Steve Garvey is a weird case for me. He was a stud for the Dodgers in their run for titles in the late 70s and early 80s, and then resurrected himself in San Diego for their run in 1984. A consummate defender, he was also known for a bit of pop off the bat. The owner of a career .292 average, he was able to win MVP in 1974 and two separate NLCS and All Star Game MVP awards. He has over 2500 hits, just one shy of 2600. What’s keeping him out of the Hall? I just genuinely don’t know. He has the accolades to get himself in, but I feel that the beginning of his career may hold answers: he did not play a full season until 1973 and then was great playing almost every season at the hot corner. The Garv certainly belongs in the Hall, but I also think that had he won a second World Series, or even a second MVP award, he would be in the Hall right now.
And Last: Pete Rose
Finally, we have the Hit King, Mr. Pete Rose. Pete has a lot of records to his name. Career .303 hitter, most hits in MLB history (4,256), an MVP in 1973, Rookie of the Year in 1963, 17x All-Star nods, and many, many more. He also won three World Series rings (two with the Big Red Machine of Cincinnati in 1975-1976, and 1980 with Philadelphia). He’s out because of betting on his team. It’s a controversial topic since MLB now allows betting on just about everything these days; the only thing you can’t do is bet as a player or a manager on your team. Pete Rose did it and as a result was banned for life for betting on his team when he was manager of Cincinnati in 1986. It’s such a difficult topic because his accolades are more than enough for him to get in. Pete admitted he did it and acknowledges the wrongfulness of it, and he would do it differently if given a second chance at it. Yet, the hypocrisy of the top of organized baseball is keeping Pete out and the only time Pete may be able to get into the Hall is when he kicks the bucket.
Submitted by Dave Hummel