Yankee Fans Unite

Due to another thread, I went and looked at the list of HOF inductees by year.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_hist ... sp?story=1

What really struck me?

Was the amazing quality of the players inducted early (Cy Young didn't make it until the second year).. and the decline to the point that there are plenty of players in the Hall now that baseball fans don't know...

1936 - Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner - Some of the greats...
1937 - Morgan Bulkeley, Ban Johnson, Napoleon Lajoie, Connie Mack, John McGraw, Tris Speaker, George Wright, Cy Young - and in the 2d year, the quality drops a bit...
1938 - Grover Cleveland Alexander, Alexander Joy Cartwright, Henry Chadwick - OK, I know the first one...
1939 - Cap Anson, Eddie Collins, Charles Comiskey, Candy Cummings, Buck Ewing, Lou Gehrig, Willie Keeler, Hoss Radbourn, George Sisler, Albert Goodwill Spalding - a better year, but still... who is Hoss Radbourn?
1940 - Rogers Hornsby - Did they finally realize that a lot of names weren't required?

Look for yourself... the Hall has definitely had it's ups and downs in terms of inductions...

I guess they needed to fill up some spaces so that people didn't travel there to see 4 busts and alot of echos?

I read somewhere recently that no starting pitcher who began their career after the 1960's has been elected. Which isn't counting Eckersly who was mainly elected as a closer.

Well, I would think that Greg Maddux or someone would kill that streak... although I continue to think that Jack Morris should have been inducted.

That would be true about Maddox. Not so sure about Morris. Very good pitcher indeed though. No doubt they'll be a influx of starters elected in the near future but that won't erase the huge hole left from the last 40 years - 40 years!

Seems odd. I have to wonder if it is because pitching, while a tremendously important aspect of the game, is under appreciated.

Face it, a shut out game can be a bit dull.

Maddux, Glavine, Randy Johnson...

That's three right there. Schilling may or may not be, depending on the voter.

I think Schilling will get in. Can't discount those rings. That and the "bloody sock".

The group coming up this year:

Harold Baines
Jay Bell
Bert Blyleven
David Cone
Andre Dawson
Ron Gant
Mark Grace
Ricky Henderson
Tommy John
Don Mattingly
Mark McGwire
Jack Morris
Dale Murphy
Jesse Orosco
Dave Parker
Dan Plesac
Tim Raines
Jim Rice
Lee Smith
Alan Trammell
Greg Vaughn
Mo Vaughn
Matt Williams

Rickey is about guaranteed. The rest? If Rickey was the only inductee, I wouldn't be surprised.