Let’s not talk about the PEDs or gambling for a change. This weekend the Baseball Hall of Fame will be officially inducting their Class of 2015, and let’s just focus on the new inductees and the pageantry that will embrace the small town of Cooperstown, New York this weekend.
This weekend will feature six worthy inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame, all alive, and all to be present. Three of them (Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine & Frank Thomas) are first ballot Hall of Fame inductees marking the first time that has happened since 1999 when Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount were selected. The other three (Bobby Cox, Tony LaRussa and Joe Torre) are arguably the greatest Managers in the last twenty five years.
With this group, it can be argued that it is so strong that there is no inarguable headliner, though we can imagine that there will be a strong contingent coming in from Atlanta as four of the six inductees played or managed there.
With Greg Maddux, you have an inductee who earned four straight Cy Young Awards and someone who stands in eighth place all time in Wins. Maddux also holds the Major League Record for the most Gold Gloves accrued in eighteen. Maddux’s longtime teammate, Tom Glavine also won a Cy Young Award, and also hit the 300 Win mark. This marks the first time since 1936, the first year of the Baseball Hall of Fame induction that two 300 game winners entered the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Famed Chicago White Sox slugger, Frank Thomas enters the Hall. A power hitter with great plate discipline, Thomas is a member of the 500 Home Run club and is a two time MVP. “The Big Hurt” brings to the Hall a whopping career OPS of .974.
These three greats are joined by three excellent choices by the Veteran’s Committee; the three men who are 3rd, 4th and 5th all time in Wins as a Manager. Accumulatively, the triumvirate of Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Tony LaRussa have won eight World Series and have taken their teams to the playoffs a whopping thirty-eight times. Torre was a strong Hall of Fame contender himself as a player, staying on the ballot all fifteen years.
Let’s toss a beer back and grab a dog and toast the excellence of these six legends.
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