The broader pop-culture lexicon of modern baseball will inevitably associate Robert Anthony Bonilla with the historic deferred-salary contract he signed with the New York Mets, an arrangement that annually prompts headlines surrounding "Bobby Bonilla Day" each July. However, reducing his entire athletic identity to a post-career financial spreadsheet severely underestimates his exceptional on-field performance. Long before becoming a symbol of front-office accounting, the switch-hitting native of the Bronx was among the most physically formidable and explosive run-producers in the sport. Playing under the lights of Three Rivers Stadium, Bonilla employed a powerful bat as a pivotal component of a formidable lineup, leading a distinguished multi-year period of MVP-like excellence that characterized a generation of baseball in Pittsburgh.

His journey to major league stardom followed a unique, circular route. Initially signed by the Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1981, he was then selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 1985 Rule 5 draft. Recognizing their mistake in letting him go, Pittsburgh's front office traded for him in mid-1986, making him a key part of their long-term plans. By the start of the 1987 season, Bonilla had established himself as the regular third baseman, consistently contributing extra-base hits throughout the season.

His large, physical build caused significant defensive challenges at third base, prompting a permanent shift to right field. However, his offensive performance flourished. In 1988, he won his first Silver Slugger award and went on a remarkable streak with four straight All-Star selections from 1988 to 1991. Playing in the outfield alongside Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke, Bonilla completed a legendary, high-powered outfield trio that overwhelmed National League pitchers and helped secure consecutive division titles.

During the 1990 pennant race, Bonilla showcased his powerful batting skills, hitting 32 home runs, driving in 120 RBIs, and leading the major leagues with 44 doubles. He earned his second Silver Slugger Award and was the runner-up for the National League MVP, finishing behind only his teammate Bonds in a notable franchise one-two finish.

He replicated that elite, high-leverage efficiency during the 1991 campaign, batting a career-high .302 with 18 home runs and 100 RBIs to secure his third consecutive Silver Slugger and a third-place finish in the MVP balloting.

Tragically, the cold realities of the pre-salary-cap landscape quickly forced a low-variance parting of ways. With his market value reaching an all-time peak and the small-market Pirates facing severe financial limitations, Bonilla officially walked away from town following the 1991 campaign, signing a record-setting free-agent contract with the Mets. While he would celebrate a world title later in his career with Florida, he never quite replicated the raw, sustained offensive dominance that defined his primary residency in PGH.

With Pittsburgh, Bonilla belted 114 home runs with 500 RBI with a .284 batting average.

The National Soccer Hall of Fame has announced four new members to their institution, Clint Dempsey, Linda Hamilton, Shannon Boxx and Hope Solo.

Beginning his pro career in MLS with the New England Revolution, Dempsey won the 2004 Rookie of the Year, and would help the team make two MLS Cup Finals.  Europe took notice, and Fulham offered MLS $4 million in transfer fees, a record for any MLS player at the time.  

Dempsey played five years at Fulham, scoring 50 Goals, and becoming the first American to score a hat trick in the EPL.  After a year with Tottenham, Dempsey returned to the United States with the Seattle Sounders, playing from 2013 to 2018.

Internationally, Dempsey represented the United States in 141 Games, scoring 57 Goals.

Hamilton is this year’s veteran inductee.  Playing for NC State, Hamilton represented the U.S. from 1987 to 1995, where the Defenseman won Gold in the 1991 World Cup.

Boxx played collegiately at Notre Dame, and the Midfielder had a long International career with the United States, scoring 27 Goals in 195 Games.  Her accolades include three Olympic Gold Medals (2004, 2008 & 2012), and an Olympic Gold in 2015 World Cup.

Solo is the most successful female goalkeeper in American soccer history.  Solo was the U.S. Goalie in their Gold Medal wins at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and the 2015 World Cup.  A 202-game veteran in international play, Solo was a controversial figure is some circles, her success between the pipes can not be argued.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the newest members of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Bob Elliott built an elite career by anchoring the intangible fabric of the clubhouse, long before his fame in New England. The California product was a quiet, efficient engine for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1940s, with a disciplined right-handed stroke and a team-first focus at Forbes Field. His situational skill made him a top run-producer in the National League, but his reputation as the ultimate unselfish teammate earned him the nickname "Mr. Team.”

Elliott made his Major League debut with the Pirates at the end of the 1939 season, playing a brief 32-game stint during which he quickly demonstrated his frontline potential by hitting .333. Initially breaking into the regular lineup as an outfielder, his career path changed significantly before the 1942 season when manager Frankie Frisch shifted him to third base to leverage his strong throwing arm.

The positional change led to an extraordinary multi-year peak, during which Elliott made run-production a regular-season habit. He achieved five straight summers batting over .290 while with Pittsburgh, becoming a crucial, volume-heavy anchor in the lineup. His stellar bat control and spatial awareness at the plate yielded three magnificent 100-RBI masterclasses as a Pirate, racking up 101 in 1943, 108 in 1944, and 108 again in 1945.

Exempted from military duty after a serious head injury caused by a batted ball, Elliott led the franchise through wartime rosters that were low on talent. He was selected as an All-Star four years in a row from 1941 to 1945. His advanced efficiency metrics earned wide respect in the National League, leading to three straight top-ten finishes in the National League MVP voting, including eighth place in 1943, and two dominant seasons with high run production, during which he ranked second in RBIs.

After a relatively quiet 1946 season where his performance declined, the front office indicated a major shift. In a winter trade that surprised many locally, management traded their key franchise player to the Boston Braves for 37-year-old player-manager Billy Herman, a move that famously left Herman himself stunned at the high cost paid by the Pirates to acquire him. Elliott quickly proved his former team wrong, delivering an exceptional 1947 season in his first year with Boston, hitting 22 home runs and driving in 113 RBIs to earn the National League Most Valuable Player award and cement his reputation as ‘Mr. Team.'

With the Pirates, Elliott collected 1,142 hits with a slash line of 292/.365/.423.

Elbie Fletcher was traded to Pittsburgh from Boston during the 1939 Season, where in Western Pennsylvania, he developed one of the keenest batting eyes of the game.

Fletcher finished the year strong, batting .303 for Pittsburgh, and though he would not bat over .300 again, he learned how to take pitches and would top the NL leaderboard in Walks twice (1940 & 1941) and On Base Percentage three straight years (1940-42).  He went into the U.S. Navy for two years, missing two seasons, but was not the same player when he returned and was traded after the 1947 Season.

Fletcher had 875 Hits for the Pirates along with a .403 OBP.