I don’t know about you but there was something satisfying about this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony.

Perhaps it is because the induction of Jeff Bagwell after seven years was finally was chosen, likely forced to wait for the Hall due to PED suspicion. 

Maybe it is more due to Ivan Rodriguez getting in on his first ballot.  While I-Rod never tested positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs, Jose Canseco named him as someone who he injected personally.  Regardless of whether that is true or not, Pudge is regarded by many as the greatest Catcher of all time by many pundits and the admission of both Bagwell and Rodriguez to the Baseball Hall of Fame suggests a sway in popular opinion as to how the PED era is looked upon, which should open the door for names such as...well…you know the names.

Maybe the satisfaction is that on his final year of eligibility Tim Raines got in after it looked like he may have to wait for a Veterans Committee Selection that are rarely doled out. 

This year just feels right. 

As expected, the speeches from this trio were emotional and focused on family and teammates.

Rodriguez was particularly teary eyed when he looked at his father and exclaimed “If I’m a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer – double.”  Pudge’s speech went back forth in Spanish and English much to the delight of the many Puerto Rican fans who made the trip.  Only Johnny Bench made the Hall in his first try as a Catcher and fittingly he was on the dais as Rodriguez was enshrined. 

The very humble Jeff Bagwell also thanked his family and in typical fashion talked about how he “wanted to score for my team and for (his) other players”. There were a slew of Astros fans present to welcome Bagwell to the Hall to join his teammate, Craig Biggio.  Bagwell is sixth overall in JAWS amongst all First Basemen.

The long awaited induction of Tim Raines saw busloads of fans from Canada who are likely witnessing the last player to go in as a Montreal Expo.  Raines thanked three Hall of Famers for being a positive influence on his career, Andre Dawson, George Brett and Rickey Henderson.

Not to be forgotten is that former Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig also took his place amongst the immortals.  Ironically Selig presided over the PED era thus convincing some Hall of Fame voters to overlook the Suspected and confirmed PED users. 

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate this year’s class.  Our Baseball list for the next class is already up.

The University of Nebraska Football Hall of Fame has announced four former players to their institution.

The new class consists of:

Donnie McGhee: Playing on the Offensive Line from 1968 to 1970, McGhee was a one time First Team Big Eight Selection.

Randy Theiss:  Another Offensive Lineman, Theiss played for the Sooners from 1980 to 1982.  He would be named a Third Team All-American in ’82 and was also named a First Team Big Eight Selection that year.

Chad Kelsay:  A member of two National Championship Teams (1995 & 1997), Kelsay was a powerful Defensive End who was a one time Second Team Big Twelve Selection.

Zac Taylor:  A Quarterback for Nebraska in 2005 & 2006, Taylor was named a First Team Big 12 Selection in his final year as a Cornhusker.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the latest Hall of Fame Class from the University of Nebraska football team.

The Poker Hall of Fame doesn’t waste much time.

Less than a week after announcing their 2017 Finalists the institution officially selected Phil Ivey and David “Devilfish” Ulliott into their Hall of Fame. 

The induction of Ivey is especially impressive as he just turned 40, the minimum to be selected.  The 10 time WSOP Bracelet winner becomes the youngest member of the Hall.

The induction of Ulliott is posthumous as “Devilfish” passed away in 2015 from cancer.  The Englishman helped spread the game in the United Kingdom.

Ivey and Ulliott become members 53 and 54 of the Poker Hall of Fame.

The Poker Hall of Fame has announced the 10 Finalists for their Class of 2017.

They are:

David Chiu:  Born in China, David Chiu was the first ever winner of the Tournament of Champions.  Chiu is also a five time Bracelet winner on the WSOP and finished in the money 60 times.

Mori Eskandini: Eskandini is former 16 time money finisher and the WSOP but is more known for being the producer of Poker After Dark, High Stakes Poker and the National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

Thor Hansen:  From Norway, Hansen is a two time Bracelet winner on the WSOP.

Ted Forrest: AKA “Professor Backwards” is a six time WSOP Bracelet winner and a one time Champion on the World Poker Tour.

Phil Ivey: “The Tiger Woods of Poker” is the youngest Finalist at age 40.  He is a ten time WSOP Bracelet winner.

Mike Matusow: Matusow is a four time WSOP Bracelet recipient.

Max Pescatori: From Milan, Italy, Pescatori is a four time WSOP Bracelet winner.  “The Italian Pirate” has finished in the money on the World Poker Tour 7 times.

Matt Savage: A fine poker player in his own right but mostly known for helping founding the Tournament Directors Association, which standardized poker tournaments internationally. 

Huck Seed: The 1996 WSOP Champion is also a four time Bracelet winner.

David Ulliott: The late Englishman is a one time WSOP Bracelet winner and one time World Poker Tour Champion.  “Devilfish” allegedly had ties to the Hull underworld.

To qualify for the Hall, a player has to be at least 40 years of age and have “played poker against acknowledged top competition” and “for high stakes”.

At present there are 52 members of the Poker Hall of Fame and two of these ten Finalists will bring the total to 54.

The Poker Hall of Fame was established in 1979.