Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB.  Once that is done, we intend to look at how each team honor their past players, coaches and executives. Eventually, we are going to get to that of the Division I schools.  As such, it is news to us that Central Michigan has announced their Athletic Class of 2020.

The Class of 2020 comprises six new members, and right now, the tentative plan is to have a ceremony in 2021.

The six members are:

Sue Guevara, Women’s Basketball Coach:  Guevara was Michigan’s Head Coach from 1996 to 2003, and she would take over as the Head Coach for the Chippewas in 2007 until she retired last July.  She took Central Michigan to the Sweet Sixteen in 2018, and had an overall record of 215-151.  Guevara also led this team to two MAC Tournament wins.

Margo Jonker, Softball Coach:  Jonker was the Chippewas’ Head Coach for 31 years and had an overall record of 1,246-780-8. She took the school to 10 MAC Regular Season Championships and 11 MAC Tournament Championships.

Dan LeFevour, Football:  LeFevour was thee MAC MVP in 2009, and was also a two-time MAC Offensive Player of the Year.  Playing at Quarterback, LeFevour threw for 12,905 Passing Yards with 102 Touchdowns, and he would play professionally for Chicago, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Jacksonville in the NFL, and also Hamilton, Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg of the CFL.

Katie Simon, Gymnastics:  Simon won seven MAC Individual Titles, and helped the Chippewas win the 2010 MAC Title.

Joe Staley, Football:  Playing at Offensive Tackle, Staley was the Central Michigan Captain when they won their first Bowl Game in 2006.  He would go on to have a productive career in the NFL, where he was a five-time Pro Bowl Selection and played in two Super Bowls.

Tyler Stovall, Baseball:  Stovall was a Third Team All-American and the MAC Player of the Year in 2007.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the six new members of the Central Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame.

As part of the new structure for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at least one Coach, one Senior and one Contributor will be nominated and pushed through the final round.  This will go for at least four years.  

Days earlier, we learned that Tom Flores and Drew Pearson were named the Coach and Senior Finalist respectively.  Today, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that scout, Bill Nunn will be moving forward as the Contributor Finalist.

Originally a journalist in the Pittsburgh area, Nunn openly lobbied Steelers’ owner, Dan Rooney, to look at the History Black Colleges to accumulate talent.  This was not a common place where teams would look, but rather than dismiss Nunn’s idea, he hired him to do exactly that.  

The Steelers became a powerhouse in the 1970s, and Nunn helped Pittsburgh draft HBCU players like Mel Blount, L.C. Greenwood, Ernie Holmes, Donnie Shell and John Stallworth.

Nunn was an Assistant Personnel Director from 1970-1987, and a Scout from 1987 to 2014.  He has six Super Bowls and was elected as an inaugural member to the Black College Hall of Fame.

This is not a lock for Nunn to enter Canton, but it definitely bodes well.

As regular Notinhalloffame.com podcast guest Vinny Lospinuso just told me, “It’s like they never heard of Zoom”.

The Baseball Hall of Fame Board of Directors voted unanimously today to reschedule the two committees, Golden Days and Early Days to 2021.  They cited that due to COVID-19, that the conversation held by the respective 16-person committees could not be held in person, thus breaching the ability to have an open and confidential dialogue.

Confidential?  What the hell are they saying in these meetings?

The Golden Days Era Committee looks at the player from 1950 to 1969, and the Early Days concentrates on players before 1950.

We are excited to unveil another new section here at Notinhalloffame.com.  We always look to the future, and as such, it is with great excitement that we unveil our write-ups on the Baseball Futures of 2024.  Specifically, this is in reference to the former baseball players who will be eligible for Cooperstown in 2024.

They are set up so that you can cast your votes and offer your opinions before they become officially eligible.

The formers players who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2024 are:

Adrian Beltre:  From the Dominican Republic, Beltre has a great shot for early induction as the Third Baseman is a member of the 3,000 Hit Club, won five Gold Gloves, four Silver Sluggers and was a four-time All-Star. Beltre has 377 career Home Runs, 1,707 RBIs, and his plaque will look good with that Texas Rangers cap.

Adrian Gonzalez:  Gonzalez was a five-time All-Star who also won two Silver Sluggers and four Gold Gloves. “A-Gon” had 2,050 Hits, with 317 of them being Home Runs.  He was also the American League leader in Hits (213) in 2011. 

Alcides Escobar:  Escobar played in the Majors for 11 years, and in 2015 he won the World Series with Kansas City.  That year, the Shortstop was an All-Star and Gold Glove winner.

Bartolo Colon:  Colon played 21 years in the Majors, with runs in Cleveland, Montreal, Chicago (AL), Anaheim, Boston, New York (AL), Oakland, New York (NL), Atlanta, Minnesota and Texas, but he never felt like a journeyman, as a Colon start was an event.  The big man was a four-time All Star, a Cy Young winner and had 247 Wins with 2,535 Strikeouts.

Brad Ziegler:  Ziegler was a reliever throughout his career, and in 2013 and 2018 he led the league in Games Pitched.

Brandon Morrow:  As a Blue Jay in 2011, Morrow led the AL in SO/BB. He had a career record of 51-43.

Brandon Phillips:  Phillips was a three-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove recipient and he had 2,029 career Hits and 211 Home Runs.

Chase Headley:  Headley had 1,337 Hits and was a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger.

Chase Utley:  Utley was a six-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, and he had three top-ten finishes for the MVP.  A World Series Champion with the Phillies in 2008, Utley accrued 1,885 Hits, 259 Home Runs and 1,025 RBI.

Chris Tillman:  Tillman was a ten-year vet (all with Baltimore) and an All-Star in 2013.

David Wright:  Wright played all fourteen of his MLB years as a New York Met, where he was a seven-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and two-time Gold Glove winner.  The Third Baseman had four top-ten finishes in MVP voting and totaled 242 Home Runs with 1,777 Hits.

Denard Span:  Span was an 11-year vet who led the National League in Hits once and Triples twice.

Doug Fister:  Fister had an 83-92 record over a ten-year career.

James Shields:  Shields was an All-Star in 2011 when he was second in Cy Young voting.  He would fan 2,234 batters with a 145-139 record.

Jim Johnson:  Johnson was an All-Star in 2012 and he was also the Reliever of the Year.  That season and 2013 saw Johnson lead the American League in Saves and he would accrue 178 in total.

John Axford:  In 2011, Axford Reliever of the Year, was an All-Star and led the American League in Saves.  He had 144 career Saves.

Jose Bautista:  After years of mediocrity, Bautista exploded as a Toronto Blue Jay where he won two Home Run Titles, six All-Star, three Silver Sluggers and four top-eight MVP finished.  Bautista had 344 career Home Runs.

Jose Reyes:  Reyes won the National League Batting Title in 2011, and was a four-time All-Star and three-time leader in Stolen Bases.  Reyes had 2,138 career Hits and 517 Stolen Bases.

Matt Holliday:  A seven-time All-Star, Holliday blasted 316 Home Runs with 1,220 RBIs.  Also, a four-time Silver Slugger, Holliday helped the Cardinals win the 2011 World Series Championship, and he had a career Slash Line of .299/.379/.510.  

Phil Hughes:  Hughes was a World Series Champion in 2009 and All-Star in 2010 with the Yankees, but his best season was in Minnesota where in 2014 he finished seventh in Cy Young voting.  Hughes had a career record of 88-79.

Ryan Madson:  Madson pitched in 740 Games and won two World Series Rings; one with Philadelphia (2008) and another with Kansas City (2015).

Santiago Casilla:  Casilla played for Oakland and San Francisco, and with the latter the Relief Pitcher won three World Series Rings (2010, 2012 & 2014).  He had 144 Saves over his career.

Victor Martinez:  Martinez was a five-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger who had 246 Home Runs and 1,178 RBIs over his career.

Yovani Gallardo:  Gallardo played most of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers where he was an All-Star in 2010.  He had a career record of 121-101.

The entire 2024 eligibles can be found here.

When you can, cast your vote and give us your opinions, as this will shape where we will rank them once eligible.

As always, we thank you for your support.