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Kirk Buchner, "The Committee Chairman", is the owner and operator of the site. Kirk can be contacted at [email protected] .
RIP: Roddy Piper
Jul 31, 2015
Published in
Not in Hall of Fame News
The phrase “part of my childhood died today” is thrown around so much I often wonder if the people who utter those words really mean it. I can tell you now at this moment as I sit in an airport waiting to board a flight back home that is exactly how I feel upon learning that “Rowdy” Roddy Piper died of natural causes at the age of 61.
I won’t go into a detailed biography on his career. If you were a wrestling fan in the 1980’s like I was you know exactly who the “Hot Rod” was. While so many people gravitated towards Hulk Hogan and “Hulkamania” it was Piper who I wanted to be as a kid. I tried to talk like him, act like him and even had a friend of mine pretend to be my bodyguard, “Ace”. I remember making a compilation VHS tape (Remember those) of his best matches, interviews and every Piper’s Pit I could get my hands on.
Decades later, I would listen to his podcasts and while I never met him, in becoming friends with Chavo Guerrero Sr., a man who befriended a young Piper in Los Angeles in the late 1970’s I had the pleasure of hearing stories about Piper, all of which made me love Piper even more.
I apologize to all of you for as much as I want to give you a heartfelt tribute to Roddy Piper, for the first time in years I find myself at a real loss for words.
Needless to say, all of us at Notinhalloffame.com offer our condolences to the friends and family of Roddy and as for me, I am going to try to catch a classic Piper’s Pit on YouTube before I fly across country. Somehow, I know that it will put a smile on my face and remind me of how much he entertained me not only as a kid but also as a grown man.
I won’t go into a detailed biography on his career. If you were a wrestling fan in the 1980’s like I was you know exactly who the “Hot Rod” was. While so many people gravitated towards Hulk Hogan and “Hulkamania” it was Piper who I wanted to be as a kid. I tried to talk like him, act like him and even had a friend of mine pretend to be my bodyguard, “Ace”. I remember making a compilation VHS tape (Remember those) of his best matches, interviews and every Piper’s Pit I could get my hands on.
Decades later, I would listen to his podcasts and while I never met him, in becoming friends with Chavo Guerrero Sr., a man who befriended a young Piper in Los Angeles in the late 1970’s I had the pleasure of hearing stories about Piper, all of which made me love Piper even more.
I apologize to all of you for as much as I want to give you a heartfelt tribute to Roddy Piper, for the first time in years I find myself at a real loss for words.
Needless to say, all of us at Notinhalloffame.com offer our condolences to the friends and family of Roddy and as for me, I am going to try to catch a classic Piper’s Pit on YouTube before I fly across country. Somehow, I know that it will put a smile on my face and remind me of how much he entertained me not only as a kid but also as a grown man.
The BBHOF changes the rules
Jul 31, 2015
Published in
Not in Hall of Fame News
The Baseball Hall of Fame has changed the rules as to who can vote, and while it might seem minor it could have a huge impact as to who might get inducted in the future.
The Hall has stated that the Baseball writers who have not been active in the sport for the past ten years will no longer have a vote.
What does this mean?
Well, first off, many of the older voters are adamant against PED users and many of the younger voters have a more relaxed attitude towards those who did use enhancements.
Could this help men like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens; players who are regarded as two of the best ever? It should, as those former superstars are hovering below the 40 percent mark, but while we expect a jump in the tally, we would be shocked if it put them over…at least in the short term.
The men that it could help immediately are Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell, sluggers who are on the cusp but have been suspected (though never proven) of taking Performance Enhancing Drugs. A significant jump in the tally could put one or both in the Hall of Fame.
Suddenly that ten year term for a player to be eligible for the Hall of Fame that for many was a thin veil to get the PED users off the ballot sooner, has been countered with an amendment that might eliminate that issue.
As always, the Baseball Hall of Fame remains interesting!
The Hall has stated that the Baseball writers who have not been active in the sport for the past ten years will no longer have a vote.
What does this mean?
Well, first off, many of the older voters are adamant against PED users and many of the younger voters have a more relaxed attitude towards those who did use enhancements.
Could this help men like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens; players who are regarded as two of the best ever? It should, as those former superstars are hovering below the 40 percent mark, but while we expect a jump in the tally, we would be shocked if it put them over…at least in the short term.
The men that it could help immediately are Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell, sluggers who are on the cusp but have been suspected (though never proven) of taking Performance Enhancing Drugs. A significant jump in the tally could put one or both in the Hall of Fame.
Suddenly that ten year term for a player to be eligible for the Hall of Fame that for many was a thin veil to get the PED users off the ballot sooner, has been countered with an amendment that might eliminate that issue.
As always, the Baseball Hall of Fame remains interesting!
1990-92 Hockey HOF inductees are up
Jul 31, 2015
Published in
Not in Hall of Fame News
Over the last few months, we here at Notinhalloffame.com have been so focused on other endeavors at the site, that we neglected to tell you about the continuing opportunity fro you to cast your opinion on existing Hockey Hall of Famers.
With that in mind, we here at Notinhhalloffame.com have expended greatly to allow you to vote on Hockey Hall of Fame inductees from 1990-92.
The Players/Builders from that existing time frame include:
The 1990 Hockey Hall of Fame Class:
Bill Barber, a star Flyer with over 1,000 career points also was a of of two Stanley Cup Championship Teams with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Bud Poile, a former NHL player who was the architect of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Fernie Flaman, a stay-at-home Defenceman, and six time All Tar known for his work with Boston Bruins.
Gibert Perreault, the leader of the Buffalo Sabres “French Connection” and a two time Second Team All Star.
The 1991 Hockey Hall of Fame Class:
Bob Pulford, a five time All Star as a player and four Stanley Cup winner with the Toronto Maple Leafs and a 1975 Jack Adams Trophy winner with the Kings.
Clint Smith, a member of the 1940 New York Rangers Stanley Cup championship team and two time Lady Byng Trophy Winner.
Denis Potvin, the defensive leader of the New York Islanders dynasty and three time Norris Trophy Winner.
Mike Bossy, the leader of the Islanders dynasty and a two time goal scoring champion. Also a four time First Team All Star.
Scotty Bowman, a two time Jack Adams Award winner and would have his name etched on the Stanley Cup twelve times.
The 1992 Hockey Hall of Fame Class:
Bob Gainey, a six time Stanley Cup Champion and four time Frank J. Selke Award winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward.
Bob Johnson, a successful coach in both the NCAA and the NHL.
Frank Mathers, a longtime player, coach and administrator in the AHL.
Keith Allen, a successful minor league coach turned administrator of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Lanny McDonald, a 1,000 point scorer and owner of one of the best moustaches in all of sports.
Marcel Dionne, a gifted scorer and five time post season NHL All Star selection.
Woody Dumart, a solid two way player with the Boston Bruins and former two time Second Team All Star.
If you get a chance, take a look and let us know if the Hockey Hall of Fame got it right.
Should you get the chance cast your vote if you feel they belong in the Hall!
With that in mind, we here at Notinhhalloffame.com have expended greatly to allow you to vote on Hockey Hall of Fame inductees from 1990-92.
The Players/Builders from that existing time frame include:
The 1990 Hockey Hall of Fame Class:
Bill Barber, a star Flyer with over 1,000 career points also was a of of two Stanley Cup Championship Teams with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Bud Poile, a former NHL player who was the architect of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Fernie Flaman, a stay-at-home Defenceman, and six time All Tar known for his work with Boston Bruins.
Gibert Perreault, the leader of the Buffalo Sabres “French Connection” and a two time Second Team All Star.
The 1991 Hockey Hall of Fame Class:
Bob Pulford, a five time All Star as a player and four Stanley Cup winner with the Toronto Maple Leafs and a 1975 Jack Adams Trophy winner with the Kings.
Clint Smith, a member of the 1940 New York Rangers Stanley Cup championship team and two time Lady Byng Trophy Winner.
Denis Potvin, the defensive leader of the New York Islanders dynasty and three time Norris Trophy Winner.
Mike Bossy, the leader of the Islanders dynasty and a two time goal scoring champion. Also a four time First Team All Star.
Scotty Bowman, a two time Jack Adams Award winner and would have his name etched on the Stanley Cup twelve times.
The 1992 Hockey Hall of Fame Class:
Bob Gainey, a six time Stanley Cup Champion and four time Frank J. Selke Award winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward.
Bob Johnson, a successful coach in both the NCAA and the NHL.
Frank Mathers, a longtime player, coach and administrator in the AHL.
Keith Allen, a successful minor league coach turned administrator of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Lanny McDonald, a 1,000 point scorer and owner of one of the best moustaches in all of sports.
Marcel Dionne, a gifted scorer and five time post season NHL All Star selection.
Woody Dumart, a solid two way player with the Boston Bruins and former two time Second Team All Star.
If you get a chance, take a look and let us know if the Hockey Hall of Fame got it right.
Should you get the chance cast your vote if you feel they belong in the Hall!
A Special Day in Cooperstown
Jul 27, 2015
Published in
Not in Hall of Fame News
Even amidst the constant controversy that surrounds the Baseball Hall of Fame, there is always something magical about Cooperstown, and when they have a former player from the modern era elected it makes the ceremony that much more special.
This year they have four.
On what was a beautiful summer day in front of 40,000 fans and forty-nine Hall of Famers in upstate New York, four baseball legends are now enshrined with a bronze bust that will forever be on display.
Rather than recap the accomplishments of the four (regular visitors know that we have done that often), let’s read the etchings on each of the four new inductees.
CRAIG ALLAN BIGGIO: HOUSTON, N.L. 1988-2007
GRITTY SPARK PLUG WHO IGNITED ASTROS OFFENSE FOR 20 MAJOR LEAGUE SEASONS, BECOMING FIRST PLAYER IN HISTORY WITH AT LEAST 3,000 HITS, 600 DOUBLES, 400 STOLEN BASES AND 250 HOME RUNS. TRANSITIONED FROM ALL-STAR CATCHER TO GOLD GLOVE SECOND BASEMAN TO EVERYDAY OUTFIELDER, AMASSING 3,060 HITS, INCLUDING 668 DOUBLES – MOST BY A RIGHT-HANDED BATTER – AND A MODERN-DAY RECORD 285 TIMES HIT BY A PITCH. A SEVEN-TIME ALL-STAR, WON FIVE SILVER SLUGGER AWARDS AND FOUR GOLD GLOVE AWARDS.
JOHN ANDREW SMOLTZ: ATLANTA N.L. 1988-99, 2001-08; BOSTON, A.L. 2009; ST.LOUIS, N.L. 2009
A WORKHOUSE POWER PITCHER, TRADED HIS STARTING DOMINANCE TO DEVELOP INTO PREMIER CLOSER BEFORE RETURNING TO ROTATION. BECAME THE FIRST PLAYER IN HISTORY WITH 200 WINS AND 150 SAVES. WITH A DYNAMIC FASTBALL, A DECEPTIVE SLIDER AND A DARTING SPLITTER, FANNED 3,084 BATTERS AND WAS NAMED TO EIGHT ALL-STAR TEAMS, THE 1996 N.L. CY YOUNG AWARD WINNER AND 1992 NLCS MVP. SET N.L. RECORD WITH 55 SAVES IN 2002. PITCHED BEST WHEN GAME WAS BIGGEST, RECORDING A 15-4 POST-SEASON RECORD, HELPING BRAVES TO 1995 WORLD SERIES TITLE.
PEDRO JAIME MARTINEZ: LOS ANGELES, N.L. 1992-93; MONTREAL. N.L. 1994-97; BOSTON, A.L. 1998-2004; NEW YORK, N.L. 2005-08; PHILADELPHIA, N.L. 2009
FEATURING AN ELECTRIC ARSENAL OF PITCHES THAT VANQUISHED BATTERS DURING AN ERA OF HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE, THE FIERY RIGHTY FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC OWNED THE INSIDE PART OF THE PLATE WITH AN EXPLODING FASTBALL AND CONFOUNDING CHANGE-UP. LED LEAGUE IN E.R.A. FIVE TIMES AND STRIKEOUTS THREE TIMES EN ROUTE TO THREE CY YOUNG AWARDS AND EIGHT ALL-STAR SELECTIONS. FIRST PITCHER TO RETIRE WITH 3,154 STRIKEOUTS IN FEWER THAN 3,000 INNINGS. WON 219 GAMES WITH AN ASTOUNDING .687 WINNING PERCENTAGE. POSTED 117-37 RECORD IN BOSTON HELPING TO LEAD RED SOX TO 2004 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP.
RANDALL DAVID JOHNSON: “RANDY” “THE BIG UNIT”: MONTREAL, N.L. 1988-89; SEATTLE, A.L. 1989-98; HOUSTON, N.L. 1998; ARIZONA, N.L. 1999-2004, 2007-08; NEW YORK, A.L. 2005-06; SAN FRANCISCO, N.L. 2009
AT 6’10’, A TOWERING AND INTIMIDATING LEFTHANDER WHOSE CRACKLING FASTBALL AND DEVASTATING SLIDER PARALYZED HITTERS FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, FIVE-TIMES CY YOUNG AWARD WINNER, INCLUDING FOUR CONSECUTIVE, 1999-2002. LED LEAGUE IN STRIKEOUTS NINE TIMES AND POSTED SIX 300 STRIKEOUT SEASONS. TEN-TIME ALL-STAR AND THREE-TIME 20-GAME WINNER, RANKED SECONS ALL-TIME ON STRIKEOUT LIST (4,875) AND FIRST IN STRIKEOUTS PER NINE INNINGS (10.6) UPON RETIREMENT. WON 303 GAMES AND LED LEAGUE IN E.R.A. FOUR TIMES, WON THREE GAMES IN 2001 WORLD SERIES WITH CHAMPION DIAMONDBACKS EARNING CO-MVP HONORS.
Capital letters do make it more emphatic doesn’t it?
Do you want to know what makes it even better?
The fact that Randy Johnson was inducted with his mullet is far greater to us than his hat (the first for Arizona) and the hat worn by Craig Biggio (Astros, also a first.
So what do we do now?
What we always do!
We look forward to the next class of Baseball Hall of Famers and debate their merits.
Hopefully, all of you will participate and lend us your opinions as to who you want to see in the next Baseball Hall of Fame class.
This year they have four.
On what was a beautiful summer day in front of 40,000 fans and forty-nine Hall of Famers in upstate New York, four baseball legends are now enshrined with a bronze bust that will forever be on display.
Rather than recap the accomplishments of the four (regular visitors know that we have done that often), let’s read the etchings on each of the four new inductees.
CRAIG ALLAN BIGGIO: HOUSTON, N.L. 1988-2007
GRITTY SPARK PLUG WHO IGNITED ASTROS OFFENSE FOR 20 MAJOR LEAGUE SEASONS, BECOMING FIRST PLAYER IN HISTORY WITH AT LEAST 3,000 HITS, 600 DOUBLES, 400 STOLEN BASES AND 250 HOME RUNS. TRANSITIONED FROM ALL-STAR CATCHER TO GOLD GLOVE SECOND BASEMAN TO EVERYDAY OUTFIELDER, AMASSING 3,060 HITS, INCLUDING 668 DOUBLES – MOST BY A RIGHT-HANDED BATTER – AND A MODERN-DAY RECORD 285 TIMES HIT BY A PITCH. A SEVEN-TIME ALL-STAR, WON FIVE SILVER SLUGGER AWARDS AND FOUR GOLD GLOVE AWARDS.
JOHN ANDREW SMOLTZ: ATLANTA N.L. 1988-99, 2001-08; BOSTON, A.L. 2009; ST.LOUIS, N.L. 2009
A WORKHOUSE POWER PITCHER, TRADED HIS STARTING DOMINANCE TO DEVELOP INTO PREMIER CLOSER BEFORE RETURNING TO ROTATION. BECAME THE FIRST PLAYER IN HISTORY WITH 200 WINS AND 150 SAVES. WITH A DYNAMIC FASTBALL, A DECEPTIVE SLIDER AND A DARTING SPLITTER, FANNED 3,084 BATTERS AND WAS NAMED TO EIGHT ALL-STAR TEAMS, THE 1996 N.L. CY YOUNG AWARD WINNER AND 1992 NLCS MVP. SET N.L. RECORD WITH 55 SAVES IN 2002. PITCHED BEST WHEN GAME WAS BIGGEST, RECORDING A 15-4 POST-SEASON RECORD, HELPING BRAVES TO 1995 WORLD SERIES TITLE.
PEDRO JAIME MARTINEZ: LOS ANGELES, N.L. 1992-93; MONTREAL. N.L. 1994-97; BOSTON, A.L. 1998-2004; NEW YORK, N.L. 2005-08; PHILADELPHIA, N.L. 2009
FEATURING AN ELECTRIC ARSENAL OF PITCHES THAT VANQUISHED BATTERS DURING AN ERA OF HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE, THE FIERY RIGHTY FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC OWNED THE INSIDE PART OF THE PLATE WITH AN EXPLODING FASTBALL AND CONFOUNDING CHANGE-UP. LED LEAGUE IN E.R.A. FIVE TIMES AND STRIKEOUTS THREE TIMES EN ROUTE TO THREE CY YOUNG AWARDS AND EIGHT ALL-STAR SELECTIONS. FIRST PITCHER TO RETIRE WITH 3,154 STRIKEOUTS IN FEWER THAN 3,000 INNINGS. WON 219 GAMES WITH AN ASTOUNDING .687 WINNING PERCENTAGE. POSTED 117-37 RECORD IN BOSTON HELPING TO LEAD RED SOX TO 2004 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP.
RANDALL DAVID JOHNSON: “RANDY” “THE BIG UNIT”: MONTREAL, N.L. 1988-89; SEATTLE, A.L. 1989-98; HOUSTON, N.L. 1998; ARIZONA, N.L. 1999-2004, 2007-08; NEW YORK, A.L. 2005-06; SAN FRANCISCO, N.L. 2009
AT 6’10’, A TOWERING AND INTIMIDATING LEFTHANDER WHOSE CRACKLING FASTBALL AND DEVASTATING SLIDER PARALYZED HITTERS FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, FIVE-TIMES CY YOUNG AWARD WINNER, INCLUDING FOUR CONSECUTIVE, 1999-2002. LED LEAGUE IN STRIKEOUTS NINE TIMES AND POSTED SIX 300 STRIKEOUT SEASONS. TEN-TIME ALL-STAR AND THREE-TIME 20-GAME WINNER, RANKED SECONS ALL-TIME ON STRIKEOUT LIST (4,875) AND FIRST IN STRIKEOUTS PER NINE INNINGS (10.6) UPON RETIREMENT. WON 303 GAMES AND LED LEAGUE IN E.R.A. FOUR TIMES, WON THREE GAMES IN 2001 WORLD SERIES WITH CHAMPION DIAMONDBACKS EARNING CO-MVP HONORS.
Capital letters do make it more emphatic doesn’t it?
Do you want to know what makes it even better?
The fact that Randy Johnson was inducted with his mullet is far greater to us than his hat (the first for Arizona) and the hat worn by Craig Biggio (Astros, also a first.
So what do we do now?
What we always do!
We look forward to the next class of Baseball Hall of Famers and debate their merits.
Hopefully, all of you will participate and lend us your opinions as to who you want to see in the next Baseball Hall of Fame class.