HOF Veterans Committe's Vote.....

[DODGER DEB]

As you all know, February 27th is fast approaching. On that day WE will learn just who the VC has voted to induct into the HOF this year.

WE will all be waiting, holding OUR collective breaths, for the name of GIL HODGES to be announced. The flip side of that coin is the name of the Big "O", a name that still haunts US, and in this case, sadly looms quite large.

What do you think? More important, how do WE, as LOYAL BROOKLYN DODGER FANS, handle result, if the worst possibility happens?

Let's discuss!

c.

[MATHA531]

If they lose their marbles and vote the slimey sub-human piece of garbage to the HOF, I would assume we will all be there with our signs and drown out Vin Scully or Tommy Lasorda or Peter who will be there to accept the tarnished plaque.

Let's hope it doesn't come to this.

[WJackman]

If they lose their marbles and vote the slimey sub-human piece of garbage to the HOF, I would assume we will all be there with our signs and drown out Vin Scully or Tommy Lasorda or Peter who will be there to accept the tarnished plaque.

Let's hope it doesn't come to this.


Giants' fan?

[Captain Cold Nose]

Giants' fan?
Brooklyn fan.

[Shotgun Shuba]

Though I know it is unpopular, Walter should have gone in 20 years ago. His impact on the game was extraordinary. Clark Griffith is in, he was a turncoat too. Tom Yawkey is in, O'Malley was a much more successful owner. Bill Veeck is in, Walter was just as controversial and innovative. Warren Giles is in, he WANTED both NY teams to move. I think the fact that he is not in is a testament to how bitter feelings remain but you really cannot make an argument against him. Not without emotions getting involved.

[KCGHOST]

Though I know it is unpopular, Walter should have gone in 20 years ago. His impact on the game was extraordinary.

An you call yourself "Shotgun Shuba"??? :D

My humble opinion owners do not belong in the HoF with the possible exception of a few 19th Century pioneers.

[MATHA531]

Part of being a Hall of Famer is to have done good things for baseball...the fat slob pulled off the most reprehensible act in baseball history taking a team which was the biggest money maker in the decade immediately preceding its departure from its home and still in 1957 remained in the top 5 and moving it simply because he wasn't making enough money.l...you can't compare Griffith or Veeck both of whom did not have teams making money.

Also the theft of the Brooklyn franchise directlyh led to the ascent of the National Football over MLB as the Smithsonian found in a study done in 1966...it turned more people off from baseball than anything that had come before...it showed it didn't matter how well fans supported their team, if the owner was a greedy semi human, then there was no protection for the fans.

As far as Giles, history shows he was not proactive in pushing the two New York teams out but it became his job after that fateful meeting in Chicago in May 1957 to try to defend the indefensible and of course his idiotic statement, "Who needs New York?" is a testament to how little he knew could comprehend what was going on.

[MattM]

Part of being a Hall of Famer is to have done good things for baseball...the fat slob did the more reprehensible act in baseball history taking a team which was the biggest money maker in the decade immediately preceding its departure from its home and still in 1957 remained in the top 5 and moving it simply because he wasn't making enough money.l...you can't compare Griffith or Veeck both of whom did not have teams making money.

Also the theft of the Brooklyn franchise directlyh led to the ascent of the National Football over MLB as the Smithsonian found in a study done in 1966...it turned more people off from baseball than anything that had come before...it showed it didn't matter how well fans supported their team, if the owner was a greedy semi human, then there was no protection for the fans.

As far as Giles, history shows he was not proactive in pushing the two New York teams out but it became his job after that fateful meeting in Chicago in May 1957 to try to defend the indefensible and of course his idiotic statement, "Who needs New York?" is a testament to how little he knew could comprehend what was going on.

While I completely agree with you regarding O'Malley, but (and I shudder at saying this) I have to play devils advocate. O'Malley stole baseball from the fans of Brooklyn & New York, but he did bring baseball to the west coast. To me, that's somewhat of an accomplishment. I mean he managed to hoodwink the MLB into believing that he was losing money and would eventually be bankrupt.

Hodges is long-overdue for the Hall. While he might not have been the best first baseman ever, Gil was a major reason for both the Brooklyn Dodgers, Mets, and Senators success. His character is somethign that should be commended.

[KCGHOST]

MATHA531, why did you quote me?? My comments had nothing to do with what you are talking about.

[MATHA531]

MATHA531, why did you quote me?? My comments had nothing to do with what you are talking about.


An error...I clicked the wrong quote button. My apologies. I'll fix it.

[Shotgun Shuba]

To argue O'Malley was the Devil etc. has no weight for me. Life is all about perspective. For every Brooklyn fan who had their heart broken and hates him, there is somebody who loves him and his team and blesses the day he moved. The question is whether his contribution is Hall of Fame worthy. To say he shouldn't get in because he was evil is a little silly. Pete Rose is a jerk but his contribution to the game is Hall worthy. Ty Cobb was probably not a sweet guy .You could go through every class but I think you get the point. Put him in and scream your head off when he is presented.... but you might just be drowned out by the cheers.

[Flatbush Flock]

To argue O'Malley was the Devil etc. has no weight for me. Life is all about perspective. For every Brooklyn fan who had their heart broken and hates him, there is somebody who loves him and his team and blesses the day he moved. The question is whether his contribution is Hall of Fame worthy. To say he shouldn't get in because he was evil is a little silly. Pete Rose is a jerk but his contribution to the game is Hall worthy. Ty Cobb was probably not a sweet guy .You could go through every class but I think you get the point. Put him in and scream your head off when he is presented.... but you might just be drowned out by the cheers.

What did O'Malley or any owner do to deserve being in the Hall of Fame? It should be reserved for players and managers. And by the way, since they kept Pete Rose and Joe Jackson out, I have no trouble with using similar rationale for keeping the sleazebag out.

[MattM]

What did O'Malley or any owner do to deserve being in the Hall of Fame? It should be reserved for players and managers. And by the way, since they kept Pete Rose and Joe Jackson out, I have no trouble with using similar rationale for keeping the sleazebag out.

Again, O'Malley can be considered the brains behind the move to California. Without his idea to take the Dodgers and move them out west, we still might have our Dodgers in Brooklyn where the belong.

Off topic, but Jackson and Rose belong in the Hall. It's the Baseball Hall of Fame, not MLB Hall of Fame. Rose committed a cardinal sin, but his record still stands to this day, and the only person who can come close to it right now (A-Rod?), more than likely won't. I feel the same way about Joe Jackson.

[Shotgun Shuba]

What did O'Malley or any owner do to deserve being in the Hall of Fame? It should be reserved for players and managers. And by the way, since they kept Pete Rose and Joe Jackson out, I have no trouble with using similar rationale for keeping the sleazebag out.


That is a different argument. They DO put in owners, executives, broadcasters etc. Since they HAVE put owners in, does Walter belong? I say, based on previous owners put in, yes. Our whole legal system is based on precedent, this is no different.

[EbtsFldGuy]

Putting aside my disdain for O'M and what he did to Brooklyn (and, by extension, to Manhattan by dragging the Giants with him), I have to side with Shotgun Shuba on this one.

O'M opened up the West for baseball, which in turn led to the Southwest.
What he did was a stroke of genius for the game (in addition, of course, to being a personal gold mine).

Sure, viewed objectively, he belongs in the HOF - though I'd wear a black arm band on the day of his induction.

[Flatbush Flock]

Putting aside my disdain for O'M and what he did to Brooklyn (and, by extension, to Manhattan by dragging the Giants with him), I have to side with Shotgun Shuba on this one.

O'M opened up the West for baseball, which in turn led to the Southwest.
What he did was a stroke of genius for the game (in addition, of course, to being a personal gold mine).

Sure, viewed objectively, he belongs in the HOF - though I'd wear a black arm band on the day of his induction.


It was inevitable that California would have major league baseball. Bill Veeck and others talked about it since the early forties.

[Brownie31]

It was inevitable that California would have major league baseball. Bill Veeck and others talked about it since the early forties.

Wednesday, February 3, 1955: Bill Veeck and Chicago Cubs owner Philip K. Wrigley look over the drawing of a proposed expansion of Los Angeles' Wrigley Field to 50,000 for major league baseball. Veeck has just spent fourteen months study the situation in both Los Angeles and San Francisco for major league baseball.

Brownie31

[EbtsFldGuy]

It was inevitable that California would have major league baseball. Bill Veeck and others talked about it since the early forties.

True enough, but he not only DID it, but also engineered the necessary move of TWO teams to CA.

[MATHA531]

True enough, but he not only DID it, but also engineered the necessary move of TWO teams to CA.

Which of course makes him twice as evil and twice as not deserving entrance into the Hall of Fame.

Did what was done benefit baseball? Well in 1966 the Smithsonian did a study and found the theft of the Brooklyn franchise turned more people off from baseball than anything that had come before.

It also helped peak the interest in the NFL...the Giants victory over the Bears in 1956 was very hum hum but after these dastardly deeds, the NFL championship game in 1958 begun the ascent of the NFL as our national pastime...perhaps O'Malley belongs in the NFL Hall of Fame for how he helped spur the interest in the NFL.

[EbtsFldGuy]

[QUOTE=MATHA531]Which of course makes him twice as evil and twice as not deserving entrance into the Hall of Fame.

Did what was done benefit baseball? Well in 1966 the Smithsonian did a study and found the theft of the Brooklyn franchise turned more people off from baseball than anything that had come before.

I'm not familiar with that study.

There is no doubt, though, that LA became a thriving franchise. Sadly, the Giants swam in turbulent financial waters for decades.

Believe me, folks, I'm no fan of O'M. I STILL miss Ebbets Field and the indescribable Dodger experience there, and resent his taking that away from us all.

But from a business perspective, he was in the vanguard.

[DODGER DEB]

Well, everyone, WE are down to one week and counting, to the HOF Vets Committee vote, on February 27th.

Does anyone have a prediction about whether GIL will make it this year?

I spoke with Joan (Hodges) a few days ago, and she is excited, but nervous and anxious, and praying a lot. While I would love to see it happen for all BROOKLYN DODGER fans, I especially want it to happen for hersake. She so appreciates all OUR support in this effort through the years.

Let's hope this time GIL will catch the gold ring!

c.

[MattM]

Well, everyone, WE are down to one week and counting, to the HOF Vets Committee vote, on February 27th.

Does anyone have a prediction about whether GIL will make it this year?

I spoke with Joan (Hodges) a few days ago, and she is excited, but nervous and anxious, and praying a lot. While I would love to see it happen for all BROOKLYN DODGER fans, I especially want it to happen for hersake. She so appreciates all OUR support in this effort through the years.

Let's hope this time GIL will catch the gold ring!

c.

Deb-

From the list I've seen, it seems like Gil and Ron Santo are the only two logical choices. Roger Maris would be my other pick, but this is coming from a biased person.

If you are religious, superstitious or not, everyone should hope, pray, grab their lucky rabbits feet, 4-leaf clovers, troll dolls, or whatever else brings them luck, and hold them so very close on February 27'th.

Even if Gil doesn't get in, he's still a true Hall of Famer in my book.

[Brownie31]

Here's hoping for Gil Hodges-the most deserving nominee!

Brownie31