Friday Feature: January 28, 2022
By: Vinny Pagano
Baseball season is around the corner, and nothing screams America like its National pastime. At every level it represents what is great about this country. It has brought families and communities together since the very first game played by Abner Doubleday and his friends. Baseball officially started in Cooperstown, New York in 1839. The very same city that is home to Major Leagues Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
This past week Major league Baseball and the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) released the list of players nominated into the Hall of Fame. There was nobody on the list last year and many wondered if anyone would be this year. David Ortiz is the only player going into the Hall of Fame this year. 75 percent of the votes were all that was needed to get in, Ortiz received 77.9 percent.
For those who are waiting for Sammy Sosa, Curt Schilling, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens to make into the Hall of Fame, you will have to wait for them to be voted in by the Veterans committee and it could take years. These players fell off the ballot this year after its 10-year expiration date. They did not make it due to PED’s (Performance Enhancing Drugs), attached to their statistics. In July 2014 MLB voted that there would be a 10-year time limit placed on the ballot. They only grandfathered in three players indefinitely. Don Mattingly on the ballot for 15 years, Alan Trammell waiting 14 years and Lee Smith on the list for 13 years. That means that these players will never be removed from the ballot, without being inducted. Other notable players kept out of the Hall of Fame for scrupulous activity are Jose Conseco (steroids), Pete Rose (betting on baseball as a manager), and Shoeless Joe Jackson (Betting on baseball as a player).
The most deserving of the HOF from the notorious players above would be Pete Rose. He was born, raised, and played in Cincinnati. He is the league’s leader in hits with 4,256. Also known as Charlie Hustle, Pete is the MLB’s leader in games played with 3, 562 games, three World Series rings, three batting titles, two Golden Glove awards, Rookie of the Year in 1963, 17 All-Star appearances at an unprecedented five different positions, MVP in 1973, 44-consecutive hits streak, 745-consecutive games played streak. Pete Rose is the only player in the history of the game to play at least 500 games at five different positions (1B, 2B, 3B, LF and RF). His crime came after his playing days. He was found to be guilty of betting on baseball while managing his beloved Cincinatti Reds, controlling how games ended and the quality of players he put in at vital times. This is a violation of the rules and deserving of punishment, but not the lifetime ban from the HOF. If you want my opinion, I would put him in, just for his accomplishments while playing the game. Just put the infamous “asterisk” with an explanation next to his display. Until we see Pete Rose’s name, we should not see anyone else that has failed due to questionable activities. That is just my opinion, and I am sure it will be debated for years. That is the beauty of the game. It has a game within a game, and everything is debatable and open to interpretation. Just like the Constitution, that is my angle on why baseball is truly the pastime of America. Now pass me a hotdog and apple pie, I am getting hungry.
I did not want to end this story without an update to the work stoppage and current discussions between MLB and the players union on the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). On Monday, the Major League Players Association put forward a counteroffer to the Dec 2, 2021, owners’ proposal that prompted the “strike”. These talks are supposed to continue through the weekend and both sides are trying hard to get this resolved before the pitchers and catchers are due to report to spring training next week.
Just a reminder that Whiteville Wolfpack Varsity baseball begins in February, and you can catch all the home games and away game updates on Kool 103.9-FM and streaming on www.kool1039radio.com . Game play-by-play and updates will be done by yours truly, Vinny Pagano, so stayed tuned to for your exclusive coverage. You can always find final scores in the Daily Sports Wrap Up at www.z2j.c7e.myftpupload.com .
– Vinny Pagano is the Sports Editor for Columbus County News and Sports Director for WTXY Kool 103.9FM & AM1540. Local Sports stories, as well as questions and comments can be submitted to Vinny at [email protected]
