Well, I feel compelled to write a follow up after the disappointment of Sunday night. Just a couple of points.
1- I don’t believe it’s proper to diminish the people who were voted in and attempt to position Allen as being superior to them. I did not really see Hodges or Minoso play. Kaat is one of the nicest people associated with the game and although he has said he belongs in the Hall of the Very Good, I am still happy for him. I like as well that he modeled his fielding mechanics after Bobby Shantz, another wonderful baseball man who lives in the Philly area and who still makes personal appearances even into his mid 90’s. Oliva was one of the best pure hitters I ever saw and he was a lock for 3k hits if he wasn’t hurt. I really believe he was as good a hitter as Carew but with more power. I have no problem with his election and glad that he gets to share it with Carew who he has a strong best buddy type of relationship with 55 years after Carew joined him in MN.
2- We will never know the real story unless Schmidt or someone else sings, but there is a lot of focus on the fact that it’s nearly automatic that someone who misses like Allen did last time by one vote is always elected the next time up. We’ve seen this throughout the Hall history. There is some thought that the most powerful person in the process, Jane Forbes Clark is against Allen and that the panel is picked to have 5 no votes amongst the 16 to ensure Allen doesn’t get in. We will never know the truth but it’s highly irregular as to what took place. I’d love to see her interviewed and put on the hot seat as to her perspective on Allen and to the criteria used to select the committee panel.
3- There was a lot of thought that the racial injustice that Allen faced would support his election. There is some thought that the racial recognition helped to push Buck O’Neill across the finish line. I think O’Neil is long past due and to suggest that the racial recognition helped O’Neill is an insult to this wonderful baseball man. I do believe that the Phillies failed Allen and that the Arkansas disaster was the event that wounded Allen throughout his life. He saw baseball and life differently after Arkansas and if he had come along 10 years later, he would have had the longevity and put up the numbers that would have made him an all timer statistically. His mistreatment is now well known and I did think that this would have been considered somewhat as to the impact it had on his career.
It was a gut punch for the family who gathered in Orlando ready to celebrate the vote only to be let down. At this point, the few who remain will be gone (Koufax, Mays, etc) by the time the next vote takes place for the Golden Era. I really thought it was going to happen, so disappointed.
