Ain’t that a shame? My tears fell like rain. Ain’t that a shame? You’re the one to blame. -Fats Domino
Public Service Announcement: OK, here we go! Another year, another snub. Women may like that! Yes! I understand women. The snub may be good for them. They may love the snub! Not me. You think that I’m fresh off the boat, and you can kick me! But I’m too big for that now. I’m sick a’ takin’ the scrap from you…And I’m sicka the high hat! I know. The Baseball Hall of Fame. Cooperstown. Hallowed grounds. Preserving history, honoring excellence, connecting generations. All that. You wanna preserve history? Huh? Do ya? You wanna honor excellence? Really? Then give Jim Ed Rice his due. Do wa ditty, ditty dum ditty do.
I do this every year, so I’ll make this brief. Jim Rice belongs in the Hall. Anything else is a travesty. It’s a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham. In Jim Ed’s day, as a successor to Ted Williams and Yaz roaming left field for the Boston Red Sox, he was the AL’s most feared slugger. The most feared slugger. Bar none! A mainstay in the clean-up spot at the All Star game. In 1978, he was the best hitter in baseball. The best hitter in baseball. Nobody was better. Not Dave Parker. Not Reggie Jackson. Not George Foster. Not nobody. Enough is enough. Here are some stats:
In 1977, he led the league with thirty-nine bombs. He also had 206 hits. The first of three consecutive years with at least thirty-five homers and 200 hits. Three consecutive years with at least thirty-five homers and 200 hits. Are you kidding me? He was the first player ever to have accomplished that feat. Ever!
He also led the league in total bases for three straight years, becoming only the third A.L. player - after Ty Cobb and Ted Williams - to do so. You got the Georgia Peach. You got the Splendid Splinter. You got Jim Ed. That’s it.
Jim Ed won the MVP award in 1978. In 1978, he accumulated an astounding 406 total bases. 406! The only guy ever in the American League to do so since 1938. The last guy to do it before Rice? Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio. No one in the AL has done it since Rice. No one. Not even the juicers. Simply unbelievable. EMF style.
Of the seventeen players with 300 homers and a career average as high as Rice’s .298, Rice is the only one not in Cooperstown.
He is one of only two American League players ever to lead his league in both triples and bombs in the same season.
He remains the only player ever to lead his league, and Major League Baseball in triples, bombs and RBIs in the same season.
From 1975 to 1986, Rice led the American League in total games played, at-bats, runs scored, hits, homers, RBIs, slugging percentage, total bases, extra-base hits, go-ahead RBIs, multi-hit games, and outfield assists.
Jim Rice was so strong that his ordinary grounders would be into the outfield before the infielders could react to them. So strong he would break bats on check swings. Some kids #### their name in the snow. Jim Ed Rice can #### his name into concrete.
Free Jim Rice!
Public Acknowledgements: Seinfeld, Miller’s Crossing, Manfred Mann and Bananas
JoshQ'
The esteemed and hallowed vesitibule one describes as the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. In all of its facets now is more of a joke. If the likes of Rice and Buck O'Neil can't get in. Then they might as well do away with the so called induction and enshrinement of players. The BBWAA is a complete and utter joke to begin with ! They're so biased and opinionated that they wouldn't know class or integrity if it were inscribed on a knapkin. Let alone if it came up and bit each of 'em in the a## in the guise of a a rottweiler.
But there again those who've merited the enshrinement in recent years have been lauded in some cases with the dubious stats and not much else in terms of credibility.
The travesty continues. Unfortunately writers vote the hall. Writers remember Rice as coming across as surly and unapproachable. As the numbers bear out, Rice is as deserving, or more deserving of the honor than some already enshrined. Hopefully, maybe, please, someday this wrong will be made right. The clock is ticking.......
Last edited by coachgator on July 30th at 12:21 PM.
I remember that Red Sox team well and they were awesome. Jim Rice belongs in the Hall of that there is no doubt. Whether the writers like a player or not should have nothing to do with it. What matters is a players performance on the field not his personality. Jim Rice was dominant player during that period. If he doesn't deserve to be in the Hall, who does?
ricko
If you think that the ignoring of Rice is unacceptable then what about Buck O'Neill ? The guy has done more to get the game out there for the masses to appreciate than any other player that the majority of us would know. Say nothing of which the legacy with which he carries concerning the #### Leagues.
You've a bunch of old farts within the BBWAA who adjudicate this all who've about as much knowledge of the game that could be written on the back of first class stamp. Say nothing of which they come in with their blinded loyalties and biased thoughts and feelings.
What's wrong with this picture ?
Nothing you might say but less accomplished individuals have made it into the Hall of Fame.
justan' aka tophatal ..............
Last edited by justanotherfan on July 30th at 3:19 PM.
Along with everything else you have put up. He was the first one to jump into the stands and go grab a little girl that had got hit by a foul ball and carried her down into the dougout to get fast first aid. That was a super hero in action.
I would vote him in on the actions he took that day alone. I think they had to take him out of the line up because he stayed in the club house with her? Cheers
Just a word on Buck O'Neil- It saddened me so to see this legend pass without being enshrined. All he has done for the game since he stopped playing should be grounds for induction. He is a legend largely overlooked. Shame one the hall.
josh q. public. For the public, by The Public. Irreverent sports opinion from a Bostonian in New York. The one blog to read, when you’re reading more than one. Good to the last drop!
