Earlier this week, the 12-person special committee formed to consider the accomplishments of players, executives, and contributors from the Negro Leagues and pre-Negro Leagues announced their decisions via an anonymous vote. The committee consisted of researchers, professors, and baseball historians, with former Commissioner Fay Vincent serving as the chairman. With a 75% approval rate needed for induction, the vote resulted in 17 new additions to the Baseball Hall of Fame of the 39 individuals considered.

Unfortunately, there were two glaring omissions on this day that cast a shadow on a day meant to celebrate the history of the game in the days before Jackie Robinson. John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil and Orestes "Minnie" Minoso, two of the most well-known and beloved members of the baseball fraternity and the lone surviving members of the group, were left out of the day's celebration. This decision has been met with outrage from members of Congress, sportswriters and on-air personalities, and MSNBC host Keith Olbermann has devoted

I remain baffled by this vote. In the last bid for the Hall of Fame for these aging gems, the committee effectively double-bolted the entry and won't reveal why they did so.

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The committee sifted through mounds of Negro League stats, box scores, and historical data to reach its decisions, focusing on the period from 1860-1960. Both men certainly had the numbers in-between the white lines to merit induction. But in this situation, they were also looking into owners and contributors to the game on a greater level. The failure to induct O'Neil and Minoso begs one very simple question. Did the voters cut off the contributions of O'Neil and Minoso to the game after 1960?? These two treasures of the game should have been unanimous selections in this context.

O'Neil was a career .288 hitter while playing for several Negro League teams over 17 years. He made history by becoming the first black coach in Major League history when he joined the Chicago Cubs. As a scout, he launched the careers of many current Hall of Famers, most notably former Cubs Lou Brock and Ernie Banks. O'Neil was a member of the Veterans Committee for 20 years, helping to recount the accomplishments and contributions of his contemporaries. Most famously, he spearheaded the effort to compile artifacts, newsreels, writings, and memorabilia to construct the Negro League Museum in Kansas City.

Minoso didn't get his chance at the big leagues until after he had turned 28. He was a seven-time All-Star who hit .298 in a career that spanned 14 full seasons. The White Sox fan favorite made two plate appearances in 1980 at the age of 58! The 83-year old Minoso continues to hold court in Chicago, telling stories of his entry to the Major Leagues, the evolution of the game, and his memories of the legendary players from both the Negro Leagues and Major League Baseball.

I had the honor of welcoming Minnie to a class I helped teach about the baseball and society several years ago in Chicago. He captivated the class of 25 with tale after tale about life in baseball from his days in Cuba to that final at-bat in 1980. He was scheduled to talk and take questions for 1 - 1/2 hours. Three and a half hours later, the entire class remained glued to their seats and Minnie continued to speak.

You can read all the tales you can find about ballplayers of yesteryear, but there's nothing like seeing the fire and excitement in a player's eyes as they think of past friends, relationships and days at the ballpark.

I would argue that the review by this special committee would have never occurred without the tireless efforts of Buck O'Neil to preserve the history and legacy of these players and teams.

And are O'Neil and Minoso angry at the snub from the committee?

On the contrary, both men are genuinely flattered by the attention given to their careers and the support of their many fans. "I know that baseball fans have me in their own Hall of Fame -- the one in their hearts," the 83-year-old Minoso said. "That matters more to me than any official recognition."

The 94-year old O'Neil echoed those sentiments in his own comments directly after the vote and during an appearance with Olbermann on Wednesday night's "Countdown." He even agreed to speak on the behalf of those 17 to be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame this summer.

O'Neil told Olbermann: "I am a little disappointed, but the people on the committee vote what they thought. If I hadn't had a chance now, then I would have been bitter. But with this, they gave me a chance to get into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, I just didn't make it."

"I thank all of you for feeling the way you feel. I believe I put the numbers up to get me into the Hall of Fame. Listen ... I could play. I hit the ball. I was just a line drive hitter and not a home run hitter. My greatest accomplishment might have been starting the Negro League Museum in Kansas City. And one day, maybe I'll be in there. But, don't weep for Buck."

As I listened to interviews with both men over the past several days, I resolved to spend more time studying the rich archives and history of the game. It renewed my passion for the evolution of America's pastime and its place in the fabric of our culture.

And it gave me some perspective. I hope as I gain more experience and learn to enjoy life's twists, turns, highs, and lows, that I can remember the past fondly and swell with the same pride as I speak of the people I've known.

In the end, Buck O'Neil and Minnie Minoso might never gain entrance to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I sincerely hope that they do. But their omissions in this particular vote gave us an opportunity to stand back and revisit their lives of service to the game, to call out to those who hadn't heard of Buck or Minnie what they've meant to the game and its developement, and to remind all that there are ballplayers that truly love the game and appreciate the life it's help them make.

That final piece to the omission stands out the most. After all, it's the love of the game that keeps us going back to the ballyard each spring, and it's the love of the game that makes us angry for Minnie and Buck. And it's the love of the game that will make sure that legends such as Buck O'Neil and Minnie Minoso won't be forgotten, even if the Hall chooses to keep them out of sight.