I live in suburban Detroit which means I should be blogging about the Detroit Lions and the incredible run they’ve been on the past several weeks, right?
Well, I wrote about them each of the last two weeks and while I’m superstitious and all, I’m not sure I have anything of significance to share in advance of their first NFC Championship Game this Century. I’m just rooting for NO repeats of the only other NFC Championshp Game the Lions have played in my lifetime: January 12, 1992 at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC, where they were outscored 24-0 in the second half and lost, 41-10. After a competitive first half, I recall a less-than-enjoyable remainder of my stay at Fraser’s Pub in Ann Arbor.
No, today I thought I’d wax poetic about what occurs tomorrow: The National Baseball Hall of Fame announces the Baseball Writers Association of America results for the 2024 Class.
Former Detroit Tigers’ manager Jim Leyland is already heading to Cooperstown, NY, courtesy of the HoF’s Contemporary Baseball Era Committee’s vote last month.
I’ve always had an interest in which former big leaguers were headed toward enshrinement, but this year my interest is keener, perhaps because of “Conversation with Sports Fans” guests Adam Darowski (S:2, E:25), Dave Metter (S:2, E:34), and Mark Shirk (S:2, E:53) who all have unique perspectives on the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- For Darowski (@baseballtwit on Twitter/X) it’s about two sets of players: Those who, statistically, have the merits to be included but for whatever reason are not. And those who spent the brunt of their professional careers in the Negro Leagues and have had the performances there discounted.
- For Metter (@cooperstowndave on Twitter/X) it tends to be about a cause candidate. Once upon a time that was Vladimir Guerrero. Currently, it’s Charlie Bennett, a 19th Century catcher who is still the only player to have a Major League Ballpark named after him, Detroit’s Bennett Park. Because of both his play and his innovation at the position, Metter considers him the best catcher of his era.
- For Shirk (@bballhist on Twitter/X) it’s about expanding the ranks of Hall of Famers. Shirk is a proponent of what’s referred to as a “big hall.” That is, opening the doors to more players and personnel who Shirk believes are deserving.
And then there was the discovery this Hall of Fame Election Season of Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs on Twitter/X) who along with a team of fellow ballotheads, tabulate those BBWAA ballots that have been made public at his Baseball Hall of Fame Tracker which is found here.
With the announcement due tomorrow, discovering Thibodaux’s site is akin to learning what’s in all those wrapped packages before the holidays. While I’m ecstatic to have knowledge of who’s likely to get in – and who’s not – this forewarning does take the edge off my suprise and/or righteous rage over who gets the call tomorrow.
With that, Go Lions and Go Todd Helton!