Baseball Hall of Fame – The Sports Fan Project

While I was Sleeping

December 14, 2024December 14, 2024DouglasTHillLeave a comment

Today, I offer apologies to regular Sports Fan Project readers.

I’ve tried – mightily – to provide at least one post (beyond The Fan Teaser) each week. Alas, upon returning from Event No. 10 of my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project (a pair of SEC football rivalry games: the Egg Bowl and the Iron Bowl), I began to feel progressively worse with each passing day.

Without getting into too much detail, suffice to say that overnight coughing fits were making it difficult for me to sleep, drove my wife across the hall into another bedroom, and, generally, made me feel lousy for the better part of a week.

A tele-health visit to my doctor’s office elicited a round of Azythromycin, some Codeine-infused cough syrup, and my first-ever inhaler to open up the bronchi should I encounter any more coughing fits.

Mercifully, after 10 days of feeling no better than meh, I believe I’ve turned a corner.

With that, and a knowing nod to the 1995 film “While You Were Sleeping” here’s a few things that transpired in the world of sports while I was in an altered state along with my thoughts.

The Legendary Bill Belichick is Returning to the Sidelines … at the University of North Carolina?!?

No headline during my convalescence made me question the amount of Codeine in that cough syrup more than this one.

Bill Belichick, the curmudgeonly 72-year-old ex-head coach of one of the NFL’s most successful modern-day dynasties is ending his 1-year sabbatical away from coaching by heading back to school (please, cue Rodney Dangerfield’s triple-lindy from the 1986 film of the same name) for the first time ever?

What could possibly go wrong?

Or … right?

Clearly the Tar Heels have no issue hiring an older coach (shoot, Belichick’s a year younger than the man he’s replacing, Mack Brown!) and as I began to listen to the punditry go deeper on this decision, it’s not as outlandish as it seems on the surface.

NCAA football, at this level, has never been more like the professional game. See the transfer portal; name, image, and likeness payments; the actual payments coming from schools thanks to recent court settlements; programs hiring general managers; etc. So I suppose the hire – and Belichick’s willingness dive in – makes some sense.

Of course, there’s also the family connection. His father, Steve, was an assistant there from 1953-55, and his son, also named Steve, is expected to join him in Chapel Hill after serving as defensive coordinator at the University of Washington this season.

Schools Upset About Being Left Out of Expanded College Football Playoff

Who could have seen this coming?

The College Football Playoff expands from four to 12 teams this season and teams ranked No. 13 (and even No. 14) feel they were given the screwgie by the selection committee.

Sorry – not sorry – University of Alabama faithful.

I understand the Southeastern Conference is probably – from top to bottom – the most challenging conference in all of college football. Heck, I saw firsthand six of the 16 teams compete in person this year. One of those was Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl against Texas and they looked like a high school team against the Longhorns during this year’s Red River Rivalry (Event No. 8 of Around the World).

You know what? Alabama lost to the Sooners, 24-3. Didn’t score a touchdown against the Sooners!

The Crimson Tide also lost to Vanderbilt, 40-35, when ‘Bama was the top-ranked team in the nation, the first time in 40 years Alabama lost to the Commodores.

Do either of those outcomes seem playoff worthy?

The team catching the Tide’s ire is Southern Methodist University because, presumably, it has the misfortune of playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference which, from top to bottom, is nowhere near as competitive as the SEC.

My Take: Schools should not be punished for the conference they compete in. Beyond the non-conference games, schools have no control over who’s on the schedule or how good (or bad) those teams might be. SMU played Nevada (which played for the Mountain West championship) and Texas Christian (of the Big 12) as part of their 3-game non-conference slate. The ACC, it should be noted, played nine conference games while the SEC plays but eight (that extra non-league game Alabama played … Football Championship Subdivision semifinalist, Mercer).

Furthermore, much of the teeth gnashing could be mitigated if, rather than a 12-team playoff, it was 16. Sure, Team No. 17 will now be the one that’s aggrieved, but as articulated above, by the time we get to the 16th, 17th, and 18th-ranked teams in the country, we’ll find plenty of flaws and limited chances at success in such a tournament. It’d also eliminate the first-round byes which should mute some of the whining about less-deserving teams such as Arizona State and Boise State from receiving the significant competitive advantage of an extra week of rest.

Allen & Parker Get the Hall Call but Where’s John?

**^{Pitcher Tommy John while with the Los Angeles Dodgers. (Getty Sports Photo)}**

The National Baseball Hall of Fame‘s 16-member Classic Era Committee voted Dick Allen and Dave Parker into the hallowed hall, it was announced last weekend. The voting panel consisted of Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Tony Perez, Lee Smith, Joe Torre, five current or former executives (Sandy Alderson, Terry McGuirk, Dayton Moore, Arte Moreno, and Brian Sabean), and five historians/media members (Bob Elliott, Leslie Heaphy, Steve Hirdt, Dick Kaegel and Larry Lester).

For those interested, Larry Lester – co-founder of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum – was a guest earlier this season on Conversations with Sports Fans. You’re able to find a link to his episode here.

Not that my opinion matters much, but I’m fine with both Allen and Parker heading to Cooperstown.

My real emotion (which is anger) lies with one of the six other finalists who didn’t make it: Tommy John.

John received just seven votes from the panel (12 are required for enshrinement) and, for the life of me, I don’t understand why over 50% of the panelists left him off their ballots.

He pitched for 26 seasons, amassed 288 wins, had a career earned run average of 3.34, went 6-3 in 14 post-season appearances for both the Dodgers, Yankees, and Angels, and had a playoff ERA of 2.65. For you analytic lovers, he had a career Wins Above Replacement (WAR) of 61.6.

And, oh yeah, he was the first pitcher to undergo, you know, Tommy John Surgery which has impacted, I don’t know, just about every pitcher this century!!!

Here are a few comparisons of current Hall of Famers:

Sandy Koufax – 12 seasons, 165 wins, a 2.76 ERA, and a career WAR of 48.9. Playoffs: 4-3 with a 0.95 ERA in eight appearances.
Bert Blyleven – 22 seasons, 287 wins, a 3.31 ERA, and a career WAR of 94.5. Playoffs: 3-1 with a 2.47 ERA in eight appearances.
Jim Kaat – 25 seasons, 283 wins, a 3.45 ERA, and a career WAR of 50.5. Playoffs: 1-3 with a 4.03 ERA in nine appearances
Jack Morris – 18 seasons, 254 wins, a 3.90 ERA, and a career WAR of 43.5. Playoffs: 7-4 with a 3.80 ERA in 13 appearances

It’s worth noting, that Kaat and Morris were voted in by some version of a Hall of Fame veterans committee that determines John’s fate.

The Detroit Lions are 12-1 … and Have Not Distanced Themselves from their Pursuers

Go figure, my hometown Detroit Lions – long the laughingstock of professional football – are having a season for the ages, but despite being 12-1 for the first time in franchise history they’re still just a game clear of the divisional rival, Minnesota Vikings, and the NFC East’s Philadelphia Eagles.

Despite recent success and a different feel about this year’s team, you’ll forgive us long-suffering Lions’ fans if their Pavlovian response to this amazing start is that they’re just a couple of ill-timed miscues away from not winning the NFC North and having to battle through Wild Card Weekend as a 14-3 road team and thus, deprive the fan base of home playoff action.

Related: Lions Fans Upset by 2025 Ticket Price Increases

Color me surprised that the Lions will, for the second consecutive year, notably increase the cost of tickets. (Read about it here.)

Did we think a heretofore moribund franchise that was in the bottom quartile of NFL ticket prices would – out of sheer benevolence – just keep everything the same!?!

Folks, this is a elementary school economics. When demand increases and supply cannot be increased similarly (there’s only so many seats in Ford Field, right?), prices are going to increase. It’s the price fans pay to have a 12-1 team that seems to have a realistic shot for a lengthy advancement in the playoffs.

If you’re harkening for the days when tickets were plentiful (and cheap!) then you’re also harkening for that 2008 season when the Honolulu Blue and Silver finished 0-16.

And, remember, as my friend John U. Bacon is fond of saying: “Greed remains undefeated.”

The Fan Teaser: Week 76 Solution

April 7, 2024April 7, 2024DouglasTHillLeave a comment

**^{What’s going on during this historic moment?}**

On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron stepped to the plate in the fourth inning at Atlanta Stadium to face Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Al Downing with teammate Darrell Evans on first base. Aaron launched a 1-0 pitch deep into left center field into the glove of Braves’ relief pitcher Tom House who was patrolling that portion of the bullpen.

It was Aaron’s 715th career homer, breaking the existing record of 714 established four decades earlier by Babe Ruth.

Hank Aaron's 715th HR — **^{Homeplate umpire Satch Davidson, Los Angeles Dodgers’ catcher Joe Ferguson, and Hank Aaron watch as Aaron’s 715th career home run takes off. (Photo by Associated Press)}**

Bedlam ensued shortly thereafter, with fans somehow getting onto the field to join Aaron’s home run trot. There was even a young Sarasota. FL, radio reporter in a gray overcoat who attempted to capture a moment or two with the day’s hero. That reporter? Craig Sager.

Here’s the boxscore from that historic day, 50 years ago. Note the Dodgers’ committed six errors during the Braves’ 7-4 win.

We were fortunate to have Dennis Hafeli join us on our podcast, Conversations with Sports Fans, last season. Hafeli was in attendance at this game and he shared his recollections during our conversation found here.

^{Atlanta Braves’ broadcaster, Milo Hamilton, on the call for Aaron’s 715th.}

^{Los Angeles Dodgers’ broadcaster, Vin Scully, on the call for Aaron’s 715th.}

Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.

The Fan Teaser: Week 27 Solution

April 16, 2023April 14, 2023DouglasTHillLeave a comment

**^{If you know, you know. And you oughta know!}**

On April 15, 1947, 28-year-old Jackie Roosevelt Robinson played batted second and played first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers during its Opening Day 5-3 victory over the Boston Braves. It was the first of 1,382 Major League games and, for a variety of reasons, it may have also been his most important; it was the first MLB game in modern times that included an African-American player.

On the 50th anniversary of this historic moment, Major League Baseball retired Robinson’s jersey number 42 … permanently. Ten years later, in 2007, MLB chose to further honor Robinson by annually celebrating “Jackie Robinson Day” every April 15 when all uniformed personnel where number 42 … no matter the team.

Though Robinson had long been retired by the time I was born and passed away in 1972 when I was but 5, I’ve always had affinity for his story and the aura surrounding it and him. When my wife and I visited Cooperstown, NY, recently, I once again lingered in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Plaque Gallery at his plaque. That is where this week’s Fan Teaser image originates.

Jackie Robinson Plaque — **^{Jackie Robinson’s plaque in the Baseball Hall of Fame Plaque Gallery in Cooperstown, NY.}**

In 1999 ESPN produced a series of 100 biographies entitled “SportsCentury” in which it counted down the Top 100 North American Athletes of the 20th Century. In my mind, Robinson was under ranked at #15, but what do I know. Here is the Robinson biography via YouTube broken into seven parts.

A Day in Cooperstown, NY

March 27, 2023March 26, 2023DouglasTHillLeave a comment

I recently was able to spend several hours in one of my favorite places in the world, Cooperstown, NY, home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. It’s not an easy place to get to, but boy is it worth it … especially if you’re a baseball fan.

Below is, admittedly, a bit of a photo dump of some of my favorite shots from the time in the museum and walking round the village. Some of these are self-explanatory, others will need some description but that will have to wait until I have a little more time to provide the details.

And one short video that attempts to capture the reverence with which the inductees are handled in the plaque gallery. Most guests treat this space somewhere between being in church and visiting a library.

^{A quick 360 in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Plaque Gallery.}

A Spot in the Baseball HoF Should Be Jobe One

August 1, 2022July 31, 2022DouglasTHillLeave a comment

Just over a week ago, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum inducted seven new members to its ranks in the idyllic village of Cooperstown, New York. Uber-popular Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz garnered most of the headlines, but among the other inductees was a long-since-deceased gentleman named Bud Fowler who was enshrined under the Executive category for his work growing the game of baseball among black players in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A worthy honoree to be sure, Fowler joins 38 other enshrinees identified as Executives.

As I read about Fowler, and many of the other Executives who’ve been enshrined through the years (including such baseball luminaries as Rube Foster, Ford Frick, and Branch Rickey and fellow 2022 inductee, Buck O’Neil) it occurred to me that one individual – even moreso, I’d wager, than Pat Gillick, John Schuerholz, or Tom Yawkey – is deserving of a plaque revered Plaque Gallery. His name is Dr. Frank Jobe.

Dr. Jobe’s name may not be familiar to the current generation of baseball fans, but his most-famous client, pitcher Tommy John, is likely known by all. Jobe was the surgeon who first performed the unlnar collateral ligament replacement surgery in 1974 that forever more became known as Tommy John Surgery. Most estimates today peg somewhere between 25% and 33% of Major League pitchers as having had this once rare procedure.

Shoot, a pretty decent roster could be made of the Tommy John Surgery MLB alumni which would include a starting rotation of Justin Verlander (2020), Noah Syndergaard (2020), Jacob deGrom (2010), Yu Darvish (2015), and Adam Wainright (2010). Your starting DH could be either two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani (2018) or Hall of Famer Paul Molitor (1984). Salvador Perez (2019) or Todd Hundley (1997) could catch, Corey Seager (2018) can play shortstop, Matt Holliday (2001) the outfield, and Hall of Famer John Smoltz (2000) can handle the closing. With that rotation, you could totally have an Eddie Feigner King and his Court type situation and limit the number of defenders required.

All of this begs the question: Who has been more influential on MLB, Dr. Frank Jobe or Morgan Bulkeley?

If you, like me, needed to read Mr. Bulkeley’s bio a couple of times to understand who he was and what he did for baseball, I’d suggest we have our answer: Dr. Frank Jobe deserves a plaque in Cooperstown’s hallowed halls. That surgery he performed on a 13-year veteran lefthander, Tommy John, back in 1974 has forever impacted MLB. John went on to pitch longer following the surgery than he had before having it. Imagine what Sandy Koufax could have accomplished had Dr. Jobe been around a decade prior?

Upon reviewing the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum‘s website, the best chance for Dr. Jobe to have his visage hang in the Plaque Gallery resides with that entity’s Board of Directors which has the right to “revoke, alter or amend these rules at any time.” In this case, the Board must modify who is eligible and not be exclusive to players, managers, executives, and/or umpires. In other words, the Board must evolve and recognize the impact science has and will have on the sport.

If you, like me, believe Dr. Jobe should be more than just “honored” – as he was by the Hall in 2013 – but rather enshrined, I invite you to contact Jane Forbes Clark, Chair of the Board, at 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326. The full Board roster is found here.