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Maury Brown in the Hardball Times takes a closer examination at the voting process for the recent Negro Leagues induction for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
So, what are we left with? Unfortunately, it seems that the Hall is in a no-win situation. There seem to be cases that could be made for inducting both O'Neil and Miñoso, but not under the criteria of the Special Committee vote. Certainly in the case of O'Neil, there could be consideration of an alternative method for induction based on his "contributions to the game."
And an ESPN Insider column Rob Neyer defends the committee and also contrasts the election of Effa Manley against other executives who aren't in the Hall of Fame, such as Walter O'Malley, Jacob Ruppert, and Barney Dreyfuss.
I think O'Malley's omission from the Hall of Fame is one of the more inexplicable decisions in HOF history. But as long as the myth of the idyllic and beloved Brooklyn Dodgers and their fans, who apparently were specially touched by the baseball gods and endowed with magical powers that separated them from mere mortals, then O'Malley's plaque will not be going up in Cooperstown.
Ruppert and O'Malley are two owners that the other owners should be grateful for as they helped transform baseball ownership from being a small-time operation into a license to print money if done correctly.
If Minnie Minoso were not barred from the game, there is little question that he would have put together an HOF-worthy career. I don't think anyone can dispute that.
I think the former will eventually get in and hopefully he'll be around to see it. I fear the latter will always be on the outside looking in unless a Rizzuto-like constituency gets going on his behalf.
Although I would put Minoso in the HOF I can see where others would disagree. Based on what I have read about his Negro League career, I don't think it added substantially to his overall career.
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