Ripken Jr., Gwynn to Hall of Fame 2007; Gossage, Rice Just Miss
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The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame announced the results of this year’s Hall of Fame voting last evening.
The two new entrants to the Hall are Cal Ripken Jr., who played in 2,632 consecutive games, spent his 21 year career with a single team — the Baltimore Orioles, was a 19 time All-Star, twice AL MVP, 2 time Gold Glove winner at shortstop who also played 3rd when the team needed while garnering 3,184 MLB hits including 431 homers; and outfielder Tony Gwynn who played his entire 20 year career with the San Deigo Padres, had a .338 lifetime batting average (including seasons; 1987 .370 BA, 1994 .394 in the 110 game strike-shortened season, 1995 .368, 1997 .372), was a 15 time All-Star and winner of five Gold Gloves for fielding.
Intimidating relief pitcher Rich “Goose” Gossage as well as outfielders Jim Rice and Andre “The Hawk” Dawson were close, with Gossage narrowly missing the 75% threshhold for the Hall. Gossage garnered 71.2% while Rice got 63.5% and Dawson received 56.7%.
Unfortunately, lefthander Tommy John was far down in the balloting with 22.9% of the vote and Dave Parker was lower still with 11.4% of the vote.
Cal Ripken Jr. was part of the Orioles team which defeated the Phillies in the 1983 World Series by 4 games to 1, was on the wild card team of 1996 which lost to the Yanks in the ALCS and the 1997 team which won the AL East Divsion championship and lost the ALCS to the Cleveland Indians.
Tony Gwynn played in 2 World Series with the Padres; the 1984 Series which the Padres lost to the Detroit Tigers and the 1998 Series in which the Padres were shut out 4-0 by that great Yankees team which finished 114-48. He also was part of the Padres team which won the 1996 NL West Division but lost to the NL Central Champion St. Louis Cardinals in the 1996 National League Division Series.
More background, details and comment on the Winners, Almosts and Losers in the Hall of Fame Vote can be found in the articles below;
The Hall call Arrives for Gwynn, Ripken, By Barry M. Bloom (MLB.com)
Gwynn, Ripken Elected to Hall of Fame (ESPN.com)
Hall Voting Will Always be Subjective, by Ken Rosenthal (FOXSports.com)
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