Congratulations to Barry Larkin for being elected to baseball's Hall of Fame. Later this month, the NFL will release its list of new inductees to its Hall. However, this also brings back what I think is one of the most ridiculous concepts in all of sports the first-ballot hall of famer.
You either are a hall of famer, or you're not a hall of famer. First ballot, second ballot, third, fourth, you either are or you are not. If can not get elected on your first try, I'm sorry, but you are not a hall of famer.
Larkin gained election on his third try. The first time he was eligible in 2010, he received 278 votes, appearing on 52 percent of the ballots, far short of the 75 percent required. This year he received 495 votes, upping his percentage enough to qualify for entry.
Let's do the math.
217 people decided Larkin was Hall worthy this year, but not in 2010. How many more base hits did he gain over that period? How many more home runs? How many more spectacular plays in the field did he make?
Zero, zero and zero.
So somebody please tell me why all of a sudden, he's good enough to vote for now, but not then.
I'm not arguing that Larkin doesn't deserve his spot among baseball's greatest ever; I believe that his selection is justified. I am just puzzled why all of a sudden now he's worthy of a vote.
Larkin was the only player voted in and likely got selected because he was the best of the available crop. And somebody had to get elected right?
If it comes down to one year where you don't have a ceremony, so be it. A person should not be elected just because no one else good enough is eligible in a given year. It's the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Very Good.
So, who did get inducted two years ago over Larkin when he first was eligible? Andre Dawson.
I won't pretend to be an expert on Dawson's career, which a large portion of occurred before I was really old enough to recognize great players. But I do know that Dawson got elected on his ninth ballot. So eight times, he was voted down, but then magically he became good enough to get elected.
I'm sorry, but if you get voted down eight times, you are not a hall of famer.
A lot of people are arguing for the induction of Jack Morris. Morris just fell short in his 13th try on the ballot.
After 13 tries, I'm sorry Jack, you are not a hall of famer.
A player gets 15 tries before he's off the ballot. If I got appointed to the position of King of Sports, how many times would I let a person be on the ballot? One.
You should have one year on the ballot and you're either voted in or out. There's no gray area. You're a hall of famer or you're not.
The voters for baseball's Hall of Fame are some of the stupidest people on the planet. Baseball has a great history, with many great players and historic figures.
Many players who no question deserve to be elected to the hall of fame.
Let me read to you the list of the baseball legends unanimously voted into the Hall...
...
That is all.
Nobody! Nobody ever has been unanimously elected into the Hall of Fame. Not Hank Aaron, not Nolan Ryan, not Willy Mays, nobody. Not even Babe Ruth.
Some of the names from recent years, who should've been no-brainer selections, Cal Ripken, Tony Gwynn, Ricky Henderson. None of them were unanimously voted in. If you do not vote Cal Ripken into the Hall of Fame, your voting privileges should be revoked for all eternity.
The NFL will release their new enshrinees the day before the Super Bowl. Chris Carter, Tim Brown and Jerome Bettis are all up for enshrinement after not being previously elected. I just hope all the touchdowns Chris Carter caught during the past year finally gets him over that hump.
