Rickey Henderson on the first ballot and Jim Rice on the last. Perfect symmetry ! For you soccer fans out there, Henderson's on the right and Rice on the left.Rickey Henderson sped his way into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot Monday, and Jim Rice made it in on his 15th and final try. Henderson, baseball's career leader in runs scored and stolen bases, received 94.8 percent of the vote from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, well above the 75 percent needed.
Rice, among baseball's most feared hitters in the late 1970s and early 1980s, got 76.4 percent of the vote after falling just shy with 72.2 percent last year.
"The only thing I can say is I'm glad it's over with," Rice said. "I'm in there and they can't take it away."
The undisputed standard for leadoff hitters, Henderson became the 44th player elected in his first year of eligibility. Rice was only the third elected by the BBWAA in his final year, joining Red Ruffing (1967) and Ralph Kiner (1975).
The pair will be inducted into the Hall during ceremonies on July 26 in Cooperstown, N.Y. They will be joined by former Yankees and Indians second baseman Joe Gordon, elected posthumously last month by the Veterans Committee.
"I feel great about it. It's been a long time coming," said Henderson, who wanted to be a football star before excelling in pro baseball. "I was nervous, waiting."
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2 comments:
Jim Rice was a member of one of the greatest outfields in modern day baseball - the 1975 Red Sox - Freddie Lynn, Jim Rice and Dwight Evans. (yes I know they lost the Series to the Reds but Rice was hurt). Everybody knows Rice and Lynn but Evans who was in the Sox organization most of his playing days had a canon of an arm in right field that intimidated most base runners. Offensively he was a power hitter (he had the most extra-base hits in the majors during the 1980s and ranks #47 all time) but his numbers are a little shy of what the Hall of Fame would likely require. However, if defense was a factor, he would already be a member. Congratulations Jim Ed.
I can't think of two more different, or two more exciting ballplayers of our generation. Nothing more fun ever than watching Rickey steal third in a late inning of a close game . . . .
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