“The Hawk” Flies into Cooperstown
Andre Dawson in his Chicago heyday. "The Hawk" will be perched in Cooperstown on July 25, 2010.
And to think, I saw him get hit in the face with an Eric Show fastball.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York has announced the 2010 electee to the hallowed halls. It will be outfielder Andre Dawson, star of the Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs, among other teams. He was a “five-tool” player (a real cash advance for the team) who struck fear into opposing pitchers, and his persistent glare and ability to track down and pounce on fastballs and outfield flies earned him the nickname “The Hawk.”
He Made it on His Ninth Try
Just to show you how difficult it is to make it into the Baseball Hall of Fame (let alone on the first ballot), Andre Dawson made it in his ninth year of eligibility. He is one of only three players to hit 400 home runs (438 total) and steal 300 bases (314). He is an eight-time All Star, eight-time Gold Glove winner, four-time Silver Slugger Award winner, the 1987 National League MVP and 1977 MLB National League Rookie of the Year. He retired with 2,774 hits and batted a very respectable .279 for his career. Anyone who saw him play knows that he was a special player. Dawson received 420 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, which amounts to a 77.9 percent share. The required mark for induction is 75 percent.
But What About the Rest?
In what was labeled one of the “tightest votes” in Baseball Hall of Fame History, a number of estimated “locks” failed to get in. Bert Blyleven, the curveball master of Minnesota Twins fame who ranks among the best ever in wins, complete games, strikeouts and shutouts didn’t make it in his 13th try. He barely missed at 74.2 percent of the vote, although that likely indicates that he’ll be in come 2011. If he doesn’t, he’ll have one more year at the mercy of the baseball writers. Then his Hall of Fame fate will rest in the hands of the Veterans’ Committee.
Roberto Alomar, Barry Larkin and Edgar Martinez also missed, although the first two weren’t far off. Unfortunately, the unreasonable prejudice by the baseball establishment against Designated Hitters may keep Martinez out for a few years, but he should make it eventually.
Dawson Will Join Doug Harvey and Whitey Herzog
On July 25, 2010 in Cooperstown, Andre Dawson will share the stage with former umpire Doug Harvey and manager Whitey Herzog, who were voted in by a Veterans Committee. I know that I’ll be watching it on TV, as all three are among my baseball favorites – save Herzog, who badmouths Fred McGriff in the book “You’re Missin’ a Great Game.” Using the same line of logic that Herzog uses to criticize McGriff – that he didn’t have enough 100-RBI seasons – apparently Mickey Mantle ALSO wasn’t a great player. Of course anyone who knows who Mickey Mantle was and knows something about the history of baseball knows that Herzog had a “senior moment.” Perhaps Whitey (aka “The Rat”) should have taken out a cash advance instead of jumping at an ill-conceived book deal.
Related Video:
Discussion of Andre Dawson Elected to MLB Hall of Fame in 2010