Once again, the Hall of Fame snubbed Marvin Miller, a man who did as much to change the game of baseball as Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Alexander Cartwright. Miller brought the players out of the lord-fief era and gave them collective bargaining. Just as important as the salaries (that are certainly way up there now), was Miller's fight to get the players medical coverage and representation whenever there was a dispute with management or the commissioner's office.
It's an absolute crime in my opinion that the doors were shut on him again.
Here are the 16-member electorate charged with the review of the Expansion Era ballot: Hall of Fame members Johnny Bench, Whitey Herzog, Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Tony Perez, Frank Robinson, Ryne Sandberg and Ozzie Smith; major league executives Bill Giles (Phillies), David Glass (Royals), Andy MacPhail (Orioles) and Jerry Reinsdorf (White Sox); and veteran media members Bob Elliott (Toronto Sun), Tim Kurkjian (ESPN), Ross Newhan (retired, Los Angeles Times) and Tom Verducci (Sports Illustrated).
I would really like to know who left Miller off the ballot. My guess is the four baseball executives (which would make sense, since Miller was a direct adversary). Verducci and Newhan I am guessing voted for him. Elliott perhaps, Kurkjian should have too. But one never knows. Herzog may have held back, since he was management. But it's an absolute travesty. Miller is in the Hall of Fame while his foil, Bowie Kuhn, the most narrow-minded, small-visioned commissioner we've ever had (OK, Spike Eckert was worse but he didn't get in the Hall lol) gets in.
Ugh. I think Miller gets in someday, but my belief is that the committee doesn't want him voted him while he's alive. They're afraid of his acceptance speech. And it would be a great one, too. Miller in his mid-90s is still sharper than many baseball people half his age (and one-third his age, too).
My rant.
Bob
It's an absolute crime in my opinion that the doors were shut on him again.
Here are the 16-member electorate charged with the review of the Expansion Era ballot: Hall of Fame members Johnny Bench, Whitey Herzog, Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Tony Perez, Frank Robinson, Ryne Sandberg and Ozzie Smith; major league executives Bill Giles (Phillies), David Glass (Royals), Andy MacPhail (Orioles) and Jerry Reinsdorf (White Sox); and veteran media members Bob Elliott (Toronto Sun), Tim Kurkjian (ESPN), Ross Newhan (retired, Los Angeles Times) and Tom Verducci (Sports Illustrated).
I would really like to know who left Miller off the ballot. My guess is the four baseball executives (which would make sense, since Miller was a direct adversary). Verducci and Newhan I am guessing voted for him. Elliott perhaps, Kurkjian should have too. But one never knows. Herzog may have held back, since he was management. But it's an absolute travesty. Miller is in the Hall of Fame while his foil, Bowie Kuhn, the most narrow-minded, small-visioned commissioner we've ever had (OK, Spike Eckert was worse but he didn't get in the Hall lol) gets in.
Ugh. I think Miller gets in someday, but my belief is that the committee doesn't want him voted him while he's alive. They're afraid of his acceptance speech. And it would be a great one, too. Miller in his mid-90s is still sharper than many baseball people half his age (and one-third his age, too).
My rant.
Bob
