Taylor the WAG

Conservative media is now claiming that the National Football League is rigging the Super Bowl, so that the Kansas City Chiefs, and therefore Travis Kelce, and therefore Taylor Swift, will win; so that Taylor can then ride that to help President Joe Biden get re-elected.

It's not the craziest conspiracy they've ever come up with. But it's one of the dumber ones. Why the hell would the NFL rig the Super Bowl for the Chiefs? There's 3 big reasons why they wouldn't do that:

1. They wouldn't rig it at all. They want people to bet on the game. Therefore, they would want the game to appear to be on the level.

2. What's the point? The Chiefs are the defending Champions. They don't need the rigging.

3. Of the NFL's 32 teams, 28 are owned by contributors to Donald Trump's Presidential campaign. Clearly, they don't want Biden to win.

Of course, the right-wingers are ready, either way. If the San Francisco 49ers win, they'll say it was rigged to help liberal San Francisco against conservative Missouri and Kansas. So, either way, they look like idiots.

*

Anyway... Today, on The View on ABC, Sara Haines made the point that American football has places for women: As cheerleaders, and in the stands. Their place is not by the side of their boyfriend or husband, the player.

And they see Taylor Swift cozying up to Travis Kelce, star tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs, and his family. And they don't like it.

They also don't like that she's registering voters to vote the way she would want them to: For Democrats, for women's rights, and other liberal causes.

Yes, Haines used the phrase "American football." That's important. Because, whether she meant to or not, it draws a contrast to soccer, the sport the rest of the world calls "football."

In England, they have "WAG Culture." WAG: Wives And Girlfriends. If an English soccer star, or a foreign soccer star in England's Premier League, still the highest-grossing sports league in the world -- ahead of the mighty NFL, mind you -- has a girlfriend or a wife (hopefully, not both) who is also famous, it provides the same kind of effect as when Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe got married (and, just as quickly, divorced): Each builds on the other's fame, until, on top of what they were already famous for, they become "famous for being famous."

America isn't used to that. Reggie Jackson was very good at keeping his private life private: He married once, was divorced while still in Oakland, and if he ever dated a famous woman while in the markets of New York (with the Yankees) or Los Angeles (with the team then named the California Angels), the media never found out.

Also in Reggie's time, nobody seemed to care who Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Carl Yastrzemski, George Brett, Ozzie Smith, Rickey Henderson, Don Mattingly or Ryne Sandberg was married to. Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez both dated famous women, but that was in New York, which isn't like the rest of the country.

In other sports, Joe Montana's wife was Jennifer Wallace, and Wayne Gretzky's wife was Jennifer Jones, and neither was ever anything more than a minor actress. Michael Jordan and Dan Marino had embarrassing divorces, but they were quickly forgotten. We hear lots of talk about LeBron James' son Bronny, but how many of us recognize the name of Savannah Brinson, LeBron's wife and Bronny's mother?

Tom Brady was married to Gisele Bündchen, but that was treated as an afterthought. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs quarterback and Kelce's teammate, having led them into a 4th Super Bowl and looking for a 3rd win, is the most famous player in the NFL, but how many of us would recognize his wife on sight? Or recognize her maiden name, Brittany Matthews? And she was a pro athlete, too, a soccer player. She's one of the co-owners of the K.C. area's team in the National Women's Soccer League, the Kansas City Current. And yet, she can walk through Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan without one single autograph request. Her husband can't do that.

There's something else to consider about the Taylor & Travis phenomenon. Taylor Swift is the 1st female performer to be, unquestionably, the biggest music star in America. Every predecessor in that regard was male: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, The Beatles (British rather than American, but embraced by America), Michael Jackson.

Not Madonna. When she first hit it big in 1984, Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Prince were bigger. When she was at her most hyped and controversial, in 1989 and '90, Jackson was still bigger. So were imports U2. Janet Jackson was never the biggest. Nor was Jennifer Lopez. The Beehive won't like reading this, but Beyoncé has been with Jay-Z since 2002, and he's been either the biggest or 2nd-biggest hip-hop figure longer than that, so Bey has never even been the biggest performer in her own relationship.

Yes, there is an element of race involved. If Beyoncé had merely collaborated with Jay-Z, and never gotten into a relationship with him, she would still be very big. But being black would have prevented her from being the biggest star among white fans. Taylor doesn't have that issue. She does have issues, but not that one.

But Taylor got to where she is by writing and singing songs about a troublesome love-life. And while she did sing, "I'm the problem, it's me" in "Anti-Hero," a lot of her songs are about breakups with inadequate boyfriends.

Guys see this, and think, "If only she'd come to me, I could show her a real man." Then she starts dating a Super Bowl-winning football star, and they feel betrayed. And so they hate her.

And, like Mariah Carey a few years earlier, she can sing a song titled "Shake It Off." (Neil Sedaka also had a Number 1 hit titled "Bad Blood" decades before Taylor did.) And that just ticks them off more.

Let them be ticked off.

By the way, you should have seen the look on my face when I remembered that there were meat-packing companies named Taylor and Swift.

The Taylor Provisions Company, of course, invented pork roll, and still sell more of it than anybody else. They sell it under the name "Pork Roll." Not "Taylor Ham."

Finals Appearances, 1871-2024

Updated to include the set of Super Bowl LVIII, between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.

Includes the following:

* Baseball: The World Series, 1903-2023; pre-1903 championship finals, including the Temple Cup (1894-97); and single-division leagues that did not have postseason series.

* Football: All professional league championship games, including the pre-Super Bowl NFL Championship Game, 1932-1965; and Canada's Grey Cup.

* Basketball: The NBA Finals, 1947-2023, and the WNBA Finals, 1997-2023.

* Hockey: The Stanley Cup Finals, 1894-2023, including before the founding of the NHL.

* Soccer: The NASL Finals, 1967-1984; the MLS Cup, 1996-2023; and the finals of the various women's leagues.

In the case of an intra-city finals, the city will be counted twice. Ties will be broken by most wins, then by most recent.

Still to be done: NASL, MLS, WUA/WPS/NWSL

New York, 136: World's Championship Series, 1888, both teams in 1889, 1890; Temple Cup, 1894; National League Champions, 1899, 1900; World Series, 1904, 1905, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1921 (both), 1922 (both), 1923 (both), 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1933, 1936 (both), 1937 (both), 1938, 1939, 1941 (both), 1942, 1943, 1947 (both), 1949 (both), 1950, 1951 (both), 1952 (both), 1953 (both), 1954, 1955 (both), 1956 (both), 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1969, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 (both), 2001, 2003, 2009, 2015; NFL Champions, 1927; NFL Championship Game, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1946, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963; Super Bowl, 1987, 1991, 2001, 2008, 2012; AAFC Championship Game, 1946 and 1947; NBA Finals, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2003; ABA Finals, 1972, 1974, 1976; WNBA Finals: 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2023; Stanley Cup Finals, 1928, 1929, 1932, 1933, 1937, 1940, 1950, 1972, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2012, 2014

New England, 90: National Association Champions, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875; National League Champions, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1892, 1893, 1898; World's Championship Series, both teams in 1884 and 1891; Temple Cup, 1897; World Series, 1903, 1904, 1912, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1918, 1946, 1948, 1967, 1975, 1986, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018; NFL Champions, 1928; NFL Championship Game, 1936; AFL Championship Game, 1963; Super Bowl, 1986, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019; NBA Finals: 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 2008, 2010, 2022; WNBA Finals: 2004, 2005, 2019, 2022; Stanley Cup Finals, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1988, 1990; WHA Finals, 1973, 1978

Montreal, 74: Grey Cup, 1931, 1944, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2023; Stanley Cup Finals, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1935, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1989, 1993, 2021

Toronto, 67: World Series, 1992, 1993; Grey Cup, 1909 (both), 1910, 1911 (both), 1912, 1913, 1914 (both), 1915, 1920 (both), 1921, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1930, 1933, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1971, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2012, 2017, 2022; NBA Finals, 2019; Stanley Cup Finals, 1902, 1904, 1908, 1914, 1918, 1922, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967

Los Angeles, 59: World Series, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1988, 2002, 2017, 2018, 2020; NFL Championship Game, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1955; AFL Championship Game, 1960; Super Bowl, 1980, 1984, 2019, 2022; NBA Finals, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2020; ABA Finals, 1970; WNBA Finals: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2016, 2017; Stanley Cup Finals, 1993, 2003, 2007, 2012, 2014

Chicago, 58: National League Champions, 1876, 1880, 1881, 1882; World's Championship Series, 1885, 1886; American League Champions, 1901; World Series, both teams in 1906; 1907, 1908, 1910, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1959, 2005, 2016; NFL Champions, 1921, 1925; NFL Championship Game, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1956, 1963; Super Bowl, 1986, 2007; NBA Finals, 1947, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998; WNBA Finals, 2014, 2021; Stanley Cup Finals, 1931, 1934, 1938, 1944, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1992, 2010, 2013, 2015; WHA Finals, 1974

Detroit, 50: World's Championship Series, 1887; World Series, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1934, 1935, 1940, 1945, 1968, 1984, 2006, 2012; NFL Championship Game, 1935, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957; USFL Championship Game, 1983; NBA Finals, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2004, 2005; WNBA Finals, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008; Stanley Cup Finals, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1941, 1943, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008, 2009

Philadelphia, 47: National Association Champions, 1871; American Association Champions, 1883; American League Champions, 1902; World Series, 1905, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1950, 1980, 1983, 1993, 2008, 2009, 2022; NFL Champions, 1926; NFL Championship Game, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1960; Super Bowl, 1981, 2005, 2018, 2023; USFL Championship Game, 1983 and 1984; NBA Finals: 1947, 1948, 1956, 1967, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983, 2001; Stanley Cup Finals, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1985, 1987, 1997, 2010

Winnipeg, 42: Grey Cup, 1925, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2007, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023; Stanley Cup Finals, 1896, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1904, 1908; WHA Finals, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979

San Francisco Bay Area, 36: World Series, 1962, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1988, 1989 (both), 1990, 2002, 2010, 2012, 2014; AAFC Championship Game, 1949; Super Bowl, 1968, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1995, 2003, 2013, 2020, 2024; USFL Championship Game, 1985; NBA Finals, 1964, 1967, 1975, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022; 1969 ABA Finals; Stanley Cup Finals, 2017

Hamilton, 34: Grey Cup, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1915, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1943, 1944, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1998, 1999, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021; Stanley Cup Finals, 1910, 1911

St. Louis, 34: World's Championship Series, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888; World Series, 1926, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1943, 1944 (both), 1946, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1982, 1985, 1987, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2013; Super Bowl, 2000, 2002; NBA Finals, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961; Stanley Cup Finals, 1968, 1969, 1970, 2019

Edmonton, 34: Grey Cup, 1921, 1922, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1960, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2015; Stanley Cup Finals, 1908, 1910, 1923, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 2006; WHA Finals, 1979

Ottawa, 33: Grey Cup, 1925, 1926, 1936, 1939, 1940, 1948, 1951, 1960, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1976, 1981, 2015, 2016, 2018; Stanley Cup Finals, 1894, 1897, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1915, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1927, 2007

Cleveland, 31: Temple Cup, 1895, 1896; World Series, 1920, 1948, 1954, 1995, 1997, 2016; NFL Champions, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1924; AAFC Championship Game, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949; NFL Championship Game, 1945, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1964, 1965; NBA Finals, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Pittsburgh, 24: National League Champions, 1901, 1902; World Series, 1903, 1909, 1925, 1927, 1960, 1971, 1979; Super Bowl, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1996, 2006, 2009, 2011; ABA Finals, 1968; Stanley Cup Finals, 1991, 1992, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017

Baltimore, 22: Temple Cup, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897; World Series, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1979, 1983; NFL Championship Game, 1958, 1959, 1964; Super Bowl, 1969, 1971, 2001, 2013; USFL Championship Game, 1985; Grey Cup, 1994, 1995; NBA Finals, 1948, 1971

Wisconsin, 21: World Series, 1957, 1958, 1982; NFL Champions, 1929, 1930, 1931; NFL Championship Game, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965; Super Bowl, 1967, 1968, 1997, 1998, 2011; NBA Finals, 1971, 1974, 2021

Washington, 21: World Series, 1924, 1925, 1933; NFL Championship Game, 1937, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1945; Super Bowl, 1973, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1992; NBA Finals, 1949, 1975, 1978, 1979; WNBA Finals, 2018, 2019; Stanley Cup Finals, 1998, 2018

Minnesota, 21: World Series, 1965, 1987, 1991; Super Bowl, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1977; NBA Finals, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1959; WNBA Finals: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017; Stanley Cup Finals, 1981, 1991

Calgary, 21: Grey Cup, 1948, 1949, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018; Stanley Cup Finals, 1924, 1986, 1989, 2004

Regina, 19: Grey Cup, 1923, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1951, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1972, 1976, 1989, 1997, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013

Vancouver, 18: Grey Cup, 1963, 1964, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2011; Stanley Cup Finals, 1915, 1918, 1921, 1922, 1982, 1994, 2011

Houston, 17: World Series, 2005, 2017, 2019, 2022; AFL Championship Game, 1960 and 1961; NBA Finals, 1981, 1986, 1994, 1995; WNBA Finals, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000; WHA Finals, 1974, 1975, 1976

Miami, 16: World Series, 1997, 2003; Super Bowl, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1983, 1985; NBA Finals, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2020, 2023; Stanley Cup Finals, 1996, 2023

Dallas, 14: World Series, 2010, 2011, 2023; AFL Championship Game, 1962; Super Bowl, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1993, 1994, 1996; NBA Finals, 2006, 2011; Stanley Cup Finals, 1999, 2000, 2020

Colorado, 14: World Series, 2007, Super Bowl, 1978, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2014, 2016; ABA Finals, 1976; NBA Finals, 2023; Stanley Cup Finals, 1996, 2001, 2022

Indiana, 13: Super Bowl, 2007, 2010; NBA Finals, 1955, 1956, 2000; ABA Finals, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975; WNBA Finals, 2009, 2012, 2015

Western New York, 13: AAFC Championship Game, 1948; AFL Championship Game, 1964 and 1965; Super Bowl, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994; NBA Finals, 1950, 1951, 1955, 1956; Stanley Cup Finals, 1975, 1999

Cincinnati, 12: World Series, 1919, 1939, 1940, 1961, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1990; Super Bowl, 1982, 1989, 2022

Arizona, 12: World Series, 2001, 2003; Super Bowl, 2009; USFL Championship Game, 1984; NBA Finals, 1976, 1993, 2021; WNBA Finals: 1998, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2021

Kansas City, 10: World Series, 1980, 1985, 2014, 2015; Super Bowl, 1967, 1970, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024

Tampa Bay, 9: World Series, 2008, 2020; Super Bowl, 2003, 2021; Stanley Cup Finals, 2004, 2015, 2020, 2021, 2022

Seattle, 13: Super Bowl, 2006, 2014, 2015; NBA Finals, 1978, 1979, 1996; WNBA Finals: 2004, 2010, 2018, 2020; Stanley Cup Finals, 1917, 1919, 1920

Atlanta, 11: World Series, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2021; Super Bowl, 1999, 2017; WNBA Finals, 2010, 2011, 2013

San Antonio, 7: NBA Finals, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013; WNBA Finals, 2008

San Diego, 7: World Series, 1984, 1998; AFL Championship Game, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965; Super Bowl, 1995

Kingston, 6: Grey Cup, 1922, 1923, 1924; Stanley Cup Finals, 1895, 1899, 1906

Las Vegas, 5: WNBA Finals, 2020, 2022, 2023; Stanley Cup Finals, 2018, 2023

Carolina, 5: Super Bowl, 2004, 2016; WNBA Finals, 2001; Stanley Cup Finals, 2002, 2006

Utah, 4: ABA Finals, 1971 and 1974; NBA Finals, 1997, 1998

Portland, 4: NBA Finals, 1977, 1990, 1992; Stanley Cup Finals, 1916

Quebec City, 4: Stanley Cup Finals, 1912, 1913; WHA Finals, 1975 and 1977

Louisville, 4: World's Championship Series, 1890; ABA Finals, 1971, 1973, 1975

Orlando, 3: World Bowl, 1974; NBA Finals, 1995, 2009

Sarnia, 3: Grey Cup, 1933, 1934, 1936

Victoria 3: Stanley Cup Finals, 1914, 1925, 1926

Halifax, 3: Stanley Cup Finals, 1900, 1906, 1913

Kenora, 3: Stanley Cup Finals, 1903, 1905, 1907

Tennessee, 2: Super Bowl, 2000; Stanley Cup Finals, 2017

New Orleans, 2: Super Bowl, 2010; ABA Finals, 1968

Sacramento, 2: WNBA Finals, 2005, 2006

Brandon, 2: Stanley Cup Finals, 1904, 1907

Oklahoma City, 1: NBA Finals, 2012

Birmingham, 1: 1974 World Bowl

Portsmouth, 1: NFL Championship Game, 1932

Moncton, 1: Stanley Cup Finals, 1912

Thunder Bay, 1: Stanley Cup Finals, 1911

Dawson City, 1: Stanley Cup Finals, 1905

Austin, none

Jacksonville, none

Which Relievers Should Be in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

We don't yet have a clear idea of what gets a reliever into the Hall of Fame. So I'm going to run a comparison, between those who are in, and those who some people say should be in.

First, let's take Hoyt Wilhelm and Dennis Eckersley out of the equation, because they both spent significant time as starters. And John Smoltz, while pretty good as a reliever, was a starter for the vast majority of his career.

That means that there are only 6 relievers in the Hall of Fame. In order of election, they are: Rollie Fingers, Bruce Sutter, Rich "Goose" Gossage, Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith.

Let's look at a few other relievers of note: Dan Quisenberry, star reliever of the 1980s; Jeff Reardon, another 1980s reliever, and the all-time leader between Fingers and Smith; John Franco, the all-time save leader among lefthanded pitchers; Billy Wagner, right behind Franco in that regard, and who, a few days ago, fell 5 votes short of election; and Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez, who has the most saves of any pitcher not in the Hall, eligible or otherwise, and holds the single-season record.

And if you think I missed any relievers worth considering, let me know. Just don't suggest any that are not yet eligible.

Saves: Rivera 652, Hoffman 601, Smith 478, Rodriguez 437, Franco 424, Wagner 422, Reardon 367, Fingers 341, Gossage 310, Sutter 300, Quisenberry 244.

Earned Run Average (ERA): Rivera 2.21, Wagner 2.31, Quisenberry 2.76, Sutter 2.83, Rodriguez 2.86, Hoffman 2.87, Franco 2.89, Fingers 2.90, Gossage 3.01, Smith 3.03, Reardon 3.16.

ERA compared to the league average (ERA+), with 100 being exactly average: Rivera 205 (making him the all-time leader, among all pitchers), Wagner 187, Rodriguez 148, Quisenberry 146, Hoffman 141, Franco 138, Sutter 136, Smith 132, Gossage 126, Reardon 122, Fingers 120.

Walks and Hits (BB + H), Divided by Innings Pitched (WHIP): Wagner 0.998, Rivera 1.000, Hoffman 1.058, Sutter 1.140, Rodriguez 1.155, Fingers 1.156, Quisenberry 1.175, Reardon 1.199, Gossage 1.232, Smith 1.256, Franco 1.333.

Why do I not count Wins + Saves? Because it's not that hard to blow a lead, then still be your team's pitcher of record when they retake the lead. For a reliever, Wins is a misleading statistic.

Why do I not count Strikeouts (K's), or K/Innings Pitched, or K/BB? Because, while strikeouts help, outs in general matter more than how you get them.

The main case for Wagner is his career save total: He's 2nd all-time among lefthanded pitchers, right behind Franco. But most people supporting the election of Wagner do not support that of Franco. Also, until he was surpassed by Hoffman, and both were surpassed by Rivera, the all-time leader in saves was Smith. And yet, it took the Veterans Committee (or whatever that's called now) to get him in. The writers did not consider his all-time leadership in a major pitching category to be enough to elect him. Given where he ranked in the other categories, they had a point.

Based on Saves, ERA, ERA+ and WHIP, a case can be made for both Wagner and Rodriguez.

Based on Saves, ERA and ERA+, a case can be made for Franco. However, his WHIP is noticeably higher than the next-lowest reliever mentioned.

Based on ERA, ERA+ and WHIP, a case can be made for Quisenberry. But the cumulative one, saves, is one on which he trails by a lot.

Based on Saves and WHIP, a case can be made for Reardon. But ERA and ERA+ don't help him.

Then again, based on the preceding judgments I've made, Fingers, Sutter and Gossage might not have enough saves. And Gossage and Fingers might not have a high enough ERA+. Gossage and Smith each have a WHIP that seems a bit high. Each of those assessments could be explained by things being different in their era, which would then help their contemporaries, Quisenberry and Reardon.

Clearly, Hall voters took the pitchers' effects on their teams into account. So let's look:

Rollie Fingers, In: Reached the postseason with the Oakland Athletics in 1971, '72, '73, '74 and '75; and the Milwaukee Brewers in 1981 and '82. Won Pennants in 1972, '73, '74 and '82. Won the World Series in 1972, '73 and '74. Was key to all of that.

Bruce Sutter, In: Made the postseason only once, but he was critical to it, helping the St. Louis Cardinals win the 1982 World Series -- over Fingers and the Brewers.

Goose Gossage, In: Made the postseason with the New York Yankees in 1978, '80 and '81; the San Diego Padres in 1984. Won Pennants in 1978, '81 and '84. Won the World Series in 1978. Was key to all of that.

Dan Quisenberry, Out: Made the postseason with the Kansas City Royals in 1980, '81, '84 and '85. Won the Pennant in 1980, beating Gossage and the Yankees; and '85. Won the World Series in 1985, beating the Cardinals after they foolishly traded Sutter. Was key to all of that.

Jeff Reardon, Out: Made the postseason with the Montreal Expos in 1981, the Minnesota Twins in 1987, the Boston Red Sox in 1990, and the Atlanta Braves in 1992. Won the Pennant in 1987 and '92. Won the World Series in 1987. Was key to all of that, although results varied: He had a 0.00 ERA in 4 games for the '87 Twins, but a 13.50 ERA in 2 games that may have helped cost the Braves the '92 Series.

Lee Smith, In but had to wait for the Vets Committee: Made the postseason with the Chicago Cubs in 1984, and the Red Sox in 1988. Didn't win the Pennant either time. Clearly, this didn't help his bid for election.

Trevor Hoffman, In: Made the postseason with the Padres in 1996, '98, 2005 and '06. Won the Pennant in 1998. Was key to all of that.

Mariano Rivera, In: Made the postseason with the Yankees in 1995, '96, '97, '98, '99, 2000, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '09, '10 and '11. Won the Pennant in 1996, '98, '99, 2000, '01, '03 and '09. Won the World Series in 1996, '98, '99, 2000 and '09. May well have been the biggest key to all of that, including 1998 over Hoffman and the Padres.

Billy Wagner, Out: Made the postseason with the Houston Astros in 1997, '98, '99 and 2001; the New York Mets in 2006; the Red Sox in 2009; and the Braves in 2010. This is where the case for Wagner takes a huge hit: He may have been the worst pitcher in postseason history, going 1-1 with a 10.03 ERA and a 1.971 WHIP. In addition, he was with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2005, when they missed the National League Wild Card berth by one game. If ever a pitcher could not be counted on when you needed him most, it was Billy Wagner.

John Franco, Out: Made the postseason with the Mets in 1999 and 2000, winning the Pennant in 2000, although he was no longer the closer by that point. Nevertheless, he did save Game 3, their only win in the 2000 Series. He helped the Cincinnati Reds reach 2nd place 4 straight seasons, 1985-88, and it certainly wasn't his fault that they didn't reach the Playoffs; but they traded him to the Mets before he could be a part of their 1990 title team. That doesn't help much.

Francisco Rodriguez, Out: Made the postseason with the team now known as the Los Angeles Angels in 2002, '04, '05, '07, '08; and the Brewers in 2011. The fact that he helped those teams, among the least successful in the post-expansion era, reach the postseason is remarkable. The fact that he was key to the Angels' only Pennant and only World Series win in 2002, his rookie season, speaks volumes. In between the Angels and the Brewers, he pitched poorly for the Mets, which may, thus far, have made a difference in keeping him out, but I'm not sure it should.

CONCLUSION: Among these names, Wagner and K-Rod are the closest to being Hallworthy. Quis, Reardon and Franco are certainly worthy of consideration. I can't definitively say that any of them should get in. But I don't think much of a fuss should be made if and when any of them get in.

There will be, though. There are plenty of people who will say the Hall has been "watered down" with the election of guys who should have remained in "The Hall of Very Good."

But some of those people were fine with the election of steroids cheats like David Ortiz, so to Hell with them.

January 26, 2014: Hockey at Yankee Stadium

January 26, 2014, 10 years ago: The NHL Stadium Series comes to the new Yankee Stadium in The Bronx.

The New York Rangers are, by far, the oldest NHL team in the New York Tri-State Area. They were founded in 1926. The New York Americans were founded the year before, but went out of business in 1942. The New York Islanders were founded in 1972, and the Colorado Rockies moved to become the New Jersey Devils in 1982.

The Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1928, 1933 and 1940... and then not again until 1994, losing in the Finals in the interim in 1950, 1972 and 1979.

The Islanders won 4 straight Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983, and made it back to the Finals in 1984. But, except for a run to the Conference Finals in 1993, hadn't done well since.

The Devils got to the Conference Finals in 1988 and 1994, and won the Cup in 1995, 2000 and 2003, also reaching the Finals in 2001 and 2012.

The Rangers have a contract that says that any game played away from their home arena, Madison Square Garden, must be considered an away game. Therefore, when the NHL set up their Stadium Series for Yankee Stadium in 2014, the Devils, despite being based in New Jersey, were the "home team" on January 26; and the Islanders were designated the "home team" on January 29.

Devils fans -- you gotta put the "S" on the end, so it doesn't look and sound like you're fans of The Devil -- and Islander fans have one thing in common: Both hate the Rangers. The 1994 double-overtime loss in Game 7 of the Conference Finals was, for Devils fans, what the 1951 loss in the National League Playoff to the baseball version of the New York Giants was for Brooklyn Dodger fans.

I mentioned this to my grandmother, who grew up in Queens as a Dodger fan, during the Rangers' early glory years, but she never took to hockey until long after she moved to New Jersey, and the Devils arrived. She had reason to be a Ranger fan, but she became a Devils fan. And she got the 1951/1994 analogy, and didn't think I was misunderstanding history.

(The fact that we both listened to our respective games on the radio helped the analogy. In 1951, she heard on the radio that Ralph Branca was coming in to pitch to Bobby Thomson, and turned the radio off. She knew Branca was going to give up a home run. And, in 1994, I still didn't have cable.)

So with the Devils playing the Rangers in Yankee Stadium -- albeit the new one -- I really, really wanted to win this game.

My Facebook entries for the day of the game tell the story:

"Half an hour to game time in Da Bronx. Let's go Devils! Beat The Scum!"

"Still early but I like what I'm seeing. Devils taking the game to 'em, not taking any of their crap, converting 2 good chances."

In the 1st 16 minutes and 7 seconds of the game, the Devils had gotten 2 goals from Patrik Eliáš, and 1 from Travis Zajac, against 1 from Dominic Moore. But it would be all Rangers from that point onward. With 3 minutes left in the 1st period, Marc Staal got them within 3-2.

"End of the 1st period. Devils 3, Rangers 2. Acceptable for the moment, but we need more goals, and we need to give Marty more defensive support."

Things fell apart. The 2nd period was a bloodbath. Goaltender Martin Brodeur, 41 years old and nearing the end of the line, was getting no support from the New Jersey defense. The Rangers got 2 goals from Mats Zuccarello, 1 from Carl Hagelin, and 1 from Rick Nash.

Eliáš agreed with me in a postgame interview: "That wasn't on Marty. We gave up way too many odd-man rushes."

My mother (daughter of the grandmother in question) has been known to jinx sports teams. She can turn a lead into a deficit just by walking into a room where a game is being watched on TV. In her junior year of high school, she went to every home football game, and they lost them all; in her senior year, she went to none, and they won all but one of them.

So, I wrote: "Ma, if you're watching this game, TURN IT OFF! You're jinxing us!"

As things got worse, I thought of the opening of the TV show Life On Mars, in which a New York cop gets hit by a car in 2008, and wakes up in 1973; and I thought of the play known as "The Miracle at the Meadowlands":

"My name is Michael Pacholek. I was in an accident, and I woke up in Giants Stadium on November 19, 1978.

If you're a Giants fan, you'll recognize the date. If you're a Devils fan, you'll understand completely."

Derek Stephan scored halfway through the 3rd period. When the carnage was over, the Rangers had won, 7-3:

"I'll have an Uncle Mike's Musings about the Devils Disgrace in Da Bronx later. But now, I'm sick of thinking about it. I'm going to see if I can recover my appetite. But the way this day is going, I'm not counting on whatever I eat tasting good."

Finally: "I wouldn't mind Ranger fans' monumental stupidity if it didn't come with overweening obnoxiousness. The problem is, a lot of them are also Yankee Fans, making them a lot smarter from April through October. But the Rangers have earned little of the arrogance that the Yankees have, and yet they take their Summer team's arrogance and apply it to their Winter team. One title in 74 years... Even the hopeless Mets are on a better pace than that!"

(And, by ever so slightly, so were the Jets, the Knicks, and, if you count the ABA, the Nets.)

And what did I write in my post on the game? Among other things, this:

It would have been bad enough if the Devils had given a good effort and that lot across the Hudson had simply outplayed us. I would have hated it, but I would have understood it. That's sports, you know: Sometimes you don't lose, sometimes the other team just plain beats you.

That was not the case this time.

This was an unacceptable performance.

This was the biggest embarrassment at Yankee Stadium since Kevin Brown and Javier Vazquez made it so easy for the Red Sox to put their cheating to good use on October 20, 2004.

The Devils embarrassed all of us today, from Hoboken to Hackettstown, from High Point to Atlantic City, from Trenton to the Tunnels, from Route 94 to I-195, from Route 29 to the Palisades Parkway.

It was bad enough that it was against The Scum, that lot across the river. But for the last 43 minutes (at which point 3-1 Devils became 3-2 Devils), there was no effort at all.

I also cited the song "Total Eclipse of the Heart," which Jim Steinman had written for Bonnie Tyler: "Once upon a time, there was light in my life. Now, there's only love in the dark."

Three days later, the Islanders were only slightly better, losing to the Rangers, 2-1. Neither the Devils nor the Islanders had played an outdoor game before, and neither has since. The Rangers are 4-0 in such games.

On February 17, 2024, as part of the NHL Stadium Series, MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands, home of the Giants and the Jets, will be home for the Devils as they take on the Philadelphia Flyers. The next day, MetLife will host Rangers vs. Islanders.

Baseball Hall-of-Famers By Team, 2024 Edition

Adrián Beltré, Todd Helton and Joe Mauer have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

They will be inducted on July 28, at the Clark Sports Center outside Cooperstown, New York, along with Veterans' Committee inductee Jim Leyland.

There have been 23,114 men who have played in Major League Baseball, between the 1st season of 1871 and the most recent season of 2023. There are now 239 of them in the Hall, not counting players who were officially elected in categories other than "Players." That's 1.034 percent -- or 1 out of every 96.7. For those of you who believe the Hall has been "watered down," including too many players who should have stayed in "The Hall of Very Good," 1 out of 97 sounds pretty elite to me.

If we limited it to the top 1.00000000 percent, without going over, that would be 231. Which means we'd only have to kick 8 out. And if there comes a year in which nobody is elected, which has happened a few times, chances are, to keep as close to 1.000 percent without going over, we'd probably have to let 1 of those 8 back in.

For the sake of this list, a player is counted as a Hall-of-Famer with the team if he played at least 4 seasons with them. However, there will be the occasional exception. Teams are ranked in order of most HOFers.

If there is a tie, it will be broken by which team has more players, as opposed to those who were elected in other categories. If there is still a tie, then I go to which has more non-broadcasters. If it's still a tie, which has more players whose contributions were mostly with that club. If it's still a tie, which team has played fewer seasons will be ranked ahead -- since, for example, 5 HOFers is more impressive for a team that's been around since 1977 than it would be for one that's been around since 1961.

Teams that no longer exist in that form will be listed in italics, and will be ranked behind current teams with the same number, regardless of composition.

Players are listed in chronological order of when they arrived at the club, then managers, then broadcasters.

1. New York Yankees, 42: It works out to a little over 1 for every Pennant the team has won:

Clark Griffith (the team's 1st manager, elected as a pitcher and he was still a solid pitcher while he was their manager), Willie Keeler, Jack Chesbro, Frank "Home Run" Baker, Waite Hoyt, Herb Pennock, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Earle Combs, Bill Dickey, Red Ruffing, Lefty Gomez, Joe DiMaggio, Joe Gordon, Phil Rizzuto, Yogi Berra, Johnny Mize, Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, Enos Slaughter, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Rich "Goose" Gossage, Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson, Wade Boggs, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Mike Mussina.

Also, managers Miller Huggins, Joe McCarthy, Casey Stengel and Joe Torre; owner Jacob Ruppert; executives Ed Barrow and George Weiss; broadcasters Mel Allen, Red Barber, Joe Garagiola, Jerry Coleman (played for the Yankees but elected as a broadcaster, first for the Yankees, then for the Padres) and Tony Kubek (played for the Yankees but elected as a broadcaster).

Bucky Harris managed the Yankees to the 1947 World Championship, but was only their manager for 2 seasons (1947 & '48), so I'm not counting him with the Yankees. In this case, according to the rule I set, I have to count Rickey Henderson as a Yankee. If Lou Piniella is ever elected as a manager, I wouldn't be able to count him as a Yankee HOFer, since he wouldn't be elected as a player, and only managed them for 3 seasons, none of them a title season.

Rizzuto was also a longtime broadcaster. Lee MacPhail was elected for what he did as American League President, not as Yankee general manager. Bernie Williams and Paul O'Neill have dropped off the writers' ballot. They, like Don Mattingly, will, in a few years, become eligible once again, through the Veterans' Committee -- but in all 3 cases, let's not kid ourselves.

And then there's Roger Clemens: Even if he does get in, would you want to count him as a Yankee? George Steinbrenner, being dead, is now eligible through the Veterans' Committee.

Tim Raines was a Yankee for only 3 years, although 2 of them were title seasons. Iván Rodríguez was a Yankee for about 3 minutes. So neither of them can be included here.

Álex Rodríguez and Andy Pettitte are eligible. But because they are Yankees linked to PEDs, they will not get in. The Yankee Doodle Double Standard remains in effect.

2. St. Louis Cardinals, 34: Charlie Comiskey (played for them before managing and owning teams elsewhere), Jake Beckley, Roger Bresnahan, Rogers Hornsby (won a World Series as their player-manager), Jesse Haines, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Jim Bottomley, Charles "Chick" Hafey, Burleigh Grimes, Frankie Frisch (elected as a player, won a World Series as their player-manager), Dizzy Dean, Joe Medwick, Johnny Mize, Enos Slaughter, Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst (elected as player, also managed them to a title), Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Orlando Cepeda, Steve Carlton (7 seasons), Jim Kaat, Ted Simmons, Bruce Sutter, Ozzie Smith, Lee Smith (4 seasons, so he qualifies here), Scott Rolen.

Also, Miller Huggins (manager, also played several years for the Cards), Billy Southworth (manager, also played for them), Whitey Herzog (manager-executive), Tony LaRussa (manager), Branch Rickey (executive), Harry Caray (broadcaster), Jack Buck (broadcaster), Joe Garagiola (broadcaster).

Jesse Burkett won a batting title with the Cards, but only played 3 seasons with them, so he just misses qualifying. On the other hand, Cepeda didn't even play 3 full seasons with the Cards, but his tenure included the 1967 title and the 1968 Pennant, and he, as much as Gibson, was a symbol of that team, and he may be better remembered as a Cardinal than as a Giants, so I'm bending the rule for him. Leo Durocher was a good player for the Cards, but was elected as a manager and never managed them, so he doesn't qualify here.

Larry Walker was only a Cardinal for a year and a half, so, although that time did include the only Pennant he ever won (2004), he doesn't count for the Cards. Mark McGwire and Jim Edmonds did not qualify on enough ballots, and won't be eligible again until they qualify under the Veterans Committee. Surprisingly, longtime owner Gussie Busch has never been elected.

3. Chicago Cubs, 28: Adrian "Cap" Anson, Mike "King" Kelly, Clark Griffith (elected as a pitcher for them, later a manager and owner elsewhere), Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, Frank Chance (elected as a player but should have been elected as a manager instead), Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Hazen "Kiki" Cuyler, Lewis "Hack" Wilson, Charles "Gabby" Hartnett (also managed them to a Pennant), Rogers Hornsby, Billy Herman, Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ron Santo, Ferguson Jenkins, Bruce Sutter, Ryne Sandberg, Lee Smith, Andre Dawson, Greg Maddux (spent enough time with them).

Also, Al Spalding (elected as an executive but was also a great pitcher), Frank Selee (manager), Joe McCarthy (manager, managed them to a Pennant before going to the Yankees), Leo Durocher (manager), Jack Brickhouse (broadcaster), Harry Caray (broadcaster).

Sammy Sosa is eligible, but he's not getting in. If Lou Piniella is elected as a manager, I'll have to count him as a Cub HOFer, since he managed them for 4 seasons.

Lou Boudreau was a beloved broadcaster for the Cubs after his playing and managing career, but never played or managed for them, and so I can't count him as a Cub HOFer. Santo was also a longtime broadcaster. Surprisingly, longtime owner Phillip K. Wrigley is not in.

4. Chicago White Sox, 26: Ed Walsh, George Davis, Eddie Collins, Ray Schalk, Red Faber, Ted Lyons, Luke Appling, Minnie Miñoso, Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio, Early Wynn, Hoyt Wilhelm, Goose Gossage (5 years with them), Carlton Fisk, Harold Baines, Frank Thomas, Tim Raines, Jim Thome, Al Lopez (manager), Tony LaRussa (manager), Charlie Comiskey (owner), Bill Veeck (owner), Jack Brickhouse (broadcaster), Bob Elson (broadcaster), Harry Caray (broadcaster), Ken Harrelson (broadcaster).

Although Clark Griffith pitched for them in their 1st 2 seasons and won the 1st American League Pennant as their manager, those 2 seasons are not enough to qualify with the White Sox. Although Tom Seaver notched his 300th victory with the Pale Hose, he pitched for them in just 3 seasons, and can't be counted as one of their HOFers.

Thome was a White Sock for less than 4 full seasons, but did play for them in 4 seasons, so he counts with them.

New York Giants, 26: Roger Connor, Buck Ewing, Tim Keefe, Mickey Welch, John Montgomery Ward, Roger Bresnahan, Christy Mathewson, Joe McGinnity, George Davis, Richard "Rube" Marquard, Dave Bancroft, Ross Youngs, Frankie Frisch, George "Highpockets" Kelly, Fred Lindstrom, Travis Jackson, Bill Terry, Mel Ott, Carl Hubbell, Johnny Mize, Monte Irvin, Willie Mays, Hoyt Wilhelm.

Also, John McGraw (manager, also played for them), Leo Durocher (manager), Russ Hodges (broadcaster).

Casey Stengel played for the Giants, but was elected as a manager, so I can't count him as a Giant HOFer.  

Counting all figures who played or managed at least one game for the Giants, in New York and San Francisco, they have 76, more than any other team; however, many of those were with the club only briefly. But even by my definitions, they are ahead of the arch-rival Dodgers.

5. Boston Red Sox, 24: Jimmy Collins (elected as a player but also managed them to the 1st World Series title in 1903), Cy Young, Tris Speaker, Harry Hooper, Babe Ruth (6 seasons with Sox before going to Yanks), Herb Pennock (7 seasons before Yanks), Red Ruffing (also 7 seasons before Yanks), Joe Cronin (elected as a player, but also managed them to the 1946 Pennant, though unlike Collins had already retired as a player; was also longtime AL President), Rick Ferrell, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Bobby Doerr, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Dennis Eckersley, Wade Boggs, Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz.

Also, Dick Williams (manager, no relation to Ted), Tom Yawkey (owner), Curt Gowdy (broadcaster), and Ken Harrelson (broadcaster). "Hawk" only played 2 seasons for Boston, though 1 was the 1967 "Impossible Dream" Pennant season; but he broadcast for them for 7 years, so he counts here.

I am bending the rule slightly for Dick Williams, who only managed 3 seasons for the Red Sox, but 1 of them, 1967, was the most important season in the club's modern history. Luis Aparicio played 3 seasons for the Red Sox, so by my rule he is not eligible to be counted with them. Eckersley, however, played 7 seasons with them, so I have to count him with them, and with their living HOFers for as long as he lives.

It was long suspected that owner Jean Yawkey would become the 1st woman elected to the Hall of Fame, but Effa Manley, who owned the Negro Leagues' Newark Eagles, is in, while Mrs. Yawkey is still out.

Manny Ramirez (500 Home Run Club but known steroid cheat, and not as popular as Ortiz), Roger Clemens (300 Win and 3,000 Strikeout Clubs but suspected steroid cheat) and Curt Schilling (3,000 Strikeout Club but possible steroid cheat) are eligible, but not yet in.

6. Pittsburgh Pirates, 24: James "Pud" Galvin, Vic Willis, John "Honus" Wagner, Fred Clarke (elected as a player, also won Pennants as their manager), Jack Chesbro, Jake Beckley, Max Carey, Hazen "Kiki" Cuyler, Waite Hoyt (5 seasons with them), Harold "Pie" Traynor (also managed them), Paul Waner, Lloyd Waner ("Big Poison" and "Little Poison," though Lloyd was actually taller), Joseph "Arky" Vaughan, Al Lopez (elected as a manager but was an All-Star catcher for the Pirates), Ralph Kiner, Bill Mazeroski, Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Bert Blyleven.

Also, Bill McKechnie (manager), Jim Leyland (manager), Barney Dreyfuss (owner), Branch Rickey (executive), Bob Prince (broadcaster).

Blyleven was only a Pirate for 3 seasons, but I'm bending the rule because he was a key cog on their last World Championship team in 1979. Barry Bonds is eligible, but while the stance against steroid cheats is softening, he still, for the moment, falls under the category of, "Who's kidding who?"

Boston Braves, 22: Harry Wright (player and manager), George Wright, Al Spalding, Jim "Orator" O'Rourke, James "Deacon" White, Charlie "Old Hoss" Radbourne, Mike "King" Kelly, John Clarkson, Charles "Kid" Nichols, Cy Young, Hugh Duffy, Tommy McCarthy (he and Duffy were known as "the Heavenly Twins"), Billy Hamilton, Vic Willis, Jimmy Collins, Johnny Evers, Walter "Rabbit" Maranville, Dave Bancroft.

Also, Frank Selee (manager), Bill McKechnie (manager, though with no success with the Braves), Casey Stengel (ditto, also played for Braves), Billy Southworth (manager).

Brooklyn Dodgers, 22: Willie Keeler, Joe Kelley, Richard "Rube" Marquard, Zack Wheat, Burleigh Grimes, Charles "Dazzy" Vance, Joseph "Arky" Vaughan, Billy Herman, Joe "Ducky" Medwick, Harold "Pee Wee" Reese, Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson, Edwin "Duke" Snider, Roy Campanella, Ned Hanlon (manager), Wilbert Robinson (manager), Leo Durocher (elected as a manager but was also a good player), Walter Alston (manager), Branch Rickey (owner), Walter O'Malley (owner), Red Barber (broadcaster), Vin Scully (broadcaster).

Casey Stengel played 6 seasons for the Dodgers, and was good, but not Hall of Fame good.  He managed 3 seasons for them; in spite of their poor performance under him, had he managed them for 1 more season, he would still qualify as one of theirs under my rule.  Dick Williams played 5 seasons for them, but was elected as a manager, and never managed the Dodgers. Owner Charles Ebbets is not in.

7. Philadelphia Phillies, 20: Billy Hamilton, Ed Delahanty, Sam Thompson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Eppa Rixey, Dave Bancroft, Chuck Klein, Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, Jim Bunning, Jim Kaat, Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Scott Rolen, Jim Thome, Roy Halladay, Harry Wright (manager), Pat Gillick (executive), By Saam (broadcaster), Harry Kalas (broadcaster).

Thome spent 3 seasons with them, then left, then returned for a 4th, so he counts here. Ashburn was also a longtime broadcaster for the Phils. If Curt Schilling gets in, he can be counted with the Phillies. Pete Rose, of course, is ineligible.

8. Detroit Tigers, 19: Sam Crawford, Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann, Henry "Heinie" Manush, Charlie Gehringer, Goose Goslin, Hank Greenberg (the last 3 nicknamed the "G-Men" in those early days of the FBI), Mickey Cochrane (elected as a player, also managed them to 2 Pennants), Hal Newhouser, George Kell, Al Kaline, Jim Bunning, Jack Morris, Alan Trammell, Iván Rodríguez, Hughie Jennings (manager, also played for the team), Sparky Anderson (manager), Jim Leyland (manager), Ernie Harwell (broadcaster).

With Trammell getting in through the Veterans Committee, Lou Whitaker's chances of also doing so increase. Kaline and Kell were also longtime broadcasters. Longtime owners Frank Navin, Walter Briggs and John Fetzer are not yet in. Former executive Will Harridge is in, but for what he did as President of the AL, so I can't count him as a Tiger HOFer.

9. Cincinnati Reds, 19: Bid McPhee, Jake Beckley, Joe Kelley, Sam Crawford, Edd Roush, Eppa Rixey, Ernie Lombardi, Frank Robinson, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Tom Seaver (6 seasons with Reds), Barry Larkin, Ken Griffey Jr., Scott Rolen (5 seasons), Bill McKechnie (manager), Sparky Anderson (manager), Red Barber (broadcaster), Marty Brennaman (broadcaster).

Pete Rose, of course, is ineligible. John Franco is not yet in, but if he gets in, he pitched enough seasons with the Reds to qualify for this list. If Lou Piniella is elected as a manager, I'll count him as a Reds HOFer: He only managed them for 3 seasons, but 1 was a World Championship season. Miller Huggins played several years for the Reds, but was elected as a Yankee manager.

Longtime owner Powel Crosley and GM Bob Howsam should be in, but they're not. Waite Hoyt broadcast for the Reds, and was beloved in that role, but has not been given the Ford Frick Award, so I can't count him with the Reds.

And while 2 members of the 1st openly professional baseball team, the 1869-70 Cincinnati Red Stockings, are in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Harry and George Wright -- the other Wright Brothers who "invented" something important in American life -- that team was not the same team as the current Reds franchise, which began in the old American Association of 1882 and joined the NL in 1892.

10. Cleveland Guardians, 18: Napoleon "Nap" Lajoie, Elmer Flick, Addie Joss, Tris Speaker (elected as player but also managed them to a title), Stan Coveleski, Joe Sewell, Earl Averill, Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau, Bob Lemon, Larry Doby, Early Wynn, Gaylord Perry, Jim Thome, Al Lopez (manager), Bill Veeck (owner), Jack Graney (broadcaster), Jimmy Dudley (broadcaster).

Barring a major shift in voters' attitudes, Manny Ramirez is probably out of luck. Satchel Paige reached the majors with the Indians, but only pitched 2 seasons for them. So, although I can count him with 3 different Negro League teams on this list, I can't count him with any major league team. Indeed, that fact is the reason I've included the Negro League teams on this list, along with moved and defunct major league teams.

11. Baltimore Orioles, 14: Brooks Robinson, Hoyt Wilhelm, Robin Roberts (4 seasons with O's), Luis Aparicio, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, Roberto Alomar, Harold Baines, Mike Mussina, Earl Weaver (manager), Chuck Thompson (broadcaster), Jon Miller (broadcaster).

Although he won his only World Series with the Orioles, we don't usually associate Aparicio with them, but he did play 5 seasons with them, so, by my own rule, I've got to count him here. Same with Robin Roberts, who played 4 seasons in Baltimore. Rafael Palmeiro is eligible, but he's not getting in.

Frank Cashen should be in as an executive. Dick Williams played enough seasons with the O's to qualify, but was elected as a manager and never managed them, so he doesn't qualify as an O's HOFer.

Philadelphia Athletics, 13: Eddie Plank, Rube Waddell, Frank "Home Run" Baker, Chief Bender, Eddie Collins, Herb Pennock, Al Simmons, Mickey Cochrane, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, George Kell, Connie Mack (owner-manager), By Saam (broadcaster).

13. Los Angeles Dodgers, 12: Gil Hodges, Duke Snider, Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Don Sutton, Mike Piazza, Adrián Beltré, Walter Alston (manager), Tommy Lasorda (manager), Walter O'Malley (owner), Vin Scully (broadcaster), Jamie Jarrin (broadcaster).

Snider played 5 seasons after the move, Hodges 4, so both count in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Steve Garvey is not getting in. Pedro Martinez started out with the Dodgers, but only played 2 seasons for them.

13. Atlanta Braves, 11: Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones, Fred McGriff, Bobby Cox (manager), Joe Torre (managed them in between Cox's 2 tenures there, also a player), John Schuerholz (general manager), Milo Hamilton (broadcaster).

Andruw Jones will be listed with them if he is elected. Don Sutton broadcast for the Braves, but can't be counted among their HOFers. Former owners Bill Bartholomay and Ted Turner are not in, nor do I ever expect them to be elected, but maybe they should be.

14. New York Mets, 11: Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Gary Carter, Mike Piazza, Tom Glavine (5 seasons), Pedro Martinez (4 seasons), Casey Stengel (manager, 4 seasons), Joe Torre (manager), Lindsey Nelson (broadcaster), Bob Murphy (broadcaster), Tim McCarver (broadcaster). So that's 3 broadcasters, 2 managers, and 6 players.

Still, you didn't realize the Mets had so many, did you? And that's without counting Ralph Kiner, who was elected as a Pirates' player, not as a Mets' broadcaster. Nor can you count Richie Ashburn, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn or Willie Mays. And, based on what they did while they were Mets, why would you want to count Eddie Murray, Rickey Henderson or Roberto Alomar?

Ryan did appear for the Mets in at least 1 game for 5 different seasons, including the 1969 World Championship season. So I have to count him here.

I had previously counted Yogi Berra, but while he managed them for 4 seasons, including winning a Pennant, he was elected to the Hall as a player, not as a manager, and so I can't count him as a Met HOFer. Nor can we count Gil Hodges: Though he did manage the team for 4 seasons, including their 1st World Series win, he was elected as a player, not a manager, and his playing for them was a painful end to his career.

As for Torre: Yes, he managed in 4 seasons for them. They were awful then, and there wasn't much he could do about it, but he counts as a Met Hall-of-Famer. Although I notice that, unlike Yogi and Willie, he wasn't invited to the farewell ceremony at Shea Stadium in 2008.

Frank Cashen should be in as an executive. If John Franco is ever elected, you can count him.

Washington Senators, 11: Walter Johnson, Stanley "Bucky" Harris (elected as a manager but was also a great player), Sam Rice, Henry "Heinie" Manush, Leon "Goose" Goslin, Joe Cronin (elected as a player but also managed them to a Pennant), Rick Ferrell, Early Wynn, Clark Griffith (owner), Arch McDonald (broadcaster), Bob Wolff (broadcaster).

No, you can't count Ted Williams as a manager.

15. San Diego Padres, 9: Dave Winfield, Ozzie Smith, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman, Dick Williams (manager), Jerry Coleman (broadcaster), Dick Enberg (broadcaster).

Yes, the Wizard and the Goose each played 4 seasons in Mission Valley. Considering how many they have in a comparatively short history, you shouldn't also count Willie McCovey, Gaylord Perry or Roberto Alomar. Longtime owner Ray Kroc, who saved the team from being moved to Washington in 1974, is not in. Steve Garvey, who is not my Padre, is not getting in.

16. Oakland Athletics, 9: Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Rickey Henderson, Dennis Eckersley, Dick Williams (manager), Tony LaRussa (manager), Lon Simmons (broadcaster), Bill King (broadcaster).

Mark McGwire is eligible, but he's not getting in. Owner Charlie Finley is eligible, but I don't think he'll ever get in, either. I am bending the rule slightly for Williams, who only managed 3 seasons for the A's, but got them into the postseason in all 3, including 2 World Championships.

Kansas City Monarchs (Negro Leagues), 9: Jose Mendez, Leroy "Satchel" Paige, James "Cool Papa" Bell, Wilber "Bullet" Rogan, Norman "Turkey" Stearnes, Andy Cooper (also manager), Hilton Smith, John "Buck" O'Neil (also manager), J.L. Wilkinson (owner).

Bell played 3 seasons for them, but because Negro League players bounced around as much as international soccer players do, and also like club soccer there were often loan deals involved, I'll bend my 4-season rule. 

Jackie Robinson played his first season in professional baseball, 1945, with the Monarchs. They were also the first pro team of Ernie Banks. But neither was elected on the basis of anything he did in Kansas City.

17. Minnesota Twins, 8: Harmon Killebrew, Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva, Rod Carew, Bert Blyleven, Kirby Puckett, Joe Mauer, Herb Carneal (broadcaster).

Tom Kelly could be elected as a manager. No, you can't count Dave Winfield, Paul Molitor or Jack Morris: Although hometown heroes, none played 4 seasons with the Twins. Jim Thome played only 2 seasons with them. Founder Calvin Griffith is not in, nor should he be.

Montreal Expos, 8: Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Larry Walker, Pedro Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero, Dick Williams (manager), Dave Van Horne (broadcaster). Duke Snider cannot be counted for the Expos, although he broadcast for them. He also played in Montreal for the Dodgers' farm team, the Montreal Royals, as did Tommy Lasorda.

Chicago American Giants (Negro Leagues), 8: Andrew "Rube" Foster (also manager and owner), Bill Foster (a.k.a. Willie Foster, Rube's brother), Cristobal Torriente, Pete Hill, George "Mule" Suttles, John Henry "Pop" Lloyd, Norman "Turkey" Stearnes, Willie Wells.

18. San Francisco Giants, 7: Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, Lon Simmons (broadcaster), Jon Miller (broadcaster).

Barry Bonds is eligible, and his rising percentages suggest that he might get in despite his known cheating. And I'm surprised that longtime owner Horace Stoneham isn't in, and that neither is his son-in-law, Charles "Chub" Feeney, a Giant executive who became President of the NL.

19. Houston Astros, 7: Joe Morgan, Nolan Ryan, Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Gene Elston (broadcaster), Milo Hamilton (broadcaster), Harry Kalas (broadcast 6 seasons for them before joining the Phillies' broadcast team).

Roger Clemens is eligible, but only played 3 seasons with the Astros, and, even with his legal exoneration, it's not clear that he will ever get in.

Homestead Grays (Negro Leagues), 7: Cumberland "Cum" Posey (pitcher, then manager, then owner), Smokey Joe Williams, Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, James "Cool Papa" Bell, Jud Wilson, Ray Brown.

Oscar Charleston and Judy Johnson each played 2 seasons for them, but I'm not willing to bend the rules THAT much. Gibson was known as the Black Babe Ruth, Leonard as the Black Lou Gehrig, and together they were known as the Thunder Twins or the Dynamite Twins. Williams was sometimes known as Cyclone Joe, sometimes as Smokey Joe (but never as Smokin' Joe, like boxer Frazier).

As for Posey, "Cum" was short for "Cumberland," and it is possible that, like James "Pud" Galvin, his nickname was not considered sexually explicit in his time. As an athlete, he was probably better in football, and Wendell Smith, the leading black sportswriter of the between-the-wars years and a winner of the Hall's Taylor Spink Award for media work, called him "the smartest man in Negro baseball and certainly the most successful."

Newark Eagles (Negro Leagues), 7: George "Mule" Suttles, Ray Dandridge, Leon Day, James "Biz" Mackey (also manager), Monte Irvin, Larry Doby, Effa Manley (owner, the only woman in the Baseball Hall of Fame). Don Newcombe also played for the Eagles, and if his service there is counted, I believe that it makes him worthy of election to the Hall, but he hasn't been elected.

20. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 6: Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson, Bert Blyleven, Vladimir Guerrero, Dick Enberg (broadcaster). Jim Edmonds will have to wait for the Veterans Committee. Founder-owner Gene Autry is not in, but should be. All but Guerrero played for them under the "California Angels" name.

21. Texas Rangers, 6: Ferguson Jenkins, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan, Iván Rodríguez, Adrián Beltré, Eric Nadel (broadcaster). Bert Blyleven pitched just 2 seasons for them. Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez are eligible, but who's kidding who? No, you can't count Ted Williams as a manager. And I sure hope former owner George W. Bush is never elected; but, since the team won nothing while he was in control, that seems safe.

22. Milwaukee Brewers, 6: Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Rollie Fingers, Ted Simmons, Bud Selig (owner), Bob Uecker (broadcaster). No, you can't count Hank Aaron, because, while he played 14 seasons in Milwaukee, only 2 of those were for the Brewers.

23. Toronto Blue Jays, 6: Fred McGriff, Roberto Alomar, Roy Halladay, Pat Gillick (executive), Tom Cheek (broadcaster), Tony Kubek (broadcaster). No, you can't count Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson, Paul Molitor or Frank Thomas. Or Roger Clemens, if he ever gets in.

Baltimore Orioles, AA & NL 1882-1899, 6: John McGraw, Wilbert Robinson, Hughie Jennings, Willie Keeler, Joe Kelley, Ned Hanlon (manager).

While McGraw, Robinson and Jennings were all elected as managers, all could have been elected on the basis of their playing for the old Orioles. Indeed, to this day, McGraw has the highest lifetime batting average of any 3rd baseman, .334. Dan Brouthers played 2 seasons with them, the 1894 and '95 Pennant seasons, but can't be counted with them.

St. Louis Browns, 6: Bobby Wallace, George Sisler, Rogers Hornsby (also managed them), Rick Ferrell, Branch Rickey (executive), Bill Veeck (owner).

Rube Waddell, Goose Goslin, Heinie Manush and Satchel Paige just miss, each having played 3 seasons for the Browns. That was also the length of time that Veeck owned the team, but since he (and his one-at-bat midget Eddie Gaedel) are now the people most identified with this team, I'm bending the rule for him.

Pittsburgh Crawfords (Negro Leagues), 5: Oscar Charleston, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, James "Cool Papa" Bell, WIlliam "Judy" Johnson.

24. Seattle Mariners, 5: Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr., Adrián Beltré, Pat Gillick (executive). If Lou Piniella is elected as a manager, I'll have to count him as a Mariner HOFer.

25. Kansas City Royals, 4: George Brett, Whitey Herzog (manager), John Schuerholz (executive), Denny Matthews (broadcaster). Founder-owner Ewing Kauffman, surprisingly, is not in.

Milwaukee Braves, 4: Warren Spahn, Eddie Matthews, Hank Aaron, Red Schoendienst. Joe Torre began his playing career with them, but can't be counted here.

Buffalo Bisons (NL 1879-1885), 4: Dan Brouthers, Jim "Orator" O'Rourke, James "Deacon" White, James "Pud" Galvin.

Cuban Giants (Negro Leagues, based in New York), 4: Frank Grant, Sol White, Pete Hill, Bud Fowler. Unlike the later Cuban Stars and New York Cubans, both also based in New York, this 1880s-90s team had no Cubans: They were called "Cuban" so their all-black roster would be better accepted. Grant has been called the best black player of the 19th Century.

Lincoln Giants/Brooklyn Royal Giants (Negro Leagues), 3: Louis Santop, Smokey Joe Williams, John Henry "Pop" Lloyd. Imagine that, a Brooklyn team called the Giants. What the heck, from 1944 to 1948, the NFL had a Boston Yanks (defunct); and, in the 1961-62 season, the NBA had a Chicago team called the Packers (today's Washington Wizards).

Detroit Stars (Negro Leagues), 3: Pete Hill, Andy Cooper, Norman "Turkey" Stearnes. Stearnes now has a statue at Comerica Park, alongside several Tiger greats.

Indianapolis ABCs (Negro Leagues), 3: Oscar Charleston, Ben Taylor, James "Biz" Mackey (also managed them). A later team, the Indianapolis Clowns, was the first professional team of Hank Aaron.

Philadelphia Giants (Negro Leagues), 3: Sol White, Pete Hill, John Henry "Pop" Lloyd.

Philadelphila Hilldale (Negro Leagues), 3: Martin DiHigo, James "Biz" Mackey (also managed them), William "Judy" Johnson.

St. Louis Stars (Negro Leagues), 3: George "Mule" Suttles, James "Cool Papa" Bell, Willie Wells.

Cuban Stars (Negro Leagues, based in New York), 3: Jose Mendez, Martin Dihigo, Alex Pompez (owner).

26. Miami Marlins, 3: Jim Leyland (manager), Felo Ramirez and Dave Van Horne (both broadcasters). I'm really bending a rule for Leyland, as he only managed the Marlins for 2 years, but 1 was their 1st Pennant and World Series win. Iván Rodríguez was only a Marlin for 1 season, although it was a World Championship season. If Gary Sheffield gets in, he can be counted as a Marlin, but I don't think he's getting in.

No, you can't count Miami native Andre Dawson, although he did close his career with the club and is now working in their front office. So is Tony Perez, who briefly managed the team, but you can't count him, either.

27. Colorado Rockies, 2: Larry Walker, Todd Helton.

Baltimore Black Sox (Negro Leagues), 2: Jud Wilson, Ben Taylor. This team is not to be confused with the Elite Giants.

Washington/Baltimore Elite Giants (Negro Leagues), 2: James "Biz" Mackey (also manager), Roy Campanella. And that's pronounced EE-light, not the usual Eh-LEET.

Birmingham Black Barons (Negro Leagues), 2: George "Mule" Suttles, Satchel Paige. Willie Mays played his first professional season, 1948, for the Black Barons, but only that 1 season, so he can't be counted here.

Kansas City Stars (Negro Leagues), 2: James "Cool Papa" Bell, Willard Brown.

New York Cubans (Negro Leagues), 2: Martin DiHigo, Alex Pompez. Although DiHigo and Pompez were also involved with the Cuban Stars, and that team was also based in New York, it was not the same team as the New York Cubans. Like several of the Negro League owners, Pompez got some funding from the black organized crime bosses of the era, and eventually turned state's evidence to avoid prison. He later worked as an unofficial scout for the New York/San Francisco Giants, helping to sign Hispanic stars like Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, and the Alou brothers.

Philadelphia Stars (Negro Leagues), 2: James "Biz" Mackey (also manager), Jud Wilson.

Providence Grays (NL 1878-1885), 2: John Montgomery Ward, Charlie "Old Hoss" Radbourn. Their 1879 Pennant was managed by original 1869 Cincinnati Red Stocking George Wright, but he only played with them for 2 seasons.

Cleveland Spiders (NL, 1887-1899), 2: Cy Young and Jesse Burkett.

Detroit Wolverines (NL, 1881-1888), 2: Sam Thompson, Ned Hanlon (elected as a manager but played 8 seasons for them). Dan Brouthers and Deacon White played 3 seasons for them.

28. Arizona Diamondbacks, 1: Randy Johnson. If Curt Schilling gets in, he can be counted with them.

29. Tampa Bay Rays, 1: Fred McGriff. With his election, every current MLB team now has at least 1 legitimate Hall-of-Famer.

30. Washington Nationals, 1: Frank Robinson, their 1st manager, was already in the Hall long before MLB returned to D.C., but he did manage for them for 5 years, 1 more than my rules require. But you can't count the HOFers from this franchise's previous incarnation, the Montreal Expos. So of the 30 current teams, they're the last team without a legitimate Hall of Fame player.

Bacharach Giants (Negro Leagues), 1: John Henry "Pop" Lloyd.  This team played its home games in Atlantic City, and were named for Harry Bacharach, who was that city's Mayor on and off from 1912 to 1935. He was played by John Rue on the TV series "Boardwalk Empire." Lloyd stayed in Atlantic City after he retired, died there, and a youth baseball facility there is named for him.

Harrisburg Giants (Negro Leagues), 1: Oscar Charleston.

San Antonio Black Bronchos (Negro Leagues, pronounced like Broncos), 1: Smokey Joe Williams. 

Kansas City Athletics, none: No player in the Hall of Fame was with the A's in their K.C. tenure for at least 4 seasons. Ken Harrelson played 5 seasons for them, but he was elected as a broadcaster, not a player, so he doesn't count as one of their Hall-of-Famers.