October 28, 1995: The South Rises In the World Series

October 28, 1995, 30 years ago: The Atlanta Braves win Game 6 of the World Series, beating the Cleveland Indians, 1-0‚ on a combined 1-hitter by Tom Glavine and Mark Wohlers.

David Justice's 6th-inning home run accounts for the game's only run. Having noticed that Cleveland's Jacobs Field (renamed Progressive Field in 2007) seemed a lot louder in Games 3, 4 and 5 than Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium had in Games 1 and 2, Justice called on the Braves' fans to be louder for Game 6. They were, especially when he hit his homer.

Catcher Tony Peña's leadoff single in the 6th was Cleveland's only hit. The Indians, who won 100 games in the strike-shortened 144-game season, and won their 1st American League Pennant in 41 years, led the majors in homers and runs scored. But in this Series, they batted just .179‚ the lowest average for a 6-games series since 1911.

This was the 1st time that two of the "Big Four" sports' titles were held by Southern teams. The Houston Rockets had won the NBA title in June.

In winning‚ the Braves become the 1st team to win World Championships representing 3 different cities: Boston in 1914‚ Milwaukee in 1957‚ and Atlanta in 1995. It was their 30th season in Atlanta, and despite having had such talents as Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro and Dale Murphy, they mostly struggled through their 1st 25 years, winning Division titles in 1969 and 1982.

They won the National League Pennant in 1991 and 1992, but lost the World Series both times. They lost the NL Championship Series in 1993, and the 1994 season was cut short by a strike. In 1995, they won it all, led by their pitching "Big Three": Glavine went 16-7, Greg Maddux went 19-2, and John Smoltz went 16-7. Justice, Fred McGriff, Chipper Jones, Ryan Klesko and Javy López led the attack. And so, the Braves became the 1st team from a former Confederate State to win a World Series.

How key for the Braves was Justice? The following season, the Braves won the Pennant again, but he was injured for the World Series, and they lost it to the New York Yankees. Foolishly, the Braves let him go, to the Indians, and he helped them win the Pennant in 1997. He later helped the Yankees win the AL Pennant in 2000 (winning the World Series) and 2001 (losing it). Although he fell short of career stats for the Baseball Hall of Fame -- 1,571 hits, 305 of them home rums -- he was one of the top clutch performers of his era.

Atlanta's Top 10 Athletes

Larry Wayne Jones Jr. and Henry Louis Aaron

This week, the Mets are in Atlanta to play the Braves.

Atlanta's Top 10 Athletes

No Atlanta Flames players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Bernie Geoffrion was a Hall of Fame player in Montreal before becoming an Atlanta coach and executive, but nothing he did in Atlanta is part of his qualifications. The only Atlanta Thrashers in the Hall are Mark Recchi and Chris Chelios, and, between them, they played 60 games for the team. (To put it another way: Chelios played the last 7 games of his career for the Thrashers, out of 1,651, or 0.4 percent of his games.)

Honorable Mention to Atlanta Braves in the Baseball Hall of Fame, but not otherwise making this Top 10: Joe Torre (very good player but elected as a manager) and Bruce Sutter (better known for other teams).

Honorable Mention to Atlanta Hawks in the Basketball Hall of Fame, who didn't otherwise make the Top 10: Walt Bellamy (only 4 seasons), Moses Malone (3) and Dikembe Mutombo (5). All 3 of those guys are better known for playing for other teams.

Morten Andersen played 8 seasons in Atlanta, and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he was a kicker, and he's better remembered as a member of the Falcons' arch-rivals, the New Orleans Saints.

10 Pete Maravich, guard, Atlanta Hawks, 1970-74. He wasn't a man amongst boys as he was in college, but he was still pretty good in the NBA in the Seventies, first in Atlanta and then in New Orleans, before injuries caught up with him. The Hawks retired his Number 44, and he was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame and the NBA's 50th Anniversary 50 Greatest Players.

9. Deion Sanders, cornerback, Atlanta Falcons, 1989-93. Had he spent his entire career in Atlanta, he would be seriously challenging Hank Aaron for the title of Atlanta's greatest athlete, because Hank didn't spend his entire career in Atlanta, either.

Deion is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Falcons' Ring of Honor, but does not have his Number 21 retired. In 1999, while he was still active, The Sporting News ranked him 37th on their list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. In 2010, the NFL Network promoted him to 34th on their list of the 100 Greatest Players.

8. Claude Humphrey, defensive end, Atlanta Falcons, 1968-78. He made 6 Pro Bowls for the Falcons' Grits Blitz defense, then went to the Eagles and helped them reach Super Bowl XV. He's been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Falcons' Ring of Honor.

7. Dominique Wilkins, forward, Atlanta Hawks, 1982-94. Take away Michael Jordan's Nike contract and Scottie Pippen, and what have you got? A dunk artist who never got close to an NBA title. In other words, you've got 'Nique. Nevertheless, he is the greatest contributor to the Hawks in the half-century-plus since Bob Pettit retired (in St. Louis), and his Number 21 is retired. Though that saying about a road being named "The Dominique Wilkins Highway" is just a joke, so people can say that no passing is allowed.

6. Chipper Jones, 3rd base, Atlanta Braves, 1993-2012. A 141 OPS+, 468 home runs thus far, 549 doubles, 2,726 hits, 8 All-Star berths, the 1999 NL MVP, and 12 postseason appearances... but only 1 ring.

Still, if any player is the symbol of the Braves' "dynasty," it's Larry Wayne Jones Jr., not any of their great pitcher. The Braves have retired his Number 10, and he's in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

5. John Smoltz, pitcher, Atlanta Braves, 1988-2008. He may have been the Number 3 pitcher behind Maddux and Glavine for years and years, but he shouldn't take a back seat to anyone. From the ages of 22 to 32, he was one of the best starters in baseball, topping out at 24-8 – winning 29 games counting the All-Star Game and the postseason, most since Denny McLain's 32 in 1968 – with 276 strikeouts in 1996, winning the NL Cy Young Award.

At 33, an injury kept him out all season. From 34 to 37, he was one of the game's best relievers, setting the NL record which still stands with 55 saves in 2002. At 38, 39 and 40, he was again one of baseball's top relievers, going 16-9 in 2006 – though it says something about the way the game has changed that his 16 wins were enough to lead the NL that season.

He was an 8-time All-Star. He won 213 games (losing just 155) and saving 154 others. His career ERA+ is 125, his WHIP 1.176. He is a member of the 3,000 Strikeout Club. And he reached the postseason 14 times (13 with the Atlanta Braves, not counting 2000 when he was hurt all season, and the last with the Cardinals), and his 15 postseason wins are 2nd all-time to Andy Pettitte, against just 4 losses.

However, he has only one World Championship, with the '95 Braves. Don’t blame him, however. In 1991 he pitched 9 shutout innings in Game 7 before the bullpen lost to the Twins. And 2 of those losses were in the World Series to the Yankees, to Pettitte in Game 5 in '96 and Roger Clemens in Game 4 in '99.

The Braves have retired his Number 29. He has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. And a friend of his named Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, who knows something about playing golf in the State of Georgia, says that he was the best golfer in baseball.

4. Phil Niekro, pitcher, Atlanta Braves, 1966-83, with a 1-game return in 1987. The last active player for the Milwaukee Braves, he was the master of the knuckleball, and a member of the 300 Win and 3,000 Strikeout Clubs. With his brother Joe, he formed the winningest brother combination ever. Hall of Fame, Number 35 retired, statue outside Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium moved to Turner Field and SunTrust Park.

3. Tom Glavine, pitcher, Atlanta Braves, 1987-2002, with a brief return in 2008. A 10-time All-Star, he led the National League in wins 5 times. He won the NL Cy Young Award in 1991 and 1998. He helped the Braves reach the postseason 12 times. He won Pennants with the Braves in 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996 and 1998. When they won their only World Series in Atlanta in 1995, he was named the Most Valuable Player.

Met fans will remember his horrendous season finale in 2007 more than how he contributed to their near-Pennant in 2006. Greg Prince, of the blog Faith and Fear In Flushing, named him "The Manchurian Brave" -- as if the Braves, rather than the Phillies (or the Yankees) were the Mets' true rivals. But he won 305 games, with 2,607 strikeouts. The Braves retired his Number 47, and he has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

2. Greg Maddux, pitcher, Atlanta Braves, 1993-2003. I considered putting him at Number 1, but he didn't spend his entire career in Atlanta, either. An 8-time All-Star, he won 4 straight National League Cy Young Awards, from 1992 to 1995. He won more Gold Gloves for fielding excellence than any other player, 18, from 1990 to 2008 wnning every year but 2003.

He reached the postseason with the Chicago Cubs in 1989, with the Atlanta Braves in 1993 and then every season from 1995 to 2003, and in his last season, 2008, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He won Pennants with the Braves in 1995, 1996 and 1999, including winning the 1995 World Series.

Despite not having a great fastball, he used an array of breaking pitches to strike out 3,371 batters, and build a record of 355-227, making him the winningest living pitcher. Both the Cubs and the Braves retired his Number 31, and he was easily elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his 1st year of eligibility.

1. Hank Aaron, right field, Atlanta Braves, 1966-74. He only spent 9 seasons in Atlanta, but he is still an easy choice. He was a legitimate All-Star in all of those seasons. Of his 3,771 career hits, 1,334 came in Atlanta. Of his 755 career home runs, 335 came in Atlanta, including his 500th, 600th, 700th and 715th.

The Braves retired his Number 44, dedicated a statue of him that is now outside a 3rd separate ballpark, and the addresses of their last 2 ballparks refer to his home run total: Turner Field was at 755 Hank Aaron Way, and SunTrust Park is at 755 Battery Avenue Southeast.

He and Babe Ruth are the only individual players to have an exhibit all to themselves at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, to which he was elected in his 1st year of eligibility. He came in 5th on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was easily elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. In 2002, George W. Bush awarded him the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Top 10 Athletes From Nevada

October 31, 1864: Nevada is admitted to the Union as the 36th State. Its vast silver deposits are meant to help the North's cause in the Civil War, although it turns out not to be necessary. Because of its timing, the State calls itself "Battle Born," and the motto even appears on its State Flag.

Top 10 Athletes from Nevada

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. is often said to be from Las Vegas, and he does live there, but he grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and that, alone, is enough to render him ineligible for this list. I'm scheduled to do this for Michigan on January 26, 2018, so it is then that I will have to consider him.

Baseball pitcher Barry Zito was born in Las Vegas, but grew up in San Diego, so he's ineligible here.

Patty Sheehan of Wooster would have made this list, if I considered golf a sport. But I don't. Sports Illustrated does, and she was named as 1 of 8 "Athletes Who Care" who were their Sportspeople of the Year for 1987.

Dishonorable Mention to Matt Williams of Carson City. He hit 378 home runs, and is the only man to hit home runs in World Series play for 3 different teams: The 1989 San Francisco Giants, the 1997 Cleveland Indians, and, finally winning one, the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks.

In 2007, he was outed as a steroid user. He said he used HGH (human growth hormone) to rehab from an injury. Even if that's true, A, he wasn't the only 2001 Diamondback to use steroids, so their title is still tainted; and B, if that excuse isn't good enough for Andy Pettitte, then it's not good enough for Matt Williams. It didn't stop him from managing the Washington Nationals for 2 seasons, including the 2014 National League Eastern Division title. It has, however, stopped him from serious consideration for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Dishonorable Mention to Doug Mirabelli of the Las Vegas suburb of Winchester. He won 2 tainted World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2004 and 2007. His entire team was named Sports Illustrated's Sportspeople of the Year in 2004.

10. David Humm of Las Vegas. He quarterbacked the University of Nebraska to the Big 8 Championship as a sophomore in 1972, but was unable to get them past Oklahoma the next 2 years. He is the only quarterback ever to have started and won the Orange Bowl (beating Notre Dame in 1973), the Cotton Bowl (beating Texas in 1974) and the Sugar Bowl (beating Florida in 1975).

His pro career was a bit mixed, as he was a career backup. He was Ken Stabler's backup on the Oakland Raiders team that won Super Bowl XI. He was Joe Ferguson's backup on the 1980 AFC East Champion Buffalo Bills. He backed up the scandal-ridden Art Schlichter on the 1982 Baltimore Colts, winless at 0-8-1 in that strike-shortened season.

Then he returned to the Raiders, by then in Los Angeles, and backed up Jim Plunkett on their team that won Super Bowl XVIII -- meaning he was there for their 1st and 3rd Super Bowl wins, but not their 2nd, XV. Talk about going from the penthouse to the outhouse, and from the outhouse to the penthouse: He did both!

Humm is easily the most accomplished college football player to have come from Nevada. The State has never produced a Heisman Trophy winner.

9. Shawn Estes of Minden. An All-Star in 1997, he appeared in the postseason for the 1997 and 2000 San Francisco Giants, and the 2003 Chicago Cubs, but never appeared in a World Series. His career record was 101-93.

Met fans will remember him for attempting to bean Roger Clemens in a 2002 Interleague game with the Yankees in Shea Stadium, even though he wasn't there during the 2000 World Series incident with Mike Piazza. Indeed, Estes pitched against the Mets in that year's National League Division Series. He tried to throw a ball at Clemens' large posterior... and missed. And then gave up an RBI double to Clemens! But won the game anyway.

8. Kris Bryant of Las Vegas. Just 25, he already has a .288 lifetime batting average, 94 home runs, the 2015 National League Rookie of the Year award, the 2016 NL Most Valuable Player award, and a 2016 World Series ring with the Chicago Cubs.

7. Greg Anthony of North Las Vegas. A National Champion at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV), the school retired his Number 50. The guard went on to play 11 seasons in the NBA, reaching the Finals with the 1994 Knicks. He was an original member of the Vancouver (now Memphis) Grizzlies in 1995, and got the Portland Trail Blazers to within 1 game of the NBA Finals in 2000.

6. Lionel Hollins of North Las Vegas. A member of the 1977 NBA Champion Portland Trail Blazers, he was an All-Star in 1978. The Blazers have retired his Number 14. He has since coached the Memphis Grizzlies and the Brooklyn Nets.

5. Bryce Harper of Las Vegas. Why is he on this list? As the man himself would say, "That's a clown question, bro." He just turned 25, and already has a .285 lifetime batting average, 150 home runs, 5 All-Star berths, the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year award, the 2015 NL Most Valuable Player award, and 4 trips to the postseason with the Washington Nationals, although he's never yet been on a team that's won a postseason series.

Both Harper (in 2010 at Southern Nevada) and Bryant (in 2013 at the University of San Diego) have won the Golden Spikes Award as college baseball player of the year. Presuming neither of them gets hurt or does something really stupid, both should climb up this list.

4. Gerald Riggs of Las Vegas. A 3-time Pro Bowler, the running back starred for the Atlanta Falcons, who elected him to their Ring of Honor, before retiring as a winner of Super Bowl XXVI with the Washington Redskins, with 8,188 rushing yards and 201 receptions.

3. Greg LeMond of Wooster. In 1986, he became the 1st non-European to win the Tour de France. He remains the only American to do it without having been caught cheating. The following year, he was shot in a hunting accident, but recovered to win it again in 1989. Sports Illustrated named him their Sportsman of the Year. He won the race again in 1990.

2. Andre Agassi of Las Vegas. He has won tennis' "Career Grand Slam," winning Wimbledon in 1992; the U.S. Open in 1994 and 1999; the Australian Open in 1995, 2000, 2001 and 2003; and completing it with the French Open in 1999. He also won the Olympic Gold Medal in Atlanta in 1996, and helped the U.S. win the Davis Cup in 1990, 1992 and 1995. He married actress Brooke Shields, and since 2001 has been married to fellow tennis legend Steffi Graf. Not bad for a guy who once said, "Image is everything," and acted like he believed it.

1. Greg Maddux of Winchester. A tricky case, since his father was in the U.S. Air Force, forcing the family to move around a lot. But they were living in Winchester when Greg began playing scholastic baseball, so this is where he counts.

An 8-time All-Star, he won 4 straight National League Cy Young Awards, from 1992 to 1995. He won more Gold Gloves for fielding excellence than any other player, 18, from 1990 to 2008 wnning every year but 2003. He reached the postseason with the Chicago Cubs in 1989, with the Atlanta Braves in 1993 and then every season from 1995 to 2003, and in his last season, 2008, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He won Pennants with the Braves in 1995, 1996 and 1999, including winning the 1995 World Series.

Despite not having a great fastball, he used an array of breaking pitches to strike out 3,371 batters, and build a record of 355-227, making him the winningest living pitcher. Both the Cubs and the Braves retired his Number 31, and he was easily elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his 1st year of eligibility.

Los Angeles' All-Time Baseball Team

The Los Angeles Dodgers' "territory" might well be the best of them all. As Duke Snider pointed out, the Southern California climate allows you to play all year long, when much of the country is too cold to play. This results in Southern California producing a disproportionately large amount of good players. This is also why the Sun Belt produces most of the College World Series winners.

Eligibility has nothing to do with whether the player in question actually rooted for the Dodgers growing up, or even if the Dodgers were already in Los Angeles at the time. The only requirement is that the player had to have been trained as a player – "grew up," for want of a better term – in one of the following California Counties: Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura.

Orange and Riverside Counties are, for my purposes, the "territory" of the Whatever They're Calling Themselves This Season Angels of Anaheim. San Diego and Imperial Counties are for the San Diego Padres. Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano and Stanislaus Counties are the ones I've assigned to the Oakland Athletics. And the rest are for the San Francisco Giants, who are also a serious contender for having the best "talent pool" of any of the 30 teams.

6. Los Angeles' All-Time Baseball Team

How strong is this team? I can take either of 3 starting pitchers, and end up with a Hall-of-Famer at every position except catcher -- and even that has an asterisk, as Gary Carter was born in Culver City, Los Angeles County, but grew up in Fullerton, in the Angels' home of Orange County.

1B Eddie Murray of Watts, Los Angeles. He is 1 of only 4 men – 3 to do it honestly – to collect 3,000 hits and hit 500 home runs. He won 3 Gold Gloves, and probably would have won more if Don Mattingly hadn't come along. He helped the Baltimore Orioles win the 1979 American League Pennant and the 1983 World Series. The Orioles retired his Number 33, and he's been elected to the Hall of Fame. When The Sporting News announced its 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 1999, he came in at Number 77.

Honorable Mention to Bob Watson of Fremont, Los Angeles, and Cecil Fielder of La Puente. (Son Prince grew up in Melbourne, Florida, and thus qualifies for the Tampa Bay Rays' all-time regional team.) Mark McGwire of Claremont is ineligible, and you know why. (Although, when The Sporting News announced its 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 1999, he came in at Number 91.) Same with Jason Giambi of Covina. And neither one was better than Murray, anyway.

2B Jackie Robinson of Pasadena. Let me tell you how strong this position is for the Dodger region: Bobby Doerr of the Fremont section of Los Angeles is in the Hall of Fame. Chase Utley of Long Beach sure looked like he'd make it as of 2009. Freddy Sanchez of Burbank was a batting champion and a 3-time All-Star.

And none of them match the performance – let alone the impact on the game and on society at large – of Jack Roosevelt Robinson. Indeed, so much has been made of Jackie Robinson the pioneer that Jackie Robinson the player often gets forgotten.

He won the NL Rookie of the Year award the 1st year it was given, 1947, He won the NL batting title and Most Valuable Player award in 1949. He was a 6-time All-Star, batted .311 lifetime, had a 132 OPS+, and in just 10 seasons had 1,518 hits (so he could have gotten to 3,000), 273 doubles, 54 triples, 137 homers and 197 stolen bases. And with his aggressive baserunning, he changed how the game was played, not just by whom.

Of course, Hall of Fame, All-Century Team, and Number 42 retired not just by the Dodgers (even though he played for the Brooklyn version, retiring before they moved to L.A.), but by Commissioner Bud Selig for all of baseball. When The Sporting News announced its 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 1999, he came in at Number 44. And, to think, I almost didn’t include Jackie because he was born in Georgia, though his mother moved the family to Pasadena when he was 1 year old.

SS Robin Yount of Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. Born in the Chicago area, he went to Taft High School in L.A. This guy never got the credit he deserved. He and Hank Greenberg are the only players to win MVPs at 2 different positions, Yount doing so at shortstop in 1982, when he led the Milwaukee Brewers to what is still their only Pennant, and in center field in 1989.

Playing in Milwaukee instead of Chicago or another bigger city meant he only made 3 All-Star Games, but after debuting in 1974 at age 18, he gave the Brewers 20 years, 3,142 hits including 583 doubles, 126 triples and 251 home runs, and 271 stolen bases.

Of all players with at least as many stolen bases as he has, only Willie Mays has at least as many home runs and at least as many hits, although Yount has more doubles than Mays (but not more hits, triples, homers or steals), and his ex-teammate Paul Molitor has more hits and steals and nearly as many homers. Career OPS+ 115.

The Brewers have retired Yount's Number 19, which Molitor wore to honor him went he went to the Toronto Blue Jays and found his Brewers number, 4, was already being worn. The Brewers also dedicated a statue of Yount outside Miller Park. He was easily elected to the Hall of Fame, and while he's not the most popular player in Milwaukee baseball history -- both Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews were more celebrated there -- if you're a Wisconsinian my age or younger, he's the best you've ever had.

Honorable Mention to Nomar Garciaparra of Bellflower. From age 23 to 29, he was one of the best baseball players you'll ever see. At age 32, he briefly recaptured his former greatness. But injuries turned him from "What a player!" to "What might have been."

This guy hit .357 and .372 in back-to-back seasons (as a righthanded hitter!), 4 times hit over 40 doubles (twice reaching 50), and 4 times reached 100 RBIs (twice reaching 120.) He seemed like a sure bet for 3,000 hits and the Hall of Fame. As it is, he finished with a career batting average of .313, .361 on-base, .521 slugging, .882 OPS and 124 OPS+.

But he also finished with "just" 1,747 hits and 229 home runs. And note that the Boston Red Sox did not win a World Series until after they traded him, then won another 3 years after that. Hmmmm... He does rather fit "the steroid profile"... But no serious accusation has ever been made against him.

I wonder if the Sox will ever retire his Number 5? And, by marrying Mia Hamm, he's no longer even the most accomplished athlete in his own marriage. On the other hand, he's married to Mia Hamm, which ain't bad at all. Fortunately, their kids look like Mom, and not like "Nosemar."

Honorable Mention to 2 other Red Sox shortstops, Rick Burleson of Downey and Vern "Junior" Stephens of Long Beach; and to Mike Young of Covina.

Honorable Mention also to Osborne Earl Smith, born in Mobile, Alabama and a graduate of Locke H.S. in Watts, Los Angeles, where he played 1 season with Murray. He won 13 Gold Gloves, made 15 All-Star Teams, collected 2,460 hits, and helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the 1982 World Series and the 1985 and 1987 NL Pennants -- but his career OPS+ is just 87. I don't care how good Ozzie's defense was: His bat would kill rallies, so Nomar, once a really good fielder himself, is the starter. Still, he's in the Hall of Fame, and Cards have retired his Number 1.

3B Eddie Mathews of Santa Barbara. Born in Texarkana, Texas, he and his family moved to California when he was 6 years old, probably to escape the Dust Bowl and head for "the land of milk and honey." He is the only man to play for the Braves in all 3 cities, he reached them in 1952 in Boston, stayed with them until 1966, their first season in Atlanta, and was the most popular player on the team for all 13 years in Milwaukee.

He also has the distinction, with New York Giants catcher Wes Westrum, of being on the cover of the first issue of Sports Illustrated magazine, dated August 16, 1954. Apparently, there was no "Dreaded SI Cover Jinx" yet: Mathews went on to have a great career, and the Giants won the World Series that year.

He and Hank Aaron set a record for most home runs by teammates, 863. (While they were together, from 1954 to 1966, Aaron hit 442, Mathews 421.) He hit a total of 512 home runs, including 47 in 1953, a team record that Aaron would later tie, but not until Andruw Jones in 2005 would it be surpassed.

He led the Milwaukee Braves to the 1957 World Championship, hitting a walkoff 10th-inning homer in Game 4 and fielding the final out in Game 7, and the 1958 Pennant. Won another World Series while playing out the string with the 1968 Detroit Tigers. He also managed the Braves, including in 1974 when Aaron hit Number 715.

He's in the Hall of Fame, and his Number 41 was retired by the Braves. When The Sporting News announced its 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 1999, he came in at Number 63.

Honorable Mention to George Brett of El Segundo. Born in West Virginia, and older brother Ken Brett (who nearly makes this team as a pitcher) was born in Brooklyn, but they grew up in Dodger territory. Mr. Kansas City Royal is the only man to win batting titles in 3 different decades: 1976, 1980 (.390!) and 1990. The Royals have been to the postseason 7 times with him, never without him. 1980 AL Pennant, 1985 World Championship.

He had a career batting average of .305, and an OPS+ of 135. He is a member of the 3,000 Hit Club, and hit 317 homers despite playing his home games at Royals/Kauffman Stadium. Hall of Fame, Number 5 retired. When The Sporting News announced its 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 1999, he came in at Number 55.

Also, Honorable Mention to Darrell Evans of Pasadena, Doug DeCinces of Sepulveda and Terry Pendleton of Oxnard. Evan Longoria of Bellflower still has a ways to go.

LF Ralph Kiner of Alhambra. He was born in New Mexico, but lived most of his off-season life in the Los Angeles area. He only played 10 seasons due to a back injury cutting short his career at age 32. But he led the National League in homers in each of his 1st 7 seasons, had 2 50-homer seasons while playing his home games in spacious Forbes Field, put together a career OPS+ 149 (wow), and hit 369 home runs.

At his pace, if he'd been able to play until he was 40, he would have had close to 600 homers, and might have been a serious threat to get to Babe Ruth's then-record of 714 home runs well before Hank Aaron got close to it.

He's in the Hall of Fame, and his Number 4 was retired by the Pittsburgh Pirates. When The Sporting News announced its 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 1999, he came in at Number 90. And if patience is a virtue, then Ralph is a saint, for he was been an employee of the New York Mets, as a broadcaster, from Day One, April 11, 1962, until his recent death, 52 seasons.

Honorable Mention to Roy White of Compton, and Garret Anderson and Ryan Braun, both of Granada Hills, Los Angeles. Also to the Meusel brothers of Los Angeles, who would have been perennial All-Stars had the All-Star Game existed in the 1920s: Bob of the Yankees and Emil of the Giants. (Emil was known as Irish, even though the family was German.)

And to Joe Rudi, born in Modesto, the home territory of the A's, for whom he would play in both Modesto in the minors and Oakland in the majors, but grew up in Downey, in the Dodgers' territory. And to George Foster of the 1970s Cincinnati "Big Red Machine," born in Alabama but raised in Lawndale, California, who hit 348 home runs, including 52 in 1977, most in NL play between 1965 and 1998.

CF Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider of Compton. That's right, Da Duke o' Flatbush went straight outta Compton to the little ballpark on the edges of Flatbush, Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights. Ya wanna make somethin' of it?

It's a strange thing: The 2 best players the Brooklyn Dodgers ever had, Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider, were both from Los Angeles (or close to it); while the best player the Los Angeles Dodgers have ever had, Sandy Koufax, was born in Brooklyn, but did nothing for the Dodgers until well after they moved.

The Duke, at least, not only had one of his best seasons, including a great World Series, in 1955, but was still a solid contributor to their 1959 Series win in his hometown. And at the time of his 1964 retirement, his 407 home runs were 10th all-time. He's in the Hall of Fame, and the Dodgers retired his Number 4. When The Sporting News announced its 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 1999, he came in at Number 83.

Honorable Mention to George Hendrick and Eric Davis, both graduates of Fremont H.S. And to Lyman Bostock of Manual Arts H.S. in Los Angeles, a .311 career hitter with a 123 OPS+ when he was shot and killed in 1978, not yet 28 years old. Fremont and Manual Arts are both in South Central, but not as far south as Watts.

Bryce Harper is from Las Vegas, Nevada, which, due to its proximity to L.A. and its Hollywood connection, is in the Dodgers' market. But he's had only 2 MLB seasons, and has split his games almost evenly between the 3 outfield positions (104 left, 101 center, 81 right), so even if I wanted to put him in this soon, where would I? Don't tell me, "That's a clown question, bro." Harper will have to wait.

RF Tony Gwynn Sr. of Long Beach. The greatest player the San Diego Padres have ever had, he helped them win their only 2 Pennants, in 1984 and 1998. His .394 in the strike-shortened 1994 season remains the highest in MLB since 1941. Hall of Fame, Number 19 retired, 3,000 Hit Club. When The Sporting News announced its 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 1999, he came in at Number 49.

His brother Chris Gwynn once batted .300 for the Kansas City Royals, but his son Tony Gwynn Jr. grew up in Poway, and thus qualifies (by background, if not by talent) for the San Diego All-Time Team, rather than the Los Angeles one.

Honorable Mention to Floyd Caves "Babe" Herman, born in Buffalo but raised in Glendale. Phil Rizzuto, who grew up watching him with the Brooklyn Dodgers, thought Herman should be in the Hall of Fame. The Scooter had a case: Herman batted .324 lifetime, an OPS+ of 141, hit 399 doubles even though he had his last full big-league season at age 33, and in 1930 batted .393 with 241 hits, 48 doubles, 11 triples, 35 homers, 130 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.

The problem was that Babe played his first few seasons for the "Daffiness Boys" Dodgers, and he was the daffiest of them all. He frequently protested that he was never, as commonly thought, hit on the head by a fly ball. When asked if he was ever hit on the shoulder by one, he said that didn't count.

He never, as commonly thought, tripled into a triple play. But in 1926, thanks to a baserunning mistake by Dazzy Vance, a Hall of Fame pitcher not used to reaching third base, Herman did double into a double play, resulting in the old joke that the Dodgers have three men on base: "Yeah? Which base?"

He moved west well before the Dodgers themselves did, playing for a "hometown" team, the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League,  and starring there, batting .346 at age 41, before returning to a Dodger roster ravaged by the World War II draft for a cup of coffee in 1945.

Additional Honorable Mentions to Tom Brunansky of West Covina, Dwight Evans of Chatsworth, Los Angeles, and Jeff Burroughs of Long Beach. What about Darryl Strawberry of Crenshaw, Los Angeles? Well, he's gone back to the Mets for employment – nothing wrong with that – but he’s been saying that not only would the 1986 Mets have beaten the 2009 Yankees, but they would’'e beaten the 1998 Yankees. If he believes that, then he must've started dipping into his stash again.

C Earl Battey of Watts, Los Angeles. This is the only position in this team's starting lineup that doesn't have a Hall-of-Famer, or a future HOFer. But Battey was no slouch. He was the backup to Sherman Lollar with the 1959 AL Champion Chicago White Sox, but the Sox made a bonehead move trading him to the Washington Senators.

The Senators became the Minnesota Twins, and Battey became one of the best catchers in baseball, reaching 4 All-Star teams and winning 3 Gold Gloves. He helped the Twins win the 1965 AL Pennant and very nearly the World Series – ironically, striking out against Sandy Koufax for the last out, against his hometown team (although that Game 7 was played in Bloomington, Minnesota).

Honorable Mention to Mike Lieberthal of Westlake Village, Los Angeles, whose stats almost all top Battey's, but is hurt by the fact that the Philadelphia Phillies won a Pennant in 1993, Lieberthal arrived in 1994, his last season with them was 2006, and they've made the postseason every year since he left. He's their Donnie Regular Season Baseball. Good guy, but that record hurts him here.

SP Bob Lemon of Long Beach. A hitter converted into a pitcher, he helped the Cleveland Indians win the 1948 World Series and the 1954 AL Pennant. He later managed the Yankees to the 1978 World Championship, which makes him the manager of this team as well. Hall of Fame, Number 21 retired by the Indians. As he himself would have said to one of his players, "Nice job, Meat."

SP Don Drysdale of Van Nuys. At Van Nuys High, he was a baseball teammate of Robert Redford. The speedy, headhunting righthander helped the Dodgers win the World Series in 1959, '63 and '65, teaming with Sandy Koufax to form one of the few righty-lefty Hall of Fame pairs ever.

In 1968, he pitched 58 2/3rds consecutive scoreless innings, breaking a Walter Johnson record that stood for 55 years, and would stand for another 20 until another Dodger, Orel Hershiser, broke it. Unfortunately, an injury ended his career at age 33 the next season (as one ended Koufax' career at 31), but he still reached the Hall. The Dodgers retired his Number 53, and the Disney Volkswagen "Herbie the Love Bug" got Number 53 in Big D's honor.

Don later became one of the game's most respected broadcasters, and married basketball star Ann Meyers -- the only husband-and-wife pair to both be elected to their sports' halls of fame.

SP Jim Lonborg of Santa Maria. "Gentleman Jim" won 22 games for the Red Sox in their 1967 "Impossible Dream" season, including the tense finale against the Twins, to clinch the Pennant, all while doing National Guard duty on some weekends, never knowing if he'd be called up to serve in the Vietnam War. (He wasn't.) He won Games 2 and 5 of the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, but was called on to outpitch Bob Gibson in Game 7 on 2 days' rest (Gibson had 3), and got pounded.

He broke his leg in a skiing accident in the offseason, and was never the same, although he became a fine reliever for the Phillies, and helped them win the NL East in 1976, '77 and '78. He retired to become a dentist. On Cheers, the photo of a righthanded pitcher wearing Number 16, hanging over the bar, meant to be Sam Malone (Ted Danson), is actually Lonborg.

Lonborg won the AL's Cy Young Award in 1967, the 1st year it was given out to the most valuable pitcher in each League, and the NL winner was also from the L.A. area: Mike McCormick of Alhambra and the San Francisco Giants.

SP Scott McGregor of El Segundo. He was a teammate of Murray's on the late Seventies, early Eighties Orioles. He arguably should have been the Most Valuable Player of the 1983 World Series. He went 138-108 for his career, was a 1981 All-Star, and the Orioles elected him to their team Hall of Fame.

The Yankees let him, and the actual '83 WS MVP, Rick Dempsey, get away in a 1976 trade for pitcher Grant Jackson. That trade was necessary to win the '76 Pennant, but in '79, when Dempsey was becoming one of the game's best catchers, and McGregor was part of an Oriole rotation that helped them win the Pennant, and Thurman Munson was aching and then dead and the Yankees really needed another starter, it became a bad trade.

SP Jack McDowell of Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. Black Jack was the ace of the White Sox team that won the AL Central in 1993 (he won the AL Cy Young Award) and was in 1st place in 1994 when the strike hit.

But the Yankees traded for him, and his performance in the 1995 Playoffs against the Seattle Mariners became legendary for the wrong reasons. He blew it, and got booed off the mound at Yankee Stadium. He lifted his middle finger to the fans, and while the New York Post called him JACK THE FLIPPER on its back page, the Daily News, for once, went further than the Post, and called him JACK ASS. After blowing a lead in Game 5 of that series, and the series itself, the Yankees let him go.

He went to the Indians and helped them win the AL Central in 1996, but it was all downhill from there. Injuries meant that he was only 33 when he threw his last major league pitch. He finished with a record of 127-87, and has since gone on to a music career, first with a band named V.I.E.W, now one named Stickfigure.

SP Greg Maddux of Las Vegas, Nevada. This is a bit of a cheat on my part, since his father was in the U.S. Air Force, and Greg was born while his father was stationed in San Angelo, Texas, then in Madrid, Spain, before moving to Las Vegas, where Greg attended high school. But it does appear that he got his most serious baseball training in Vegas, so I'm putting him there.

With 355 wins, he is the winningest living pitcher, 1 ahead of Roger somebody. He had 3,371 strikeouts, a career ERA+ of 132, and a WHIP of 1.143. 8 All-Star Teams, 4 Cy Young Awards (and just missed 3 others), and a record 18 Gold Gloves. (OK, he's a pitcher, but, still... )

His Number 31 has been retired by both the Cubs (NL East title 1989) and the Atlanta Braves (World Champions 1995, NL Pennants in 1996 and '99). He is a newly-elected, soon to be inducted, member of the Hall of Fame. When The Sporting News announced its 100 Greatest Baseball Players in 1999, he came in at Number 39, the highest-ranking pitcher then active.

Honorable Mention to Larry Dierker of Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. A terrific pitcher for the Houston Astros in the 1970s, he later broadcast for them, managed them to the NL Central title in 1997, ’98 and ’99 before a bout with cancer (which, thankfully, he survived) ended his managing career. Number 49 retired.

Honorable Mention to Mike Scott of Santa Monica, whose greatness, and thus his place on this team, must be doubted because he was 110-81 when his home park was the Astrodome, but just 14-27 when it was Shea Stadium – and that was a pitcher’s park, too.
RP Dan Quisenberry of Santa Monica. The submarining righthander for the Royals helped them reach the 1980 World Series, got the last out of the 1985 World Series, and once held the record for saves in a season, 45. To this day, the Royals have never won a Pennant without him.

In fact, the L.A. region has one heck of a bullpen: Honorable Mention to Jesse Orosco of Santa Barbara, Todd Worrell and Tim Worrell of Arcadia, Rod Beck of Van Nuys, and Robb Nen of Los Alamitos. Strange that both Quiz and Beck died young.

Living Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, As Of January 10, 2014

Ernie Banks

A player is counted with the team if he played at least 4 seasons with them.  Teams are ranked in order of most HOFers.

If there is a tie, it will be broken by which team has more non-managers.  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 in the position where they would be ranked if they still did.

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

1. St. Louis Cardinals, 10: Red Schoendienst, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Orlando Cepeda, Steve Carlton, Bruce Sutter, Ozzie Smith, Whitey Herzog, Tony LaRussa, Joe Garagiola.

2. New York Yankees, 10: Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson, Goose Gossage, Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson, Wade Boggs, Joe Torre, Joe Garagiola, Tony Kubek. The Cards win the tiebreaker because, while both have 7 players, the Cards have 2 managers and 1 broadcaster, while the Yankees have 1 manager and 2 broadcasters.

3. Baltimore Orioles, 8: Brooks Robinson, Luis Aparicio, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, Roberto Alomar, Jon Miller.

4. Chicago Cubs, 7: Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ferguson Jenkins, Bruce Sutter, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson, Greg Maddux.

5. Cincinnati Reds, 7: Frank Robinson, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Tom Seaver, Barry Larkin, Marty Brennaman.

6. Atlanta Braves, 7: Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Bobby Cox, Joe

Torre, Milo Hamilton.

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

8. Boston Red Sox, 6: Bobby Doerr, Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Dennis Eckersley, Wade Boggs.

9. Oakland Athletics, 6: Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Rickey Henderson, Dennis Eckersley, Tony LaRussa, Lon Simmons.

10. San Diego Padres, 5: Dave Winfield, Ozzie Smith, Rollie Fingers, Rich Gossage, Tony Gwynn.

11. Chicago White Sox, 5: Luis Aparicio, Goose Gossage, Carlton Fisk, Frank Thomas, Tony LaRussa.

12. New York Mets, 5: Tom Seaver, Tom Glavine, Yogi Berra, Joe Torre, Tim McCarver.

13. Los Angeles Dodgers, 5: Sandy Koufax, Don Sutton,  Tommy Lasorda, Vin Scully, Jamie Jarrin.

14. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 4: Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson, Bert Blyleven.

15. Philadelphia Phillies, 4: Jim Bunning, Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Pat Gillick.

16. Milwaukee Brewers, 4: Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Rollie Fingers, Bob Uecker.

17. Houston Astros, 4: Joe Morgan, Nolan Ryan, Gene Elston, Milo Hamilton.

18. Texas Rangers, 3: Ferguson Jenkins, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan.

19. Pittsburgh Pirates, 3: Ralph Kiner, Bill Mazeroski, Bert Blyleven.

20. Kansas City Royals, 3: George Brett, Whitey Herzog, Denny Matthews.

21. Toronto Blue Jays, 3: Roberto Alomar, Pat Gillick, Tony Kubek.

22. Minnesota Twins, 2: Rod Carew, Bert Blyleven.

23. Detroit Tigers, 2: Al Kaline, Jim Bunning.  Quite a drop, from 15 to 2.

Milwaukee Braves, 2: Hank Aaron, Red Schoendienst.

New York Giants, 2: Monte Irvin, Willie Mays.  With the death of Duke Snider, there are no more living Brooklyn Dodgers in the Hall of Fame.

Montreal Expos, 2: Andre Dawson, Dave Van Horne.

24. Miami Marlins, 2: Felo Ramirez and Dave Van Horne.

Newark Eagles (Negro Leagues), 1: Monte Irvin.

25. Washington Nationals, 1: Frank Robinson.

26. Seattle Mariners, 1: Pat Gillick.

Washington Senators, 1: Bob Wolff.

27. Cleveland Indians, 1: Gaylord Perry.  114 seasons, just 1 living Hall-of-Famer.  Which tells you what kind of decisions the Tribe's front office was making from 1960 to 1990.

28. Arizona Diamondbacks, none.

29. Tampa Bay Rays, none.

30. Colorado Rockies, none.

Baseball Hall-of-Famers By Team

With the announcement of the elections of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas, and last fall's election via the Veterans' Committee of Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Tony LaRussa, it is time to update this list.

A player is counted with the team if he played at least 4 seasons with them.  Teams are ranked in order of most HOFers.

If there is a tie, it will be broken by which team has more non-managers.  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 in the position where they would be ranked if they still did.

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

1. New York Yankees, 39: It almost works out to 1 for every Pennant the team has won:

Clark Griffith (the team's first 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.

Also, Miller Huggins (manager), Joe McCarthy (manager), Casey Stengel (manager), Joe Torre (manager), Jacob Ruppert (owner), Ed Barrow (executive), George Weiss (executive), Mel Allen (broadcaster), Red Barber (broadcaster), Joe Garagiola (broadcaster), Jerry Coleman (played for the Yankees but elected as a broadcaster, first for the Yankees, then for the Padres), 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 elected as a manager, I'll have a decision to make as to whether to count him as a Yankee HOFer, since he was good but not HOF quality for them as both player and manager.

Rizzuto was also a longtime broadcaster.  Lee MacPhail was elected for what he did as American League President, not as Yankee general manager.  Don Mattingly and Paul O'Neill are now eligible, but 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, now being dead, is now eligible through the Veterans' Committee.

2. St. Louis Cardinals, 30: 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), Bruce Sutter, Ozzie Smith.

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.

Jim Edmonds is not yet eligible.  Mark McGwire is eligible, but he's not getting in.  Surprisingly, longtime owner Gussie Busch has never been elected.

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).

Irvin is the only living HOFer who had been elected based in part upon his performance in the Negro Leagues, mainly with the Newark Eagles.  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 66, 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.

3. Chicago Cubs, 27: Adrian "Cap" Anson, Mike "King" Kelly, Clark Griffith (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, 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.  Lee Smith is eligible, but now that he's no longer the all-time saves leader, the biggest reason for electing him is gone.  If Lou Piniella is elected as a manager, I'll have a decision to make as to whether to count him as a Cub HOFer, since he was good but not HOF quality for them.

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. Pittsburgh Pirates, 23: 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), 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 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).

5. Boston Red Sox, 21: Jimmy Collins (elected as a player but also managed them to the first 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, Dick Williams (manager, no relation to Ted), Tom Yawkey (owner), Curt Gowdy (broadcaster).

I am bending the rule slightly for Dick Williams, who only managed 3 seasons for the Red Sox, but one, 1967, was the most important season in the club's modern history.  Pedro Martinez is not yet eligible.  Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling are.  I don't know if any of those will get in, even though all are members of the 3,000 Strikeout Club, and Clemens is also a member of the 300 Win Club.

At age 95 and having debuted in the major leagues in 1937, Doerr is now the oldest and earliest living member of the Hall of Fame.  Luis Aparicio played 3 seasons for the Red Sox, so by my rule he is not eligible to be counted with them.  Dennis Eckersley, however, played 7 seasons with them, so from now on 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 first 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.

6. Chicago White Sox, 21: Ed Walsh, George Davis, Eddie Collins, Ray Schalk, Red Faber, Ted Lyons, Luke Appling, Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio, Early Wynn, Hoyt Wilhelm, Goose Gossage (5 years with them), Carlton Fisk, Frank Thomas, Al Lopez (manager), Tony LaRussa (manager), Charlie Comiskey (owner), Bill Veeck (owner), Jack Brickhouse (broadcaster), Bob Elson (broadcaster), Harry Caray (broadcaster).

Although Clark Griffith pitched for them in their first 2 seasons and won the first 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.

Brooklyn Dodgers, 21: Willie Keeler, Joe Kelley, Richard "Rube" Marquard, Zack Wheat, Burleigh Grimes, Charles "Dazzy" Vance, Joseph "Arky" Vaughan, Billy Herman, Joe Medwick, Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, 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. Cincinnati Reds, 17: 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, 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.  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 was not given the Ford Frick Award, so I can't count him with the Reds.

And while 2 members of the first 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.

8. Cleveland Indians, 16: 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, Al Lopez (manager), Bill Veeck (owner), Jimmy Dudley (broadcaster).

Satchel Paige reached the majors with the Indians, but only pitched 2 seasons for them; 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.

Jim Thome will probably make it, but, barring a major shift in voters' attitudes, Manny Ramirez is probably out of luck.

9. Philadelphia Phillies, 16: Billy Hamilton, Ed Delahanty, Sam Thompson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Eppa Rixey, Dave Bancroft, Chuck Klein, Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, Jim Bunning, Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Harry Wright (manager), Pat Gillick (executive), By Saam (broadcaster), Harry Kalas (broadcaster).

Ashburn was also a longtime broadcaster for the Phils.  If Curt Schilling and Jim Thome get in, they can be counted with the Phillies.  Pete Rose, of course, is ineligible.

10. Detroit Tigers, 15: 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, Hughie Jennings (manager, also played for the team), Sparky Anderson (manager), Ernie Harwell (broadcaster).

Jack Morris, Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker are all eligible, but it's doubtful that any of them will ever get in.  Ivan Rodriguez is not yet eligible, and while he's never been publicly revealed to be a steroid user, he's been seriously suspected, so it's a big question mark as to whether he'll ever get in.

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.

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).
 11. Baltimore Orioles, 12: Brooks Robinson, Hoyt Wilhelm, Robin Roberts (4 seasons with O's), Luis Aparicio (5 seasons with O's including 1966, his only title), Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, Roberto Alomar, 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 4 seasons with them, so by my own rule I've got to count him here.  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.

Washington Senators, 11: Walter Johnson, Bucky Harris (elected as a manager but was also a great player), Sam Rice, Henry "Heinie" Manush, 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.

12. New York Mets, 9: Tom Seaver, Gary Carter, Tom Glavine (5 seasons), Casey Stengel (manager), Yogi Berra (manager, also played a few games for them in 1965), Joe Torre (manager), Lindsey Nelson (broadcaster), Bob Murphy (broadcaster), Tim McCarver (broadcaster).  So that's 3 broadcasters, 3 managers, and 3 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, Willie Mays or Nolan Ryan -- and why would you want to count Eddie Murray, Rickey Henderson or Roberto Alomar as Mets? 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 now 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.

Frank Cashen should be in as an executive.  Mike Piazza will probably get in eventually.  If John Franco is ever elected, you can count him.

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.
 Kansas City Monarchs (Negro Leagues), 8: Jose Mendez, Leroy "Satchel" Paige, James "Cool Papa" Bell, Wilber "Bullet" Rogan, Norman "Turkey" Stearnes, Andy Cooper (also manager), Hilton Smith, 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.  John "Buck" O'Neil, first baseman and manager, is not in the Hall of Fame, a terrible oversight, especially given that his contributions to the game include what he did in the last 15 or so years of a very long life.

Jackie Robinson played his first season in professional baseball, 1945, with the Monarchs.  They were also the first pro team of Ernie Banks.

13. Oakland Athletics, 8: Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Rickey Henderson, Dennis Eckersley, Dick Williams (manager), Tony LaRussa (manager), Lon Simmons (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.

14. Los Angeles Dodgers, 8: Duke Snider (played 5 seasons for them in L.A.), Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Don Sutton, Walter Alston (manager), Tommy Lasorda (manager), Walter O'Malley (owner), Vin Scully (broadcaster), Jamie Jarrin (broadcaster).

Steve Garvey is not getting in.  I think Mike Piazza eventually will, and if he does, he can be counted as a Dodger.

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.

15. San Diego Padres, 7: Dave Winfield, Ozzie Smith, Rollie Fingers, Rich Gossage, Tony Gwynn, Dick Williams (manager), Jerry Coleman (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. San Francisco Giants, 7: Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, Lon Simmons (broadcaster), Jon Miller (broadcaster).

Barry Bonds is eligible, but who's kidding who? And I'm surprised that longtime owner Horace Stoneham isn't in, and that neither is his son-in-law, Chub Feeney, a Giant executive who became President of the NL.

17. Atlanta Braves, 7: Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Bobby Cox (manager), Joe Torre (managed them in between Cox's 2 tenures there, also a player), Milo Hamilton (broadcaster).

John Smoltz, Fred McGriff, Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones will be listed with them if they are elected.  Don Sutton broadcasts 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.
 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.
 18. Minnesota Twins, 5: Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Bert Blyleven, Kirby Puckett, Herb Carneal (broadcaster).

Tom Kelly could be elected as a manager, but Tony Oliva seems unlikely to ever be elected as a player.  No, you can't count Dave Winfield, Paul Molitor, or, if he ever gets in, Jack Morris: Although hometown heroes, none played 4 seasons with the Twins.  Founder Calvin Griffith is not in, nor should he be.

19. Houston Astros, 5: Joe Morgan, Nolan Ryan, Gene Elston (broadcaster), Milo Hamilton (broadcaster), Harry Kalas (broadcast 6 seasons for them before joining the Phillies' broadcast team).

Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio are eligible, and both should already be in.  Roger Clemens is eligible, but even with a legal exoneration, he may never get 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.

20. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 4: Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson, Bert Blyleven. Jim Edmonds is not yet eligible.  Founder-owner Gene Autry is not in, but should be.

21. Milwaukee Brewers, 4: Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Rollie Fingers, Bob Uecker (broadcaster).  No, you can't count Hank Aaron.  And I hope former owner, now Commissioner, Bud Selig is never elected, but he probably will be.

Montreal Expos, 4: Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Dick Williams (manager), Dave Van Horne (broadcaster).  If Tim Raines and Larry Walker get in, they can be counted with the Expos.  Duke Snider could not, although he broadcast for the Expos and had played in Montreal for the Dodgers' farm team, the Montreal Royals.  So did Tommy Lasorda.

22. Texas Rangers, 3: Ferguson Jenkins, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan.  Bert Blyleven pitched just 2 seasons for them.  Ivan Rodriguez is not yet eligible.  Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez are, 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; since the team won nothing while he was in control, it seems safe.

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).

Cuban Giants (Negro Leagues, based in New York), 3: Frank Grant, Sol White, Pete Hill.  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.

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

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

Indianapolis ABCs (Negro Leagues), 3: Oscar Charleston, Ben Taylor, James "Biz" Mackey.  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, William "Judy" Johnson.

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

23. Kansas City Royals, 3: George Brett, Whitey Herzog (manager), Denny Matthews (broadcaster).  Founder-owner Ewing Kauffman, surprisingly, is not in.

24. Toronto Blue Jays, 3: Roberto Alomar, Pat Gillick (executive), 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.

Providence Grays (NL 1878-1885), 2: John Montgomery Ward, Charlie "Old Hoss" Radbourne.  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.

25. Miami Marlins, 2: Felo Ramirez and Dave Van Horne (both broadcasters).  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.

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.

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, Jud Wilson.

26. Seattle Mariners, 1: Pat Gillick (executive).  Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson are not yet eligible.  Edgar Martinez is, but I don't think he'll ever get in.  If Lou Piniella is elected as a manager, I'll have a decision to make as to whether to count him as a Mariner HOFer, since he was good but not HOF quality for them.

27. Washington Nationals, 1: Frank Robinson, their first 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 allow, and I do have to abide by my own rules.  But you can't count the HOFers from their previous incarnation, the Montreal Expos.

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's 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.

28. Arizona Diamondbacks, none: If Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling get in, both can be counted with them.

29. Tampa Bay Rays, none: If Fred McGriff gets in, he can be counted with them.  Wade Boggs cannot.  Nor, if he is ever elected as a manager, can Lou Piniella.

30. Colorado Rockies, none: If Larry Walker gets in, he can be counted with them.

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.

Analyzing the 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame Vote; Eusébio, 1942-2014

Greg Maddux, 97.2 percent. No argument: 300 wins, 3000 strikeouts. The former milestone has been automatic, presuming no PED taint. The latter hasn't. But both? Now, the only one with both who isn't in is Roger Clemens. We'll get to him later.

Tom Glavine, 91.9. No argument: 300 wins, 3000 strikeouts.

Frank Thomas, 83.7. No argument: 500 homers. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Big Hurt not only had one of the few really good nicknames of the era, but he was right up there with Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. as the best hitter in baseball. At the very least, he and Jeff Bagwell were the 2 best righthanded hitters -- 3 once Alex Rodriguez hit his prime, and began to take Frank's place. When he was at his best, the South Side of Chicago really was the baddest part of town.

Those 3 guys made it, all deservedly getting at least the necessary 75 percent of the vote. These guys didn't:

Craig Biggio, 74.8. He missed by 2 votes. Two freakin' votes? What pair of morons thought 3,060 hits with no PED taint wasn't worthy of the Hall of Fame? Probably Sandra Day O'Connor and Anthony Kennedy, the pair of morons who thought it wasn't worth counting all the votes in Florida in 2000.

Nellie Fox, who finished his career in Biggio's later role as the 2nd baseman for the Astros, also once missed by 2 votes, and fell off the BBWAA ballot, before being elected by the Veterans' Committee. He died young, while still on the BBWAA ballot. Let's hope nothing happens to Biggio before the BBWAA finally comes to their senses... and that they do! (UPDATE: He was elected in 2015.)

Mike Piazza, 62.2. There are steroid questions, but not much evidence. Without the steroid questions, he would be in: He put up big numbers, he played in big markets (L.A. and New York), he was good to the media (the voters). Whether I like him personally should not be an issue. I think he'll get in next year, especially since, among the 1st-time-eligibles, only Randy Johnson is an obvious Yes. (Another great who I didn't like personally.) (UPDATE: Piazza was elected in 2016.)

Jack Morris, 61.5. This was his last time on the BBWAA ballot. His career ERA is over 4? Yeah, well, Rollie Fingers has a career losing record, and he's in. As Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully once said, "Statistics are like lampposts: Use them for illumination, not for support."

I said it after Morris pitched a 10-inning shutout in Game 7 in the homer-happy Metrodome, before he made it 3 rings with 3 different clubs with the Blue Jays the next year, and I'll say it again, 22 years and 3 months later: Before that game, he was a borderline case for the Hall; after it, he put himself in. And over 60 percent of the voters agree with me. My guess is, the first or second time he's on the VC ballot, he gets in. (UPDATE: He was elected in 2018.)

Jeff Bagwell, 54.3. Not as obvious a case as his teammate Biggio, and there are steroid questions. But there is no evidence at all. He deserves it. (UPDATE: He was elected in 2017.)

Tim Raines, 46.1. Let me get this straight: A guy who stole 808 bases -- eight hundred and eight, more than all but 4 human beings who have ever lived -- and won 2 World Series rings isn't worthy of even getting half the votes of the BBWAA? Is it that he played in Montreal? Well, he also played in New York and Chicago, and superbly. Put Rock in the Hall! (UPDATE: He was elected in 2017.)

Roger Clemens, 35.4; Barry Bonds, 34.7; Mark McGwire, 11.0; Sammy Sosa, 7.2; Rafael Palmeiro, 4.4; Luis Gonzalez, 0.9 (5 votes); Eric Gagne, 0.4 (2 votes). Let's get this out of the way first: Even if we didn't know they were guilty, Gonzalez would be a question mark, and Gagne wouldn't have a chance.

If we didn't know they were guilty, or if we did know but we didn't care, Clemens, Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and Palmeiro would be easy choices.

But ask yourself this: Presuming they are, in fact, guilty (and Clemens is the only one for whom there's much doubt of that, as the evidence presented has been ridiculous), which of those 5 would have built a Hall of Fame career if they hadn't cheated?

Without question, Clemens and Bonds would have had the numbers: The former would still have won 300 (if not 350) and fanned 3,000 (if not 4,000); the latter would still have hit 500 homers, maybe 600 (if not 700, or 756) and stolen 500 bases. Palmeiro might have made it: He hit 569 home runs, exceeding the old benchmark of 500 by 13.8 percent. Did PEDs help him by at least 13.8 percent? Is there any way to measure that?

But without cheating, Sosa might have been a very good player, but never a great one. He might have had 2 or 3 Hall-worthy seasons, like fellow right fielders Roger Maris or Rocky Colavito. But would he even have been as good as Al Oliver or Harold Baines, 2 guys who probably should be in? I don't think so.

McGwire? He was given up for dead by the time the Strike of '94 hit: He was about to turn 31, had played just 74 games in 2 years (and was on the Disabled List when the Strike hit, so he might not have played again that season anyway), and had just 18 homers and 49 RBIs in those 2 seasons.

Not being able to play probably gave him the time he needed to allow the PEDs to get him back in playing shape, and become the Big Mac we all cheered in 1998. Without those PEDs, Mark McGwire would almost certainly have been a "What If?" player, perhaps his generation's Tony Conigliaro (without the beaning).

Lee Smith, 29.9. The biggest argument in his favor, that he was the all-time saves leader, is no longer true. That means he's not getting in, not even via the VC. (UPDATE: Never assume. The VC elected him in 2019.)

Curt Schilling, 29.2. If 3,000 strikeouts gets you in, then he should be in. If that milestone, by itself, is not enough, then he's going to have a tough time, no matter what he did in postseason play, no matter what the voters think of him personally, and no matter whether you think he used PEDs.

Which may not be much, because he can be such a jerk. Remember what former Phillies GM Ed Wade said about Schill when he was pitching at the Vet? "One day out of five, he's a horse. The other four, he's a horse's ass."

Edgar Martinez, 25.2. It is time for Mariner fans to admit the truth: Edgar is not failing to get in because he was a DH, or because he played outside the glamour markets (New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and its former subsidiary Baltimore, Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Francisco). Rather, he is failing to get in because he doesn't have the stats. (UPDATE: Some people must have changed their minds and decided he does have the stats, because he was elected in 2019.)

Alan Trammell, 20.8. The only chance he and his Tiger teammate Lou Whitaker have is to have the VC elect them together. And even that will take several more years. (UPDATE: I was wrong again. Trammell was elected in 2018 -- along with Tiger teammate Morris. Through the election of 2023, Whitaker is still on the outside looking in.)

Mike Mussina, 20.3. Okay, I get it: He wasn't likely to get in the first time. But only 20 percent? For a guy who won 270 games in the Five Man Rotation Era and struck out 2,813 batters against just 785 walks? That's a slap in the face, especially since he did play his career in two glamour markets, Baltimore while it was where the D.C. elite went to watch MLB, and New York.

Hopefully, next year, when the first-time-eligible pitchers are Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez, Moose will get reassessed, and he'll be let in. In fact, it would be nice if he got in and that forced Pedro the Punk to wait a year. (UPDATE: He was elected in 2019.)

Jeff Kent, 15.2. How much is being the all-time leader in home runs by a 2nd baseman worth? Apparently, not much. (The player he surpassed was Joe Morgan, but he was a five-tool player. Kent was one-dimensional.)

Fred McGriff, 11.7. The guy hit 493 home runs, as many as Lou Gehrig, with no serious accusation of cheating, despite spending most of his career in ballparks that weren't especially friendly to hitters. He had a 134 OPS+, and appeared in 5 postseasons, including getting a ring. Not enough? Come on! (UPDATE: He was elected by whatever they're now calling the Veterans Committee in 2022.)

Larry Walker, 10.2. Clearly, voters are holding Coors Field against him. Well, he was a pretty good hitter when his home park was Le Stade Olympique and the 1966 Busch Stadium, and those were pitchers' parks. (UPDATE: He was elected in 2020.)

Don Mattingly, 8.2. Like his friend Joe Torre, himself a really good hitter once, the only way he's going to get into the Hall is as a manager. But that means he'd have to win Pennants, and Donnie Regular Season Baseball has never won a Pennant, in any capacity, and he never will.

The following guys got less than 5 percent, and thus drop off the BBWAA ballot forever, and have to take their chances with the VC. (Good luck.)

Moises Alou and Hideo Nomo, 1.1 percent -- 6 votes. Both were credits to the game, but neither is getting into the Hall. No, Nomo doesn't get points for opening the door for Asian players. With that status and his wacky windup, he can get into the Hall of Baseball Cult Heroes, along with guys like Dick Allen, Tony Conigliaro, Luis Tiant, Oscar Gamble,  Mark Fidrych, Joe Charbonneau and Lenny Dykstra, but not the Baseball Hall of Fame.

J.T. Snow, 0.4 percent -- 2 votes. He won 6 Gold Gloves, had 2 100-RBI seasons, reached 4 postseasons, and has never been accused of PED use. Good player, good guy -- not a Hall of Fame player.

Armando Benitez, Kenny Rogers and Jacque Jones, 0.2 percent -- 1 vote. I forgot that Jones even existed. Benitez? The Worst Closer Who Ever Lived? (At least, until someone makes Boone Logan a closer.) I'm guessing that vote didn't come from Bobby Valentine. And Kenny Rogers got a vote? Clearly, that voter doesn't know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, or know when to walk away. He'd better know when to run.

Sean Casey, Ray Durham, Todd Jones, Paul Lo Duca, Richie Sexson and Mike Timlin, 0.0 percent -- no votes. All very good players. All good guys -- except for Lo Duca, who was an ass long before he became a Met. None of them ever had a chance.

Yes, Casey had a .302 lifetime batting average, the same as Willie Mays -- and a lot higher than Sexson's .261. But think about this: Casey and Sexson combined had 436 homers and 2,817 hits, and even that, especially in the Steroid Era, might not be enough to get a man in.

*

Eusébio has died. He was the greatest player in his sport ever to come from his continent. And most Americans have never heard of him.

I never heard of him until 2008. This, despite the fact that he played 4 home games just 8 miles from where I grew up. That is a failure of the American sports media, which treated soccer like an afterthought for most of my life.

Eusébio da Silva Ferreira was born on January 25, 1942, in Lourenço Marques, in Mozambique, on the east coast of southern Africa, then a colony of Portugal. 

In 1975, after the Carnation Revolution overthrew Portugal's fascist government, the overseas empire was broken up, and Mozambique gained its independence. Lourenço Marques was the capital, and its name was changed to Maputo. It is home to about 1.8 million people, more than any city in Portugal itself other than the capital of Lisbon.

Eusébio was the son of a black Mozambican woman, and a white railroad worker who'd come from another Portuguese colony in Africa, Angola (which also gained its independence in 1975). His father died when he was 8, and the family became even more desperately poor.

He and his friends formed what we would call a "sandlot" soccer team, Os Brasileiros, named for the great Portuguese-speaking Brazil team that won the 1958 World Cup. Like the Brazilian stars, he used just one name when he played, in his case his first name rather than a nickname. (Brazilian players have used either one.) 

He grew up as a fan of Grupo Desportivo de Lourenço Marques (now Desportivo Maputo), which sent Mário Coluna to the Lisbon club for which they were a feeder club (we would say a "farm team"), Sport Lisboa e Benfica. (Benfica is a neighhborhood in Lisbon, its name meaning "It is well.")

Eusébio wanted a tryout with his favorite team, but they turned him down. So he went to their arch-rivals, Sporting Clube de Lourenço Marques (now Clube de Desportos do Maxaquene), and they took him. 

By 1960, age 18, he led his team to the Campeonato Distrita (District Championship). And Juventus, the Turin, Italy club that was already a worldwide legend, was interested in him. Benfica saw the error of their ways, and bought him, bringing him to Lisbon before Juve could swoop in.

Benfica won Portugal's Primeira Liga and the European Cup (the precursor tournament to today's UEFA Champions League) in 1961, but Eusébio played only 1 senior game that season. But in 1961-62, the season in which he turned 20, he became a world "football" superstar, leading them to win the Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup) and a repeat of the European Cup, scoring 5 goals in the tournament, including 2 goals in the Final against Real Madrid. 

(Infamously, Benfica have not won a European Final since, losing the European Cup/Champions League Final in 1963, '65, '68, '88 and '90; and the 2014 UEFA Europa League Final.)

With Eusébio, Benfica won the Premeira Liga 11 times: 1961, '63, '64, '65, '67, '68, '69, '71, '72, '73 and '75; and the Taça de Portugal 5 times: 1962, '64, '69, '70 and '72. In other words, they "did The Double" twice, in 1964 and '72. He scored 638 goals in 614 official matches for Benfica. 

In 1965, he was awarded the Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball) for world player of the year. He became known as O Rei (The King), the Black Pearl and the Black Panther. I don't know how Portuguese natives generally treated black people on the soil of the empire's seat, but he remained beloved in Portugal throughout his life. (Pelé was also nicknamed O Rei and the Black Pearl.)

In 1966, Portugal had its best-ever performance in the World Cup, 3rd place, including Eusébio's 4 goals against North Korea in the Quarterfinal, turning a 3-0 deficit into a 5-3 win.

At that point, with Portugal's success in Europe, its African colonies, the Portuguese influence in Brazil making Benfica very popular there, and with Asian fans watching him stun North Korea, he was probably the most famous soccer player in the world aside from Brazil's Pelé and England stars Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton.

Captains Eusébio of Portugal and Bobby Moore of England

meet before the Semifinal of the 1966 World Cup

at the old Wembley Stadium in London.

Note Eusébio wearing Number 13. It wasn't bad luck for him.

In 1975, 33 years old, he did what so many aging soccer players were doing, and would do, and continue to do today: He came to North America to make a lot of money. He played in the original North American Soccer League. In 1975, he played for the Boston Minutemen, who played their home games at Boston University's Nickerson Field. 

In 1976, he played for Toronto Metros-Croatia (a merger of the Toronto Metros and Toronto Croatia), at the University of Toronto's Varsity Stadium, and they won the NASL title.

In 1977, he played for the Las Vegas Quicksilvers, at Sam Boyd Stadium, home of UNLV. But he was 35, and dealing with constant pain and medical treatment on his knees. He scored only 2 goals. 

In 1978, he signed with the New Jersey Americans of the American Soccer League, who played their home games at Memorial Stadium in New Brunswick, Middlesex County. As a native of East Brunswick, I've seen many sporting events at that complex: Football, soccer, baseball. But I didn't know Eusébio played at Memorial Stadium until 2011 -- 33 years later. In 1979, he played with the Buffalo Stallions of the Major Indoor Soccer League, and then he retired, to work for Portugal's national team.

In 1965, Eusébio married Flora Claudina Burheim. They remained married for 38 years, 'til death did they part, and had 2 daughters, Carla and Sandra. Although he visited Mozambique many times, he remained a resident of Lisbon throughout his adult life.

His awards were numerous. He was named to the FIFA 100 in 2004, and when UEFA named the "Golden Players" for each member nation in 2003, he was named Portugal's Golden Player. He was given the Order of Prince Henry, Portugal's equivalent of a knighthood. 

A statue of him was erected outside Benfica's new Estadio da Luz (Stadium of Light), and at Gillette Stadium in the Boston suburb of Foxboro, Massachusetts -- a reflection not just of his play for the Boston Minutemen, but of the large Portuguese community in New England. I wonder how many American football fans go to Foxboro, and see his statue, and haven't heard of him, or have but can't figure out why it's there. (The New England Revolution are owned by Patriots owner Bob Kraft.)

Eusebio and his statue in Foxboro

(UPDATE: In 2015, the statue was moved to Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, home of the United Soccer League's Western Mass Pioneers.)

In 2008, Benfica began hosting the Eusébio Cup at Estadio da Luz. Until his recent illness, Eusébio presented the trophy to the winning team: Benfica themselves in 2009, 2011 and 2012; Internazionale Milano in 2008; London's Tottenham Hotspur in 2010; and Brazil's São Paulo in 2013.

Eusébio had been weakened by heart trouble the last few years, and died on January 5, 2014. He was just short of turning 72. The tributes have been overwhelming.

Outside Estadio da Luz

No less a personage than Alfredo Di Stéfano, the great Real Madrid star of the 1950s and '60s, said, "For me, Eusébio will always be the best player of all time." That's a difficult statement to make about a player who didn't win the World Cup -- but then, Di Stéfano didn't, either. Nor did Johan Cruijff. Nor, yet, have Cristiano Ronaldo, the greatest Portuguese player since Eusébio, or Lionel Messi. And no one questions their places in the conversation about "the greatest players of all time."

Bobby Charlton of England and Manchester United won it, and he said, "Without doubt, Eusébio was one of the finest players I ever had the privilege to play against... I met him on numerous occasions after our playing careers had finished, and he always represented both his club and his country in exemplary fashion." 

Franz Beckenbauer of West Germany and Bayern Munich won it, and he said, "One of the greatest football players ever has passed away. My friend Eusébio died last night. My thoughts are with his family." 

And the President of Mozambique, Armando Gebuza, said of his homeland's greatest son, "He's a figure who has contributed to the deep and rich history of Mozambique. Eusébio came here from time to time. He always maintained a link with Mozambique. He's a very well-known and respected figure in our country."

Eusébio is a very well-known and respected figure in most countries. Yet most Americans don't know about him. They should. He was an all-time sports legend on this planet. And he was a man worthy of his accolades. On and off the field, he was a hero.

UPDATE: His Benfica and Portugal teammate Mário Coluna died on February 25, 2014, just 51 days later. He was 78, and, unlike Eusébio, had returned to Mozambique to live, and even served as its Minister of Sport.

Eusébio was buried in the National Pantheon, at the Church of Santa Engrácia in Lisbon.