1988

The last “Who?” election for a while. I’d guess that Stargell is the frontrunner, but Who will come in second is wide open. The “When?” elections start in 1989 when we’ll get Bench, Jenkins, Perry and Yaz. We know that they will all go in, just not necessarily when.

I’m sure that there was a better one, but the Class of ’74 is about to lose its eligibility. Mantle, Mathews and Maris all got in, but there are three additional guys who have stood the test of time, Colavito, Howard and Jackson. All three really good, if not great players. I wonder how many classes have had three elected and have three hang on until the end. Here’s to the Class of ’74: ya dun good.

This election will end Monday.

Only Frank Howard drops from the rolls. You’re welcome TJ.

1 Stan Bahnsen
2 Sal Bando 7th
1 Mark Belanger
3 Paul Blair
2 Bobby Bonds 4th
4 Rico Carty
9 Norm Cash
15 Rocky Colavito
6 Mike Cuellar
14 Jim Davenport
4 Willie Davis 9th
4 Dock Ellis
12 Curt Flood
7 Bill Freehan 3rd
5 Jim Fregosi
1 Larry Hisle
15 Elston Howard
4 Jim Hunter 6th
1 Grant Jackson
15 Larry Jackson
1 Randy Jones
1 Bill Lee
4 Mickey Lolich
1 Sparky Lyle
2 Mike Marshall
1 Le May
1 John Mayberry
11 Bill Mazeroski
3 Tim McCarver
7 Sam McDowell
1 Lynn McGlothlen
7 Dave McNally
1 Doc Medich
1 Manny Mota
4 Thurman Munson
7 Tony Oliva 8th
8 Vada Pinson 10th
1 Joe Rudi
1 Reggie Smith
1 Willie Stargell
1 Luis Tiant
1 Del Unser
4 Roy White
11 Maury Wills
1 Rick Wise
5 Wilbur Wood
6 Jim Wynn 5th

Bob’s ballot:

1. Stargell
2. Hunter
3. Freehan
4. Davis
5. Pinson
6. Tiant
7. Mazeroski
8. Munson
9. Oliva
10. Bonds

Terry’s ballot:

1: Willie Stargell
2: Luis Tiant- Nobody was more fun to watch, and more fun to root for. Frank Tanana gets all kinds of (well deserved) credit for coming back from serious arm injuries, but Looie won for a decade throwing nothing but 2 seam junk, 4 seam junk, the palm junk ball, the circle junk, the knuckle junk, and of course the immortal split junker. He threw the only fastball that cried BEFORE it was hit…
3: Elston Howard (show of respect for his last year on the ballot)
4: Thurman Munson- If you think he was done even if he had been a better pilot, take a look at his usage. He wasn’t just still playing. He was still playing more than any other catcher in the game, and there were several steps in between where he was and being done. He would have played another 400-500 games.
5: Catfish Hunter- Show me a picture of him sitting naked in the clubhouse, smoking a cigar and smiling at a female reporter – and I’ll (after I’m done gouging my eyes out) rank him next to Looie.
6: Tony Oliva
7: Bobby Bonds
8: Mike Marshall
9: Jim Wynn
10: Reggie Smith- I know I want to rank him, but he wasn’t ever thought of as a Hall of Fame type player when he was active like Bonds was. He was never anywhere near Bonds’ level as a star, even when he played in LA. To me, he has to outshine the other outfielders by quite a bit in the formulas; in order to be a legitimate contender. He can’t just win by 2.3 points or some other negligible amount.

HM
Bill Freehan- I certainly respect him, but he’s the third best catcher on the ballot. A couple of near MVPs are nice, but the other two both WON the MVP, and had more good years despite having their careers truncated. Actually, Bob, what would a Thurmelston Munward career look like?
Sparky Lyle

Shout-out to Bill Lee and Manny Mota

Results:

15 ballots; the results:

181 Willie Stargell
96 Luis Tiant
***********
89 Bill Freehan
76 Bobby Bonds
55 Jim Hunter
51 Reggie Smith
50 Tony Oliva
46 Jim Wynn
41 Sal Bando
35 Vada Pinson
34 Elston Howard
31 Norm Cash
30 Willie Davis
25 Thurman Munson
23 Bill Mazeroski
12 Rocky Colavito
7 Wilbur Wood
6 Curt Flood
6 Larry Jackson
6 Mickey Lolich
6 Maury Wills
4 Mike Cuellar
4 Mike Marshall
1 Manny Mota