Well, that is one less vote for Curt Schilling.

Boston Herald columnist, Dan Shaughnessy has stated that he will not be voting for Curt Schilling following a tweet that praised violence towards journalists.  Specifically, he tweeted a picture at a Trump rally of a man wearing a t-shirt that read, “Rope. Tree. Journalist: Some Assembly Required” and captioned it “Ok, so much awesome here…”

“Count me out on Curt Schilling.  I have held my nose and voted for the Big Blowhard in recent years (11-2 in postseason, ridiculous walk/strikeout ratio), and he was up to 52.3 percent (75 percent required) last year, but I shall invoke the “character” clause this year. Schill has transitioned from a mere nuisance to an actual menace to society. His tweet supporting the lynching of journalists was the last straw for this voter. Curt later claimed he was joking. Swell.”

The Baseball Hall of Fame does state that character is a metric that should be considered, so Shaughnessy is in his right to do so. 

This is not the first time that Schilling has come under criticism for his social media posts and right wing beliefs.  It actually cost him his job as an analyst with ESPN.

The former World Series Champion has seen his totals rise to over fifty percent and he is entering his fifth year on the ballot. 



Will other Baseball Hall of Fame voters change their opinion on Schilling?  Don’t be surprised if a few more do just that.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

It’s that time of the season where we can put some serious thought into the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

The Ford C. Frick Award is resented annually to the announcer who exemplifies excellence in broadcasting.  There are eight men who have been named Finalists for this prestigious honor, the recipient of which will be automatically entered into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Finalists are:

Gary Cohen, who joined the New York Mets broadcast team in 1989 and has been doing the broadcast ever since.  He has also done work for ESPN Radio in the playoffs.

Jacques Doucet, who did the play-by-play in French for the Montreal Expos from 1972 until the team’s relocation (to Washington) in 2004.  He has since taken over the French language broadcasts for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, a former one time All Star who has been the main television announcer for the Chicago White Sox since 1990.  Harrelson began broadcasting in 1975 and had stints covering the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees before settling in Chicago. 

Pat Hughes, who has been the radio play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Cubs since 1996, where he was famously paired with former Cubs great, Ron Santo for twelve years.  Hughes did the radio broadcasts for the Milwaukee Brewers for twelve years prior to his Cubs gig.

Bill King, who for twenty five (1981 to 2005) years was the voice of Oakland Athletics.  He would also call games for the Oakland Raiders and the Golden State Warriors.

Mike Krukow, who was a long time Starting Pitcher who was a one time All Star.  Krukow has been broadcasting San Francisco Giants games since 1990.

Ned Martin, who broadcasted Boston Red Sox games on both radio and television from 1961 to 1992.

Dewayne Staats, who has been broadcasting the Tampa Bay Rays games since their inception in 1998.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate this group of Finalists and we eagerly await to see which one will be chosen for Cooperstown!

Pete Rose is trying another channel to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In a seven page letter to Cooperstown, Rose outline that the ban that was imposed him 27 years ago by then commissioner, Bart Giamatti was never designed to ban him from the Hall of Fame.  For those unaware, the Baseball Hall of Fame acts independently of MLB.  The year before Rose was to be eligible the Hall of Fame passed regulation that those who were banned from MLB were therefore banned from the Hall of Fame.

It is definitely worth noting that current commissioner, Rob Manfred noted when he did not reinstate Rose that this decision was not reflective of the Hall of Fame.

While Rose is banned from the Hall this did not stop Fox Sports from using him on their baseball playoff coverage last nor the Cincinnati Reds from inducting him into their Hall of Fame recently.

As always, we will be watching!

Every year, we here at Notinhalloffame.com champion former Montreal Expos Outfielder, Tim Raines, as a bona fide Baseball Hall of Famer.

This past week, Raines was in Chicago to celebrate the 25th anniversary of U.S. Cellular Field and was the most optimistic he has ever been for the Baseball Hall of Fame despite entering his tenth and final year of eligibility. 

Raines had the following to say:

"This is probably the first year out of the nine years that I've been on the ballot that I really, really feel like I have a chance…I think about it a lot more than I ever have in the past.

If I don't (get in), it's not the end of the world…I would love for it to happen.  But coming now to this point, being my last year on the ballot and being so close, it's getting a little nerve-wracking. I think those nerves are starting to set in. I just can't wait until it's over now."

Raines is coming off a 2016 vote of 69.8 percent, which is the farthest by far that he has received.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com have had Raines ranked in the top twelve since our website’s inception and are hopeful that the former leadoff sensation will enter Cooperstown next year. 

Will he get in?

Tim Raines and his Montreal Expos teammates hopes so. 

So do we!

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Pete Rose apparently has another detractor for his Hall of Fame bid.

In an interview with the AARP Bulletin, the man who in our opinion (and we would like to think everyone else too) is the greatest baseball broadcaster that ever existed, Vin Scully, was asked if he would vote for Pete Rose, who has been banned from Major League Baseball for gambling on the game.  Scully was direct in his answer:

“I wouldn’t.  Should he be in?  He should be.  But by his own hand, he locked the door and kept himself outside.”

This is huge for two reasons.  First, they don’t come more respected than Scully and when he has an opinion the baseball world will listen.

The second is Scully doesn’t offer his opinions on players, past or present in a negative light often, and when he does it, is makes an impact.

We would love to tell you that this will be the last time that an opinion on Pete Rose will appear on our website, but who are we kidding?  Look for the next one in late March.

It is onward and upwards as always for us at Notinhalloffame.com!



We have uploaded another section in Baseball, where the Baseball players who are eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2020 are now up.



This will allow all of you tell us your opinions on these players whose career is already over but are not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame. 



Here are those players:



Adam Dunn, a two time All Star who blasted 462 Home Runs.

Alex Gonzalez, a member of the 2003 World Series Championship Team.

Alfonso Soriano, a three time All Star with four Silver Sluggers and over 2,000 Hits and 400 Home Runs.

Bobby Abreu, the exceptionally patient hitter with a career On Base Percentage of .395 and two All Star appearances. 

Brad Penny, a two time All Star and 2003 World Series Champion with the Florida Marlins.

Brian Roberts, a two time All Star with over 1,500 career Hits.

Bronson Arroyo, a former Gold Glove winner and World Series Champion with the Boston Red Sox in 2004.

Carlos Pena, a one time All Star who once won the Home Run Title. 

Chone Figgins, a one time All Star who was a World Series Champion with the Anaheim Angels in 2002.

Cliff Lee, a four time All Star and the American League Cy Young Winner in 2008.

Derek Jeter, the career New York Yankee who is a five time World Series Champion and fourteen time All Star.  Jeter is considered to be a lock for first ballot induction.

Eric Chavez, a six time Gold Glove recipient.

Heath Bell, a three time All Star and former Saves Champion.

J.J. Putz, a one time All Star and one time Rolaids Reliever of the Year.

Jamey Wright, a Pitcher used primarily in middle relief over his eighteen year career.

Jason Bartlett, a one time All Star Shortstop known for his defense.

Jason Giambi, a five time All Star and the 1996 American League MVP.

Joe Saunders, a one time All Star Pitcher.

Jose Valverde, a three time All Star who led his league three times in Saves.

Josh Beckett, a two time World Series Champion (Florida and Boston) who also was named the World Series MVP in 2003.

Kyle Farnsworth, a sixteen year MLB vet used mostly in middle relief.

Lyle Overbay, who led the NL in doubles in 2004.

Marco Scutaro, a one time All Star who won the World Series and the NLCS MVP with the San Francisco Giants in 2012.

Nate McLouth, a one time All Star and one tome Gold Glove winner.

Paul Konerko, a six time All Star and five time Silver Slugger who was the heart of the Chicago White Sox that won the 2005 World Series.

Rafael Furcal, a three time All Star who was a Rookie of the Year and World Series winner with the Atlanta Braves.

Raul Ibanez, a one time All Star who is a member of both the 2,000 Hit and 300 Home Run Club.

Ryan Ludwick, a one time All Star and one time Silver Slugger winner.



I think you all know what we want you to do!



Check out the new section, and cast your votes and offer us your opinions!

Over the last forty-five days, both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Baseball Hall of Fame announced their latest classes.  Recently, we here at Notinhalloffame.com put together our latest list of the 500 plus Rock and Roll acts worthy of consideration for the vote that will take place in December of 2016.  Our Notinhalloffame.com baseball list is naturally next.

The 2016 vote saw Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza selected for Cooperstown, both of who were in our top five.  Obviously, they will be taken out of our Baseball 100, but there will be three new eligible former baseball players who will join them.

Let’s take a look at our new Notinhalloffame.com Baseball Top Ten.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Pete Rose may never get into the Baseball Hall of Fame.  However the Cincinnati Reds, the team in which Rose spent the bulk of his career with, has decided to ignore the nearly three decade ban that was upheld by Major League Baseball Commissioner, Rob Manfred, as they will be inducting the Hit King into their franchise’s Baseball Hall of Fame.

Rose, who is a native of Cincinnati, is still a revered man in that city, and this was where he led the “Big Red Machine” to two World Series Championships in the 1970’s.  As a Cincinnati Red, Rose accumulated 3,358 of his 4,256 career Hits; a number that may never be broken.  Rose would also win six Hit Titles, three Batting Titles, the Rookie of the Year and an MVP Award in Cincinnati.

The Reds will not only be inducting Rose into their Hall of Fame, but they will also be retiring his number 14, in a ceremony that will take place in June.  The organization also announced that they plan to erect a statue in his honor outside Riverfront Stadium.

While we are aware that will be some who will be angry with this decision, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are thrilled with the Cincinnati Reds for this decision, and are happy for Rose and the Baseball fans of Cincinnati.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

It was announced yesterday that Hall of Fame Baseball player, Monte Irvin, passed away at the age of 96.

The Alabama native played in the Negro, Mexican, and Puerto Rican Leagues before he finally got an opportunity to play in the Majors in 1949, where at the age of 30, he joined the New York Giants and would help them win two National League Pennants and the World Series in 1954.

Irvin would win the National League RBI title in 1951, and finished third in MVP voting that season.  Overall, he would have a respectable Slash Line of .293/.383/.475 over a 764 Game career, which would certainly have been much higher had he not suffered a severe ankle injury in 1952 and had been in the Major in the 1940’s, when he was at his prime.

Following his playing career, he would become the first African-American to reach an executive position in MLB when he was made the Assistant Director of Public Relations in 1968.  He would later serve as a Special Assistant to Commissioner, Bowie Kuhn.

Irvin entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973 by the Negro League Committee. 

We here at Notinhalloffame would like to extend our condolences to the friends and family of Monte Irvin at this time.

This is one of our favorite days of the year.

Today the Baseball Hall of Fame announced the Class of 2016 and two former baseball greats will be immortalized in Cooperstown.

As expected, Ken Griffey Jr. breezed through on his first attempt.  Griffey Jr. set a new record for voting percentage, receiving 99.3% of the vote.

Griffey’s Hall of Fame co-entrant will be former Catcher, Mike Piazza who enters on his fourth try with 83.0%.

While Griffey and Piazza are excited today, there are certainly a lot of disappointed former baseball stars that were hoping for a certain Hall of Fame call.

Longtime Houston Astro, Jeff Bagwell, continues to be snubbed.  Like Piazza, Bagwell is on his fourth year of eligibility however like many on this ballot, he received his highest vote total, with 71.6%.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

We would be lying if we thought that the Pre-Integration Committee was going to select anybody, and well, we weren’t let down.

Specifically, this committee was tasked with choosing players/administrators who had their day in the sun prior to 1947, when the color barrier was finally broken.

To gain induction, a candidate must finish with at least 12 of the 16 votes (75%) from the committee.  The highest finisher was Doc Adams with 10.  Historically speaking, Adams has been uncovered as one of the father’s of the modern game and many of his innovations are still used today. 

Former players, Bill Dahlen and Harry Stovey each received eight votes.  This is especially notable for Dahlen, as he received ten on the last Pre-Integration vote three years ago.

The rest of the candidates received three votes or less.  This includes former Cardinals owner, Sam Breadon, Pitcher, Wes Ferrell, former Cincinnati Reds President, August Hermann, Shortstop, Marty Marion, First Basemen, Frank McCormick, former St. Louis Brown Stockings owner, Chris von der Ahe and Pitcher, Bucky Walters.

When a candidate receives three or less, the exact tally is not disclosed.

An excellent commentary on this year’s group of candidates was done by our own DDT, which you can find here.  It is definitely worth your time to read.

With that over, attention is heating up on a ballot led by Ken Griffey Jr., who many feel will enter on his first attempt.

Did the Pre-Integration committee get it right?

With all the talk about the upcoming Hall of Fame vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame, it is easy to forget at the Winter Meetings that will happen on December 6th and the 7th, that the Veteran’s Committee will be meeting to discuss other nominees for Cooperstown.

This year the committee in question is the Pre-Integration Era Committee, which reflects players and administrators prior to 1947, the year in which the color line was breached by Jackie Robinson. 

Before we get into the candidates they are discussing, it is worth noting a regular criticism that has been made is that these are players who at this point, nobody on the committee has seen live, and during a time when great African-American players were not allowed to participate.

Still, this is a committee that three years ago inducted three people (especially notable as the writer’s ballot yielded nobody) with former player, Deacon White, umpire, Hank O’Day and executive, Jacob Ruppert were chosen.

16 men comprise the Pre-Integration Era committee, which are:

Chuck Armstrong (Former President of the Seattle Mariners), Bert Blyleven (Hall of Fame player), Bobby Cox (Hall of Fame manager), Bill DeWitt (Managing Partner of the St. Louis Cardinals), Pat Gillick (Hall of Fame Executive), Steve Hirdt (Elias Sports Bureau), Rick Hummel (St. Louis Post Dispatch), Gary Hughes (Boston Red Sox Scout), Peter Morris (Historian), Phil Niekro (Hall of Fame player), Jack O’Connell (BBWAA), Claire Smith (Historian), Tal Smith (Former Executive), T. R. Sullivan (Historian), Gary Thorne (Historian) and Tim Wendell (Historian).

To get inducted, a candidate must receive 75% of the vote, thus obtain at least 12 votes.

The ten candidates are:

Doc Adams, a very early player in New York and multi-time president of the New York Knickerbockers.  Adams is credited with many of the modern rules of the game including instituting the Shortstop position, placing bases 90 feet apart and eliminating outs being recorded after one bounce.

Sam Breadon, the owner of the St. Louis Cardinals from 1920 to 1947.  The Cardinals would win six World Series Championships in that time frame.  Breadon was on the 2013 ballot but received three votes or less.

Bill Dahlen, a Shortstop who was a World Series winner in 1905 and is currently a sabremetric darling.  Dahlen was on the 2013 ballot and received 10 votes.  He is ranked #8 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Wes Ferrell, a Pitcher who was a two time All Star.  Ferrell was on the 2013 ballot and received 3 votes or less.  He is ranked #26 on Notinhalloffame.com.

August Herrmann, a former executive who was the President of the Cincinnati Reds from 1902 to 1927.

Marty Marion, a Shortstop who was a former MVP who won three World Series Championships.  Marion was on the 2013 ballot and received 3 votes or less.  He is ranked #69 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Frank McCormick, a First Basemen who is a former MVP and eight time All Star.  He is unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Harry Stovey, a First Basemen who led the NL in Home Runs in 1891.  Stovey was ranked in the past by Notinhalloffame.com, however was removed upon the elimination of all 1800’s players.

Chris von der Ahe, who was the owner of the St. Louis Brown Stockings, which are now known as the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bucky Walters, a Pitcher who won the World Series in 1939 and the National League MVP in 1940.  Walters was on the 2013 ballot but received 3 votes or less.  He is ranked #65 on Notinhalloffame.com. 



Based on the 2013 vote, it is possible that Dahlen may have a decent shot at induction, but it is more conceivable that a goose egg appears instead.

What will happen with this group, and are the criticisms correct and should the Pre-Integration period cease generating discussion?

As always, eyes will be on Cooperstown this winter and the prospects of membership growth!

Batter up! For 2016, the Pre-Integration Era Committee is at the plate for Baseball Hall of Fame evaluations and inductions not being done by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The Pre-Integration Era covers the period from 1876, when the National League was formed, to 1946, the last year before Major League Baseball became integrated with the introduction of African-American players Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby into, respectively, the National League and American League.