A baseball star is not a twinkling light. A baseball star is there every night you look up into the lineup, reliance blending seamlessly with brilliance.
For two decades, Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn went to work every day, never changing teams, perfecting their craft with rolled-up sleeves and engaging smiles. On Tuesday, they were awarded for their consistent excellence with enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.
Both were landslide selections, Ripken receiving 98.5 percent of the vote, the third-highest percentage ever. Gwynn recorded 97.6 percent, his chilling steadiness impossible to ignore in an election in which Mark McGwire was soundly rejected (23.5 percent) and Rich “Goose” Gossage (71.2 percent) finished 21 votes shy of immortality.
“I averaged six home runs for 20 years, but what got me in was being consistent,” said Gwynn, who spent his entire career with the San Diego Padres.
“If it means being the Punch-and- Judy spokesman for a couple of months, I will be on my soapbox trumpeting that there’s a place for that player in today’s game.”
Ripken, raised as an Oriole by his father, who managed his son briefly in Baltimore, felt a sense of relief, his election as inevitable as breaking Lou Gehrig’s consecutive-games played streak once he reached 2,130.
“It’s like the extension of a boyhood dream,” Ripken said.
For Gossage, his near miss left him in a strange place, disappointment and optimism colliding. He has now failed in eight attempts to get a Hall pass, but his popularity is soaring among voters. No player has received as high a percentage as Gossage this year without eventually being elected.
“It’s such a weird feeling, like I am in, but I am not,” Gossage said. “I believe it’s going to happen, but I am not going to hold my breath, either.”
While Gossage’s candidacy grows stronger, the voters’ show of force against McGwire casts doubt about whether the slugger will ever get in. He finished with 583 home runs, but allegations of performance-enhancing drug use left him with little support.
Gwynn and Ripken, realizing their path to Cooperstown will be paved with questions about McGwire, addressed the slugger’s candidacy. Gwynn believes McGwire was penalized for his evasive appearance before Congress two years ago and implied that he’s being unfairly singled out as the poster child for the steroid era.
“You (writers) all knew, players knew, owners knew. Whether the opinion on that (issue) is going to change in a year or not, we’ll see,” Gwynn said. “I don’t mind saying that I think he’s a Hall of Famer.”
Always measured, Ripken believes the debate regarding McGwire is necessary to “clean up the sport.” But he said he was not qualified to make a judgment.
There was no argument surrounding Ripken. Though defined by his streak – 2,632 straight games – his statistics were Hall worthy as he is one of only eight players to reach 400 home runs and 3,000 hits. Gwynn finished with a .338 average and pioneered the use of videotape to analyze his swing and opposing pitchers.
“He was always looking for an edge,” Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. “With Cal and Tony, you are talking about guys who were role models and played the game the right way.”
Taking flight
It’s hard to find solace Tuesday after missing out on immortality by 21 votes, but Rich “Goose” Gossage’s Hall of Fame candidacy is growing stronger. A look at his rising popularity among Baseball Writers Association of America voters on the past four ballots, with a reminder that 75 percent is the threshold required for election:
2004: 40.7
2005: 55.2
2006: 64.6
2007: 71.2
Hall of Fame voting
545 votes cast; 409 needed
x-Cal Ripken Jr. 537 (98.5 percent), x-Tony Gwynn 532 (97.6), Rich Gossage 388 (71.2), Jim Rice 346 (63.5), Andre Dawson 309 (56.7), Bert Blyleven 260 (47.7), Lee Smith 217 (39.8), Jack Morris 202 (37.1), Mark McGwire 128 (23.5), Tommy John 125 (22.9), y-Steve Garvey 115 (21.1), Dave Concepcion 74 (13.6), Alan Trammell 73 (13.4), Dave Parker 62 (11.4), Don Mattingly 54 (9.9), Dale Murphy 50 (9.2), Harold Baines 29 (5.3).
By receiving fewer than 27 votes (less than 5 percent), Orel Hershiser 24 (4.4), Albert Belle 19 (3.5), Paul O’Neill 12 (2.2), Bret Saberhagen 7 (1.3), Jose Canseco 6 (1.1), Tony Fernandez 4 (0.7), Dante Bichette 3 (0.6), Eric Davis 3 (0.6), Bobby Bonilla 2 (0.4), Ken Caminiti 2 (0.4), Jay Buhner 1 (0.2), Scott Brosius 0 (0.0), Wally Joyner 0 (0.0), Devon White 0 (0.0), Bobby Witt 0 (0.0) are no longer eligible for election by the BBWAA.
x-elected
y-final year of eligibility for election by the BBWAA
Hall of Fame first year eligible inductees:
Hank Aaron, of, 1982; Ernie Banks, ss-1b, 1977; Johnny Bench, c, 1989; Wade Boggs, 3b. 2005; George Brett, 3b, 1999; Lou Brock, of, 1985; Rod Carew, 2b-1b, 1991; Steve Carlton, p, 1994; Ty Cobb, of, 1936; Dennis Eckersley, p, 2004; Bob Feller, p, 1962; Bob Gibson, p, 1981; Tony Gwynn, of, 2007; Reggie Jackson, of, 1993; Walter Johnson, p, 1936; Al Kaline, of, 1980; Sandy Koufax, p, 1971; Mickey Mantle, of-1b, 1974; Christy Mathewson, p, 1936; Willie Mays, of, 1979; Willie McCovey, 1b, 1986; Paul Molitor, inf-dh, 2004; Joe Morgan, 2b, 1990; Eddie Murray, 1b, 2003; Stan Musial, of-1b, 1969; Jim Palmer, p, 1990; Kirby Puckett, of, 2001; Cal Ripken Jr., ss, 2007; Brooks Robinson, 3b, 1983; Frank Robinson, of-dh, 1982; Jackie Robinson, if, 1962; Babe Ruth, of-p, 1936; Nolan Ryan, p, 1999; Mike Schmidt, 3b, 1995; Tom Seaver, p, 1992; Ozzie Smith, ss, 2002; Warren Spahn, p, 1973; Willie Stargell, of-1b, 1988; Honus Wagner, ss, 1936; Ted Williams, of, 1966; Dave Winfield, of, 2001; Carl Yastrzemski, of-1b, 1989; Robin Yount, if-of, 1999.
