Baseball Hall of Fame remains sacred | From the Sidelines
On Jan. 26, we will learn who the 2021 class is for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
While I do not yet have a Hall of Fame vote, I have interviewed or covered more than 100 Hall of Famers over my 30-plus year career. A writer has to be a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America for 10 consecutive years before getting a Hall of Fame vote.
If I had a vote, the only two players I would include on my ballot this year would be Curt Schilling and Jeff Kent. A lot of glamorous names would be missing, so let me briefly explain why the likes of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens would be left off my card.
The Baseball Hall of Fame is by far the most sacred of all the halls of fame. While there are plenty of players in the Hall with sketchy, tarnished and questionable reputations, none are enshrined who likely used performance enhancing drugs.
Bonds and Clemens are at the top of the list as those who likely used those substances, which I’ll refer to as PED. Others suspected, or caught, include Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Gary Sheffield, Juan Gonzalez, Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle, Andrew Jones, Andy Pettitte, Robinson Cano and even Todd Helton.
Trying to gain an advantage over an opponent has always been a part of the game. But when PED use became more prevalent in baseball beginning in the 1980s and into the 2000s, the integrity of the game was brought into question.
I suggest that if even one player caught or suspected of PED use is in the Hall now, then they all should be in. I strongly oppose PED use, but I don’t think it’s right to pick and choose which of the players who may or may not have used PEDs should be in the Hall.
Next, I want to focus on how blessed I have been to talk one-on-one with many of the game’s greats.
My heart sank a couple of weeks ago when former Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda died at the age of 93. I had the pleasure of interviewing Lasorda one-on-one on many occasions. I even had his telephone number and called him on occasion at his home in Fullerton, California. Lasorsa was always kind to me and gracious with his time. He was a prince of a man and I will miss him.
In 2020, seven Hall of Famers died — Lou Brock, Tom Seaver, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan, Bob Gibson, Whitey Ford and Phil Niekro. I interviewed or had casual conversations with all of them except for Ford and Niekro.
Here is a list of the Hall of Famers I’ve been honored to interview: Roberto Alomar, Sparky Anderson, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Craig Biggio, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Rod Carew, Gary Carter, Orlando Cepeda, Joe DiMaggio, Larry Doby, Bobby Doerr, Don Drysdale, Dennis Eckersley, Bob Feller, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Pat Gillick, Tom Glavine, Goose Gossage, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, Randy Johnson, Harmon Killebrew, Tony LaRussa, Bob Lemon, Greg Maddux, Mickey Mantle, Juan Marichal, Edgar Martinez, Bill Mazeroski, Willie Mays, Johnny Mize, Paul Molitor, Jack Morris, Eddie Murray, Mike Mussina, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry, Mike Piazza, Kirby Puckett, Pee Wee Reese, Cal Ripken Jr., Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Ryne Sandberg, Red Schoendienst, Enos Slaughter, Lee Smith, Ozzie Smith, John Smoltz, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Joe Torre, Alan Trammell, Larry Walker, Billy Williams, Dick Williams, Dave Winfield and Robin Yount.
Among the Hall of Famers I saw play, manage or coach are Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, Carl Yastrzemski, Frank Thomas, Don Sutton, Earl Weaver, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Mike Schmidt, Jim Rice, Willie McCovey and Catfish Hunter.
Sadly, many of the players I have listed in this column have died. A lot of the others are getting up in years. But in my mind they are still young and graceful.
Gossage, is the most famous baseball player to ever come out of the Pikes Peak region. A 1970 graduate of Wasson High School, he will turn 70 on July 5. He plans on attending the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies this summer in Cooperstown, New York. Goose has been a regular at the induction ceremonies since he was honored with enshrinement in 2008.
I hope this walk down memory lane has been as much fun for you as it has been for me.
Danny Summers has been covering sports in the Pikes Peak region since 2001. Send story ideas and feedback to danny.summers@pikespeaknewspapers.com.
Baseball Hall of Fame remains sacred | From the Sidelines
On Jan. 26, we will learn who the 2021 class is for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
While I do not yet have a Hall of Fame vote, I have interviewed or covered more than 100 Hall of Famers over my 30-plus year career. A writer has to be a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America for 10 consecutive years before getting a Hall of Fame vote.
If I had a vote, the only two players I would include on my ballot this year would be Curt Schilling and Jeff Kent. A lot of glamorous names would be missing, so let me briefly explain why the likes of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens would be left off my card.
The Baseball Hall of Fame is by far the most sacred of all the halls of fame. While there are plenty of players in the Hall with sketchy, tarnished and questionable reputations, none are enshrined who likely used performance enhancing drugs.
Bonds and Clemens are at the top of the list as those who likely used those substances, which I’ll refer to as PED. Others suspected, or caught, include Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Gary Sheffield, Juan Gonzalez, Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle, Andrew Jones, Andy Pettitte, Robinson Cano and even Todd Helton.
Trying to gain an advantage over an opponent has always been a part of the game. But when PED use became more prevalent in baseball beginning in the 1980s and into the 2000s, the integrity of the game was brought into question.
I suggest that if even one player caught or suspected of PED use is in the Hall now, then they all should be in. I strongly oppose PED use, but I don’t think it’s right to pick and choose which of the players who may or may not have used PEDs should be in the Hall.
Next, I want to focus on how blessed I have been to talk one-on-one with many of the game’s greats.
My heart sank a couple of weeks ago when former Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda died at the age of 93. I had the pleasure of interviewing Lasorda one-on-one on many occasions. I even had his telephone number and called him on occasion at his home in Fullerton, California. Lasorsa was always kind to me and gracious with his time. He was a prince of a man and I will miss him.
In 2020, seven Hall of Famers died — Lou Brock, Tom Seaver, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan, Bob Gibson, Whitey Ford and Phil Niekro. I interviewed or had casual conversations with all of them except for Ford and Niekro.
Here is a list of the Hall of Famers I’ve been honored to interview: Roberto Alomar, Sparky Anderson, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Craig Biggio, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Rod Carew, Gary Carter, Orlando Cepeda, Joe DiMaggio, Larry Doby, Bobby Doerr, Don Drysdale, Dennis Eckersley, Bob Feller, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Pat Gillick, Tom Glavine, Goose Gossage, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, Randy Johnson, Harmon Killebrew, Tony LaRussa, Bob Lemon, Greg Maddux, Mickey Mantle, Juan Marichal, Edgar Martinez, Bill Mazeroski, Willie Mays, Johnny Mize, Paul Molitor, Jack Morris, Eddie Murray, Mike Mussina, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry, Mike Piazza, Kirby Puckett, Pee Wee Reese, Cal Ripken Jr., Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Ryne Sandberg, Red Schoendienst, Enos Slaughter, Lee Smith, Ozzie Smith, John Smoltz, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Joe Torre, Alan Trammell, Larry Walker, Billy Williams, Dick Williams, Dave Winfield and Robin Yount.
Among the Hall of Famers I saw play, manage or coach are Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, Carl Yastrzemski, Frank Thomas, Don Sutton, Earl Weaver, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Mike Schmidt, Jim Rice, Willie McCovey and Catfish Hunter.
Sadly, many of the players I have listed in this column have died. A lot of the others are getting up in years. But in my mind they are still young and graceful.
Gossage, is the most famous baseball player to ever come out of the Pikes Peak region. A 1970 graduate of Wasson High School, he will turn 70 on July 5. He plans on attending the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies this summer in Cooperstown, New York. Goose has been a regular at the induction ceremonies since he was honored with enshrinement in 2008.
I hope this walk down memory lane has been as much fun for you as it has been for me.
Danny Summers has been covering sports in the Pikes Peak region since 2001. Send story ideas and feedback to danny.summers@pikespeaknewspapers.com.
Baseball Hall of Fame remains sacred | From the Sidelines
On Jan. 26, we will learn who the 2021 class is for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
While I do not yet have a Hall of Fame vote, I have interviewed or covered more than 100 Hall of Famers over my 30-plus year career. A writer has to be a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America for 10 consecutive years before getting a Hall of Fame vote.
If I had a vote, the only two players I would include on my ballot this year would be Curt Schilling and Jeff Kent. A lot of glamorous names would be missing, so let me briefly explain why the likes of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens would be left off my card.
The Baseball Hall of Fame is by far the most sacred of all the halls of fame. While there are plenty of players in the Hall with sketchy, tarnished and questionable reputations, none are enshrined who likely used performance enhancing drugs.
Bonds and Clemens are at the top of the list as those who likely used those substances, which I’ll refer to as PED. Others suspected, or caught, include Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Gary Sheffield, Juan Gonzalez, Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle, Andrew Jones, Andy Pettitte, Robinson Cano and even Todd Helton.
Trying to gain an advantage over an opponent has always been a part of the game. But when PED use became more prevalent in baseball beginning in the 1980s and into the 2000s, the integrity of the game was brought into question.
I suggest that if even one player caught or suspected of PED use is in the Hall now, then they all should be in. I strongly oppose PED use, but I don’t think it’s right to pick and choose which of the players who may or may not have used PEDs should be in the Hall.
Next, I want to focus on how blessed I have been to talk one-on-one with many of the game’s greats.
My heart sank a couple of weeks ago when former Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda died at the age of 93. I had the pleasure of interviewing Lasorda one-on-one on many occasions. I even had his telephone number and called him on occasion at his home in Fullerton, California. Lasorsa was always kind to me and gracious with his time. He was a prince of a man and I will miss him.
In 2020, seven Hall of Famers died — Lou Brock, Tom Seaver, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan, Bob Gibson, Whitey Ford and Phil Niekro. I interviewed or had casual conversations with all of them except for Ford and Niekro.
Here is a list of the Hall of Famers I’ve been honored to interview: Roberto Alomar, Sparky Anderson, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Craig Biggio, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Rod Carew, Gary Carter, Orlando Cepeda, Joe DiMaggio, Larry Doby, Bobby Doerr, Don Drysdale, Dennis Eckersley, Bob Feller, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Pat Gillick, Tom Glavine, Goose Gossage, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, Randy Johnson, Harmon Killebrew, Tony LaRussa, Bob Lemon, Greg Maddux, Mickey Mantle, Juan Marichal, Edgar Martinez, Bill Mazeroski, Willie Mays, Johnny Mize, Paul Molitor, Jack Morris, Eddie Murray, Mike Mussina, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry, Mike Piazza, Kirby Puckett, Pee Wee Reese, Cal Ripken Jr., Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Ryne Sandberg, Red Schoendienst, Enos Slaughter, Lee Smith, Ozzie Smith, John Smoltz, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Joe Torre, Alan Trammell, Larry Walker, Billy Williams, Dick Williams, Dave Winfield and Robin Yount.
Among the Hall of Famers I saw play, manage or coach are Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, Carl Yastrzemski, Frank Thomas, Don Sutton, Earl Weaver, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Mike Schmidt, Jim Rice, Willie McCovey and Catfish Hunter.
Sadly, many of the players I have listed in this column have died. A lot of the others are getting up in years. But in my mind they are still young and graceful.
Gossage, is the most famous baseball player to ever come out of the Pikes Peak region. A 1970 graduate of Wasson High School, he will turn 70 on July 5. He plans on attending the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies this summer in Cooperstown, New York. Goose has been a regular at the induction ceremonies since he was honored with enshrinement in 2008.
I hope this walk down memory lane has been as much fun for you as it has been for me.
Danny Summers has been covering sports in the Pikes Peak region since 2001. Send story ideas and feedback to danny.summers@pikespeaknewspapers.com.
Baseball Hall of Fame remains sacred | From the Sidelines
On Jan. 26, we will learn who the 2021 class is for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
While I do not yet have a Hall of Fame vote, I have interviewed or covered more than 100 Hall of Famers over my 30-plus year career. A writer has to be a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America for 10 consecutive years before getting a Hall of Fame vote.
If I had a vote, the only two players I would include on my ballot this year would be Curt Schilling and Jeff Kent. A lot of glamorous names would be missing, so let me briefly explain why the likes of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens would be left off my card.
The Baseball Hall of Fame is by far the most sacred of all the halls of fame. While there are plenty of players in the Hall with sketchy, tarnished and questionable reputations, none are enshrined who likely used performance enhancing drugs.
Bonds and Clemens are at the top of the list as those who likely used those substances, which I’ll refer to as PED. Others suspected, or caught, include Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Gary Sheffield, Juan Gonzalez, Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle, Andrew Jones, Andy Pettitte, Robinson Cano and even Todd Helton.
Trying to gain an advantage over an opponent has always been a part of the game. But when PED use became more prevalent in baseball beginning in the 1980s and into the 2000s, the integrity of the game was brought into question.
I suggest that if even one player caught or suspected of PED use is in the Hall now, then they all should be in. I strongly oppose PED use, but I don’t think it’s right to pick and choose which of the players who may or may not have used PEDs should be in the Hall.
Next, I want to focus on how blessed I have been to talk one-on-one with many of the game’s greats.
My heart sank a couple of weeks ago when former Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda died at the age of 93. I had the pleasure of interviewing Lasorda one-on-one on many occasions. I even had his telephone number and called him on occasion at his home in Fullerton, California. Lasorsa was always kind to me and gracious with his time. He was a prince of a man and I will miss him.
In 2020, seven Hall of Famers died — Lou Brock, Tom Seaver, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan, Bob Gibson, Whitey Ford and Phil Niekro. I interviewed or had casual conversations with all of them except for Ford and Niekro.
Here is a list of the Hall of Famers I’ve been honored to interview: Roberto Alomar, Sparky Anderson, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Craig Biggio, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Rod Carew, Gary Carter, Orlando Cepeda, Joe DiMaggio, Larry Doby, Bobby Doerr, Don Drysdale, Dennis Eckersley, Bob Feller, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Pat Gillick, Tom Glavine, Goose Gossage, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, Randy Johnson, Harmon Killebrew, Tony LaRussa, Bob Lemon, Greg Maddux, Mickey Mantle, Juan Marichal, Edgar Martinez, Bill Mazeroski, Willie Mays, Johnny Mize, Paul Molitor, Jack Morris, Eddie Murray, Mike Mussina, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry, Mike Piazza, Kirby Puckett, Pee Wee Reese, Cal Ripken Jr., Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Ryne Sandberg, Red Schoendienst, Enos Slaughter, Lee Smith, Ozzie Smith, John Smoltz, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Joe Torre, Alan Trammell, Larry Walker, Billy Williams, Dick Williams, Dave Winfield and Robin Yount.
Among the Hall of Famers I saw play, manage or coach are Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, Carl Yastrzemski, Frank Thomas, Don Sutton, Earl Weaver, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Mike Schmidt, Jim Rice, Willie McCovey and Catfish Hunter.
Sadly, many of the players I have listed in this column have died. A lot of the others are getting up in years. But in my mind they are still young and graceful.
Gossage, is the most famous baseball player to ever come out of the Pikes Peak region. A 1970 graduate of Wasson High School, he will turn 70 on July 5. He plans on attending the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies this summer in Cooperstown, New York. Goose has been a regular at the induction ceremonies since he was honored with enshrinement in 2008.
I hope this walk down memory lane has been as much fun for you as it has been for me.
Danny Summers has been covering sports in the Pikes Peak region since 2001. Send story ideas and feedback to danny.summers@pikespeaknewspapers.com.