Wednesday, January 8, 2014

The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same



The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same

 


The old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Logic would then tell us that if it is broke, fix it. The sad thing is though, when it comes to the Baseball Hall of Fame, logic left town a long time ago and has yet to resurface. No matter the results of today’s Hall of Fame vote, deserving candidates will  be left out in the cold, and those in the camp of believers that PED users deserve inclusion will be up in arms. There’s no pleasing everyone and there is no happy medium but the point still stands. The Baseball Hall of Fame voting process is broken and no one is allowed to fix it.

Before discussing this year’s inductees and omissions I want to first talk about PEDs. Anyone who has admitted to using PEDs and anyone being followed around by a cloud of suspicion will never get inducted because the Baseball Writers and fans as well have become the morality police. Stop and Frisk is a big problem here in New York City, but in Cooperstown and all across America, Stop and Judge is far worse. Now don’t get me wrong, I am certainly not condoning players usage of PEDs and steroids, but I would like to know why it’s ok to live in a world where these players stories are not a part of the baseball narrative. They cannot be treated as nonexistent, non-contributing entities.

If not for Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in 1998 who knows what the state of baseball would be now. The strike of 1994 put baseball in the cellar as far as popularity and attendance. McGwire and Sosa brought fans and excitement back to America’s Game. Yes, we now know they cheated, but the debt of gratitude they deserve for helping rescue baseball cannot go unrecognized. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens get shunned and blackballed for being cheaters even though A) they were Hall of Fame worthy players before picking fruit from the poisonous tree and B) Gaylord Perry gets inducted and celebrated even though he doctored more balls than an urologist. Cocaine was a huge problem in baseball at one time but the players from the coke era could do no wrong when it comes to the “old school thinkers.”So doctoring balls and narcotics are good, but needles are bad.

In television and movies we love the heroes who bend the rules and do whatever it takes to get the job done but on the baseball diamond everyone must be an altar boy who grows up to be a priest, who then performs miracles and ends up being canonized. Baseball may well be America’s pastime, but let’s stop putting it on a pedestal as the be all and end all in judgment.

I’m not even sure there’s reason enough to go into what it will take to fix the process because not only am I not that smart, but even if someone were to come up with a fantastic idea that would be beneficial to all, the curmudgeons will attack in full force because, NO CHANGE!!!!

No matter the player and no matter the road they took to get to the final destination, if they are Hall of Fame worthy they deserve to be in one way or another. Now onto the Class of 2014. Three excellent candidates will gain enshrinement and any arguments for other players, no matter how deserving, should diminish their moment and their glory. Congratulations to Tom Glavine, Frank Thomas, and the greatest right handed pitcher of my lifetime, Greg Maddux. You have entered Heaven without a stay in purgatory and are now Gods walking amongst us mere mortals.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Tribute to a Legend


Tribute to a Legend

 

“If a man can bridge the gap between life and death, if he can live on after he’s dead, then maybe he was a great man.”

 James Dean was the author of that quote, and not only is it a fitting quote to describe his life since his passing, but exemplifies the life of the one and only Jerry Coleman. The average baseball fan may not know who Jerry Coleman was, but to hardcore fans and people who love the game like no other, Jerry Coleman was the standard.

Coleman’s career was postponed at the start when World War II duty called, and later put his career on hold to serve in the Korean War. He is the only player to ever fly combat missions during two wars. He won numerous medals for his service time and achievements accomplished during. Besides being a great baseball player, he was a great American.

When he was playing baseball and not serving his country, Coleman was named the Rookie of the Year in 1949, and followed that campaign up with an All-Star selection in 1950, as well as the Babe Ruth Award, for the Most Valuable Player in the World Series. Coleman would win 4 World Series championships, all with the Yankees, with whom he spent his entire playing career.

Coleman never considered a career in broadcasting once his playing days were over, but a meeting with the great Howard Cosell changed all that. The man who never really thought about broadcasting would go on to win the Ford C. Fricke Award in 2005, given annually by the Baseball Hall of Fame to a broadcaster for major contributions to the game.

 

Jerry Coleman Accomplishments

1949 Rookie of the Year

1950 All-Star and World Series MVP

2005 Ford C. Fricke Award Winner

2007 National Radio Hall of Fame Inductee

2011 International Aerospace Hall of Fame Inductee

2012-Statue erected outside of Petco Park

Recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross

Recipient of the Air Medal

Recipient of the American Campaign Medal

Recipient of the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal

Recipient of the World War II Victory Medal

Recipient of the National Defense Service Medal

Recipient of the Korean Service Medal

Recipient of the United Nations Service Medal

Recipient of the Philippine Liberation Medal

 

When I look at a career, and more importantly a life that fulfilling I can’t help but feel a great loss and a terrible sadness for his family. Even though I didn’t personally know Mr. Coleman, hearing his voice calling games, and hearing the kind anecdotes of every person who did know him, I felt as if I did. The baseball world and the United States of America lost a great man. Rest in Peace Mr. Coleman. You lived a life that most of us could only dream of, and one that makes us say, “Oh doctor! You can hang a star on that baby.”