Let's All Remember Thurman Munson Today

[Kenny Cole]

Unfortunately IMO, you don't get any extra HOF consideration for dying young while playing great. Joss and Youngs are the only two exceptions I can think of and their elections came decades after their deaths and in Youngs' case, during what is generally considered to be the apex of veterans committee cronyism. I don't see it happening.

[JollyElm]

Why don't you two take your soap boxes somewhere else. Jesus!! Have some class.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Why don't you two take your soap boxes somewhere else. Jesus!! Have some class.

Are we dishonoring his memory by discussing his HOF credentials? Give me a break.

[Econteachert205]

This from a Red Sox Fan, but I do think Munson has HOF chops. Campanella played 500 games in the negro leagues and started playing at 16 but reasonably speaking how many extra mlb seasons would Campy have had? His accident occured when he was 35, Munson's when he was 32, so if you consider that 3 years difference and comp Campanella those years on the front end it's a wash. Munson had less power but better average, both were winners on winning teams. If I look at it from a yankee perspective, how is Joe Gordon in and Munson not? What about a Lou Boudreau? My argument really is less about whether Munson belongs in the Hall on a stand alone basis. It's more about the fact that the Hall sometimes seems to be about pure excellence, and other times about politics, popularity and emotion. If it is the latter, and it is, then what harm to the "integrity" of the hall is it to add a guy who was 10 years in and on his way and killed through no fault of his own?

[vthobby]

Lets see.....

Do any of these Hall of Famers ring a bell?

Bid McPhee....I thought not!

Schoendienst: 84 HRs, almost the same RBIs as Munson in almost double the time and lower OBP than Munson .337

Lindstrom: 1747 hits just a smidge over Munson, 103 whopping HRs, and about the same RBIs as Munson

Aparicio: .311 on base %

Tinker: he thanks the heavens they made Poets

and how about another Catcher that is in the hall: Ray Schalk (less hits, less RBIs, .253 BA, and .340 on base (all below Munson)

Munson: 7 time all star, 1 MVP, 1558 hits, .292 BA, .346 on base % and all this from a Catcher which is one of the most demanding positions on the Diamond.

If you doubt his Hall of Fame potential then you are delusional as are 90% of the writers that follow the herd.

Oh....and I'm a Red Sox Fan!

Nuff Said McGreavy

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by vtgmsc

Lets see.....

Do any of these Hall of Famers ring a bell?

Bid McPhee....I thought not!

Schoendienst: 84 HRs, almost the same RBIs as Munson in almost double the time and lower OBP than Munson .337

Lindstrom: 1747 hits just a smidge over Munson, 103 whopping HRs, and about the same RBIs as Munson

Aparicio: .311 on base %

Tinker: he thanks the heavens they made Poets

and how about another Catcher that is in the hall: Ray Schalk (less hits, less RBIs, .253 BA, and .340 on base (all below Munson)

Munson: 7 time all star, 1 MVP, 1558 hits, .292 BA, .346 on base % and all this from a Catcher which is one of the most demanding positions on the Diamond.

If you doubt his Hall of Fame potential then you are delusional as are 90% of the writers that follow the herd.

Oh....and I'm a Red Sox Fan!

Nuff Said McGreavy

You just identified perhaps the 6 least worthy members of the Hall to make your case. The far better question is, if those guys are in, why not Garvey, Hodges and Oliva?

[vthobby]

That's not the point. You missed it.

mike

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by vtgmsc

That's not the point. You missed it.

mike

I didn't miss it at all. Naming 6 people who should NOT be in the HOF does not mean someone comparable SHOULD be. It's ultimately an argument for infinite expansion.

[Econteachert205]

I think it's more an argument for a purely statistical based HOF which is why the women's golf hof is so interesting.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Kenny Cole

Unfortunately IMO, you don't get any extra HOF consideration for dying young while playing great. Joss and Youngs are the only two exceptions I can think of and their elections came decades after their deaths and in Youngs' case, during what is generally considered to be the apex of veterans committee cronyism. I don't see it happening.

You're just not going to get into the Hall with 113 HR and 701 RBI, whether you die young or your career is cut short otherwise. But that has no bearing in my opinion on his legacy as the best catcher of the 70s == yeah he was better than Fisk.

[JMANOS]

He was my favorite player and my mother went to high school with him at Canton Lehman High in Canton as well as his sister Darla Munson.