Fink Thinks: A Future Hall of Fame Weekend
Three men were immortalized Sunday afternoon after being enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY.
The lone player inducted was 1987 National League Most Valuable Player and eight-time All-Star outfielder Andre Dawson who, along with Willie Mays and Barry Bonds, belongs on a short list of men with more than 400 homers and 300 stolen bases.
New Hall of Fame skipper Whitey Herzog won three National League pennants and one World Series while managing the St. Louis Cardinals during the 1980s. The super-popular Herzog also managed the Kansas City Royals during the second-half of the 1970s, winning three division crowns in a city that had never experienced postseason baseball.
Having watched the careers of Dawson and Herzog from behind home plate, Doug Harvey became the ninth umpire enshrined into Cooperstown. An official during five World Series, six All-Star games and nine NL Championship Series, Harvey was known as an excellent arbiter with an authoritative on-field demeanor.
Also honored were broadcaster Jon Miller, New York Daily News sports writer Bill Madden and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty, whose classic song "Centerfield" has been played during Baseball's Hall of Fame ceremonies for more than a decade.
Four hours south of induction Sunday, the New York Yankees hosted the Royals in a rain-delayed getaway day matinee. In uniform were two men who will one day join many of their fellow Bomber brethren as Cooperstown legends.
In 1996, a rookie named Derek Jeter and a sophomore reliever named Mariano Rivera helped end the longest world championship drought in Yankees history.
Since their respective debuts, the club has made the playoffs each year save for 2008 -- all while winning five world titles.
Jeter, the all-time hits leader in club history and among all shortstops, has won four Gold Gloves while finishing in the top three for MVP on three occasions. Accomplishing two major feats in 2000, the 11-time All-Star became the first-ever player to win the Midsummer Classic and World Series MVP awards in the same season.
For every career hit recorded, Jeter has helped countless others through his goodwill, too. .
In 2009, the benevolent Yankee captain was named Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year" and also earned the "Roberto Clemente Award," which is bestowed annually to one Major Leaguer who combines a dedication for giving back to the community with outstanding on-field skills.
Jeter's best known charity is the 15-year-old "Turn 2" Foundation, which supports various programs and activities designed to steer youth towards a healthy lifestyle and away from drugs and alcohol.
In an age of haughty athletes, No. 2 is a Hall of Fame human being.
Having donned pinstripes since May 1995, Mariano Rivera is presently the patriarch of Yankee players.
With 547 career saves, Rivera ranks second all-time behind the declining Trevor Hoffman, who lost his closer job with the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this season.
Since 1913, Mo's career 2.21 ERA ranks second-best behind Eddie Cicotte (2.20) among those with at least 1000 innings pitched. But unlike Cicotte, who played much of his career during Baseball's dead ball era, Rivera has dominated during the age of the hitter.
While his regular season stats alone warrant Cooperstown entry, Rivera has been even better on Baseball's biggest stage, recording an all-time best 0.74 ERA in 133 1/3 postseason innings pitched. The 0.74 ERA, which is no typo, is far better than his two closest competitors, Sandy Koufax (0.95 ERA) and Christy Mathewson (1.06 ERA).
Pretty good company, I'd say.
Rivera, a legend even by Hall of Fame standards, will too reach immortality five years after hanging up his cleats.
And just like the past 16 years, Jeter will be behind Mo that day, cheering him on.
