Old Time NL Ump O'Day makes the HOF

[nyasablue]

Old time National League umpire Hank O'Day was elected to the Baseball HOF by the successor to the Veteran's Committee, the Pre-Intergration Era Committee.

tinyurl.com/clh9mmm

O'Day made one of ballsiest calls EVER in the infamous Merkle's Boner game of 1908, when Fred Merkle failed to touch second on what was theoretically a winning base hit. In a day when an umpire pretty much took his life in his hands going out there. It even gets mentioned by members of the committee.

In the non officiating world, they also finally voted in Jacob Ruppert - over 70 years after the man died. Which means Steinbrenner was a few years to wait yet!

[FredFan7]

Wow! Didn't see this one coming. Good for the umps!

[nyasablue]

I think the Baseball HOF did a great thing by changing the Veteran's Committee by giving it nice mix of ex-players, baseball people and writers, and then having them concentrate on specific eras each year. This way they can focus on that era, and really see who belongs from that era. I think you will see more umpires get in this way - next year it is the post-1972 era being looked at, and look for Wendelstadt to start getting votes.

[FredFan7]

Think Froemming might get votes too?

[nyasablue]

Dec 5, 2012 16:45:22 GMT -5 FredFan7 said:

Think Froemming might get votes too?

What might push Harry over the top is how he was very active in the spreading of decent umpire training throughout the world. I mean, this last summer, I found a place where I could watch streaming of games from Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, plus Mexico and South America, and I will have to say I saw mechanics consistent at MLB standards EVERYwhere. And i think a lot of that was Harry reaching out, both through his school and also from other ways.