A Damn Shame

Next time you have a weekend to spare and you want to go away, perhaps enjoy some of the wonderful history of our national pastime, forget it. Go to the ball park, be it major or minor leagues. Grab yourself a hot dog and a beer and enjoy the game. That's what it's about.

It certainly isn't about that museum in Cooperstown.

It's bad enough that a man who has more hits than anyone in history has been shunned because of something he did AFTER he played. I mean, come on, Pete Rose belongs. It's even worse that the cornerstone of two of the most loveable teams in history (1955 Brooklyn Dodgers and 1969 New York Mets) has also been shunned. Gil Hodges belongs.

They have just decided that Buck O'Neil was not hall-worthy. If you have seen Ken Burns' documentary (and if you're a baseball fanatic, you have) then you know who Buck O'Neil is. If you're the historical type and love information about the negro leagues, you know who Buck O'Neil is. If you no anything about racial barriers and who was the first Afircan-American coach in the big leagues, you know who Buck O'Neil is.

If you've ever read his book or heard him talk, you know what a hall of famer is.

The man is simply one of the greatest ambassadors the game has ever known. He has done more for the game of baseball than dozens who are in the hall today. Kirby Puckett, Don Sutton, Tony Perez, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and others are in the hall of fame and simply have not done for baseball what this man has.

Let's take a look, shall we?

30 years in the negro leagues as a player or manager
2 time batting champion
3 time All Star
Managed team to 4 league championships
Played in 2 others
As scout for the Chicago Cubs, scouted talent such as Lou Brock and Ernie Banks
Became first black major league coach in 1962 for the Cubs
Named midwest Scout of the Year in 1998 as scout for Kansas City Royals
Board Chairman of Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City, MO
Member of the 19-man Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee and was key in getting several negro league stars into Cooperstown
Subject of countless interviews

Who needs Cooperstown. Buck O'Neil is the Hall of Fame.