HOBOKEN, N.J. - It seemed like an ordinary game, and in many respects, it was. Jersey City played Newark today at Dickerson Field. The Skeeters were in seventh place in the International League, while the Bears are tied for first. Ten games separated the teams in the standings, but you wouldn't know it, as the hosts obliterated Newark, 9-3. Jersey City right fielder Harley Turner thrilled the fans, going 4-for-4 and driving in three runs. The hits pulled Turner's average up to .398, giving him the league lead.
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| Young |
The real story, though, is who was in the stands. Specifically, five men who, earlier in the day, made baseball history. The Jersey City/Newark match was, in fact, the first Hall of Fame Game, and the five men? Well, you might have heard of them. They go by the names Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Napoleon Lajoie. This morning, they were inducted into the Professional Baseball Hall of Fame.
Young, of course, is arguably the greatest pitcher in baseball history. With 511 wins, Young's career total is unlikely to be matched. He also struck out 2,803 batters in his career, which was the mark when he retired. A star in both the National and American Leagues, Young's mark on professional baseball is such that both leagues opted to name their outstanding pitcher awards after him.
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| Cobb |
Cobb was such a prolific record holder that he actually holds the record for records. Nobody in baseball owns more career and single-season marks than the "Georgia Peach," including the standards for hits, games, at-bats, runs and singles. The only player to reach the 4,000 hit plateau, Cobb stands alone amongst the greats of the game.
Mathewson is joint-third all-time in wins by a pitcher, and made his fame in the 1905 Series, when he shut out the Athletics three times in just six days. "Matty" used his curve ball to strike out 2,502 hapless batters. Doubtless amongst that number was Wagner, but no doubt "Hans" had his share of success against Mathewson, and all pitchers, as well. The Dutchman was a batting champion for eight seasons and stole 722 bases, the most in National League history. He is also regarded as the greatest fielding shortstop in the game.
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| Lajoie |
It's safe to say that Nap Lajoie put the American League on the map. An established star with the Philles in the late 1890s, Lajoie legitimised not one, but two franchises. He won the Triple Crown with the Athletics in the first American League season, 1901, setting a single-season batting mark (.426) that has to this day yet to be surpassed. Legal wranglings between the two Philadelphia clubs saw Lajoie move to Cleveland, where he captained and later managed the team, renamed the "Naps" in his honor.
While the day belongs to these five men, speculation shifts to who might join them next year. The number of inductees is not set in stone, but here are five very worthy potential employees:
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| Mathewson |
Walter Johnson holds the record for strikeouts and is second to Young in wins. It is surprising that he was not selected for induction this year, but some have speculated that being an active manager (Johnson spent the past two years as Cleveland manager before being dismissed; he took up the position as Rochester manager this season) kept him out of the Hall. His credentials speak for themselves, and it will be hard to continue justifying his exclusion with flimsy excuses...Grover Cleveland Alexander shares the mark of 373 career victories with Mathewson. "Old Pete" was a champion for both the Cardinals and Phillies, and won many games with some very lousy teams...
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| Wagner |
Tris Speaker served as Cobb's foil in the American League for many years. With parallel careers, Speaker toiled in Cobb's shadow during long stints with Boston and Cleveland. The "Grey Eagle" is now the owner of the Athletics' farm club, Kansas City, and installed himself in the dugout this season. He has the Blues on top in the American Association...Eddie Collins may just be the greatest second baseman, even better than Lajoie. During the Black Sox scandal, no one doubted Collins's integrity, and he performed with distinction for both the White Sox and the Athletics as a member of Connie Mack's $100,000 infield...
Should he decide to retire this year, Babe Ruth would undoubtedly be elected to the Hall of Fame by acclamation. Inarguably the greatest hitter of all time, Ruth has shattered all power records, holding the single-season and career marks for home runs and the career claim on runs batted in, walks and strikeouts. To hit big, you have to swing big.
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