THE BALLOT IS IN

The Baseball hall of fame vote was just released earlier this week, and after falling short eight times Rich “Goose” Gossage was voted into the hall of fame. The hall of fame requires a 75 percent vote, “Goose” received 85.8 percent. Gossage was known for his fiery fastball and temperament. He was a nine time all star and pitched for nine different MLB teams from 1972- 1994. Gossage had 310 saves and in 52 of those he got 7 outs or more. Gossage will likely go to the Hall of Fame wearing Yankee’s pinstripes. He spent 6 seasons with the Yanks and won his only World Series with them in 1978.

While it was a great day for Gossage, Jim Rice was looked over again in his second to last year on the ballot; he will appear on the ballot next year for his fifteenth and final try. Rice only received 72.2 percent of the votes he needed. Rice played his entire 16-year career as a solid member of the Boston Red Sox team. He led the AL in home runs in 1977, 1978, and 1983. Rice finished his career with a batting average of .298, 2,452 hits, and 382 home runs. In his time he was considered one of the greats, now he has one-year left to wait and see if he will finally go the Hall of Fame.

Gossage will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 27th along with former commissioner Bowie Kuhn, ex-Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss, former Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, and managers Dick Williams and Billy Southworth whom were all elected last month by the Veterans Committee.
*jana*