Ron Santo: Should He Be In The Hall Of Fame?
Selection to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Ohio is an honor bestowed upon the greatest of the great in Major League Baseball. There are only 289 inductees of which 202 are players. It is a very select group considering baseball has been around for more than 100 years.
With that in mind, should Ron Santo be elected to the Hall of Fame?
It is without a doubt that if you are a Chicago Cubs fan Ron Santo should have been selected a long time ago. His number has been retired and flies with Ernie Banks on the left field pole.
But it takes more that just being a very popular former Chicago Cubs. Each year the Baseball Writers Association of America votes on who should be elected. To be voted a player must be named on 75% of the ballots cast. There is a five year wait after retirement for a player to eligible. The writers vote is based on the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.
So election is definitely not just about numbers. In fact, even though we look at statistics to evaluate players on a regular basis, the selection process is very subjective. In fact there are no performance qualifications.
I'm sorry Cubs fans, Ron Santo didn't make it. In fact during his 15 years of eligibility he really didn't come close. The highest percentage was 43%. But getting 75% or better is a pretty high threshold to reach.
But that doesn't mean we are done. Hall of Fame candidates have a second chance. There is a veterans committee. This committee is made up of the living members of the Hall of Fame, which now includes 65 members. There are 20-25 names nominated of which 10 are selected. A vote is taken every other year. And to be selected you must be named on 75% of the ballots cast.
Ron Santo is on the list of 10 so he still has a chance. But the question is still, should Ron Santo be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
If you look at statistics, Santo stacks up well against members of the Hall. He meets all the basic requirements. Over 15 seasons he batted .277. He hit 342 home runs, had 1331 RBI and 2,254 base hits. He was a 9 time All Star and won 5 Gold Glove awards. He compares favorably with players who have been selected. He is not an overwhelming choice by anyone’s standards. But his numbers do stack up.
The selection process is not just about numbers. It is about his record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contributions to the team, the Chicago Cubs. And this is where I make my argument. Ron Santo was everything a ball club would want in their player. Forget the numbers, Ron Santo has as much integrity, sportsmanship, and character as any member of the Hall of Fame.
His contributions to the Cubs as a player and its representative is right up there next to Ernie Banks and Billy Williams, two Hall of Fame members Ron Santo played most of his career with.
Ron Santo is one of the more beloved Chicago Cubs. The Cubs organization retired his number on September 23, 2003. Ron has been a member of the WGN radio broadcast since 1990.
It is under this premise that I feel without reservation Ron Santo deserves to be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Don't you?
Questions and Answers
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