| OFFSEASON
HIGHLIGHTS |
|
Mickey Mantle,
the league's all-time leader in hits,
home runs, and numerous other batting
categories, hung up their cleats
for the last time. Next stop:
Beachville. Three-time Cy Young
Award winner Johnny Podres and Felix Mantilla, who
won pennants with Louisville, Brooklyn,
Los Angeles, and Chicago, will join
Mantle on next year's HOF ballot.
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| HALL OF FAME
BALLOTING |
|
Hank Aaron
|
93%
|
|
Pedro Ramos
|
71
|
|
Carl
Erskine
|
69
|
|
Eddie
Mathews
|
65
|
|
Ray
Narleski
|
64
|
|
Harvey
Kuenn
|
55
|
|
Bob Friend
|
54
|
|
Joe Adcock
|
51
|
|
Don Mossi
|
44
|
|
|
|
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HALL OF FAME ISSUE
 Hank Hammers Into Hall
BEACHVILLE, Ont. (Nov. 1) –
Hammerin' Hank Aaron breezed
into the Hall of Fame today with a comfortable 93
percent of possible votes, the second highest tally in
the five years of the current voting system. Aaron
was a five-time "Ullie" and eight-time Gold Glove and
became the single-season home run king with 50 dingers
in 1964. Aaron was a big part of the Louisville
Colonels rise from doormat to elite club. The
Colonels finished in the bottom two in each of their
first four seasons but posted their first winning record
in Aaron's rookie campaign and won pennants in 1958 and
1960. Hank went on to win four pennants in his
last six seasons, with Los Angeles in 1968, Brooklyn in
1969, and Chicago in 1972 and 1973. Aaron becomes
the Hall's 12th member, but only the third outfielder
after Ralph Kiner and Willie Mays, and the second
Louisville Colonel after Johnny Antonelli.
Pedro Ramos, a 277-game winner making his first
appearance on the ballot, came the closest to election
without being elected, winning 71 percent of votes, and
Carl Erskine recorded his highest percentage to date, 69
percent. Eddie Mathews continued his slow climb
since his 1972 debut, from 53 to 58 and now 65 percent,
but Ray Narleski dropped from 70 to 64 percent.
Harvey Kuenn, Joe Adcock, Don Mossi, and newcomer Bob
Friend all finished at 55 percent or below.
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