Cooperstown: One of my most surreal memories where I took the mother of violinist Sarah Chang. I don't quite remember the details, but I had to keep her occupied in upstate NY for a day, so I took her to Cooperstown and we went antiquing ((BOOM!!!))

Who the hell is scared of a headless ghost?

lolwut?

I kind of want to see him go in just so we get a round of watching the videos of Steinbrenner firing him over and over again, but that's really something for Steinbrenner to be honored with. George farking Steinbrenner deserves to be in the HOF.

A separate ballot for executives and pioneers includes former owners Gene Autry (Angels), Ewing Kauffman (Royals), John Fetzer (Tigers), Jacob Ruppert (Yankees) and Sam Breadon (Cardinals) along with former players' association head Marvin Miller.

Not sure if I'd vote for Autry. West coast fans will have to weigh in. I really hope Kauffman gets in. He made baseball viable and even successful in Kansas City... and he did it virtually single-handed.

And Jacob Ruppert figures into my favorite apocryphal story about Babe Ruth, so I guess I hope he gets in too.

FishyFred: I kind of want to see him go in just so we get a round of watching the videos of Steinbrenner firing him over and over again, but that's really something for Steinbrenner to be honored with. George farking Steinbrenner deserves to be in the HOF.

this

He died as he lived. Drunk and in a ditch.

Zombie Billy Martin and Zombie Teddy Kennedy are somewhere in hell, drunk off their asses and arguing over who gets to drive.

First baseball player to ever die sliding into home.

I'd vote for him and change my mind five times.

FishyFred: And Jacob Ruppert figures into my favorite apocryphal story about Babe Ruth, so I guess I hope he gets in too.

What's the story??

Yeah, Martin was a good manager, he took teams that didn't have much talent and won with them, consistently, in Minnesota, Detroit and Texas before he did his bit with the Yankees.

But how the hell can Whitey Hertzog not be in cooperstown as a manager? It was his behind the scenes actions which took the Mets from being the league laughingstock to world champs in 1969. The job that he did with the Cardinals in the 1980's made that team one of the best of the decade. The man deserves some respect for what he has accomplished, before he dies.

Whitey Herzog should definitely be in there along with Billy Martin.

You know as painfull as it is I had to let a few people go over the years. Yogi Berra, Lou Pinella, Bucky Dent, Billy Martin, Dallas Green, Dick Houser, Bill Virdon, Billy Martin, Scott Marrow, Billy Martin, Bob Lemmon, Billy Martin, Gene Michael, Buck Showalter, ... uh, tut!, . . .George, you didn't hear that from me.

das: FishyFred: And Jacob Ruppert figures into my favorite apocryphal story about Babe Ruth, so I guess I hope he gets in too.

What's the story??

Yanks were playing the final game of a series on the road. The game went into extra innings. Ruppert was in the front row and he was looking pretty nervous. Babe went over to talk to him. He asked him what the matter was with him.

"If this game goes on much longer, we'll miss the train," he said. This was back in the time when teams traveled by train. No chartered planes for these guys.

"Don't worry," said the Babe. "I'll get us out of here."

Babe steps up and smacks the first pitch he sees out of the park. The other team goes down in order in their half of the inning and the team rushes out of there.

While they're loading their stuff on the train, Babe goes up to Ruppert and says, "You should have told me about this earlier. I could have saved you a lot of trouble!"

Billy Martin definitely deserves to be there. My favorite Billy Martin quote was his reaction to playing his first game in Seattle's Kingdome. "If this is a baseball stadium I'm a Chinese aviator."

"I'm getting smarter, I finally punched something that couldn't sue me." Source: Sports Illustrated, September 6, 1982

natural316: You know as painfull as it is I had to let a few people go over the years. Yogi Berra, Lou Pinella, Bucky Dent, Billy Martin, Dallas Green, Dick Houser, Bill Virdon, Billy Martin, Scott Marrow, Billy Martin, Bob Lemmon, Billy Martin, Gene Michael, Buck Showalter, ... uh, tut!, . . .George, you didn't hear that from me.

Came for this, leave happy.

They should induct him into Cooperstown... then unceremoniously un-induct him... re-induct him a year later... un-induct him... re-induct him... un-induct him... re-induct him...

http://yankees.fandome.com/video/25432/Miller-Lite-Beer-AD-George-Steinbrenner-a nd-Billy-Martin/

Scott Marrow. Now that's a HOF'er!

Martin should be in the HOF

Delawheredad: Billy Martin definitely deserves to be there. My favorite Billy Martin quote was his reaction to playing his first game in Seattle's Kingdome. "If this is a baseball stadium I'm a Chinese aviator."

I have to stick with the classic, on Reggie Jackson and George Steinbrenner: "One's a born liar, and the other's convicted."

FishyFred: das: FishyFred: And Jacob Ruppert figures into my favorite apocryphal story about Babe Ruth, so I guess I hope he gets in too.

What's the story??

Yanks were playing the final game of a series on the road. The game went into extra innings. Ruppert was in the front row and he was looking pretty nervous. Babe went over to talk to him. He asked him what the matter was with him.

"If this game goes on much longer, we'll miss the train," he said. This was back in the time when teams traveled by train. No chartered planes for these guys.

"Don't worry," said the Babe. "I'll get us out of here."

Babe steps up and smacks the first pitch he sees out of the park. The other team goes down in order in their half of the inning and the team rushes out of there.

While they're loading their stuff on the train, Babe goes up to Ruppert and says, "You should have told me about this earlier. I could have saved you a lot of trouble!"

Ruppert screwed Ruth over at the end of Ruth's career with the Yankees. He can go to hell for all I care.

I remember him at the old Arlington Stadium, kicking dirt on the home plate ump, getting ejected. I really enjoyed watching the way he managed. It was about the only fun part of watching the Rangers.

RIP angry man.

Martin was a pretty good manager who got a lot out of a pitching staff. For one year. After that, they were toast. A great leader, though, even if he couldn't control his temper.

Herzog should be a given. I never understood why the Mets gave the job to Berra and not Herzog when Gil Hodges died. Herzog built the team - it would have made sense to have him run it. His record in KC and St. Louis is amazing.

Davey Johnson: what else do you need to know except he managed for 14 seasons, and only finished worse than 2nd place twice? Maybe that he had a winning record wherever he managed, or that his teams averaged 91+ wins per year?

Ah yes, Billy Martin. One of my favorite stories of all time. The classic hunting trip with Mickey Mantle. Don't know if its true or just legend but I laugh every time I hear it.

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