As long as there is a Baseball Hall of Fame, there will be a debate among fans regarding who belongs and who should forever be on the outside looking in. Cases can be made for, and against, Bert Blyleven, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Alan Trammell, and Roberto Alomar among several others. For entirely different reasons, cases can be made for and against Roger Clemens, Pete Rose, A-Rod, and Barry Bonds. Aside from all those, one guy was denied entry into the Hall far too long, and the recognition he received over the weekend rectified what I consider to be the longest snub in the history of Cooperstown. John Fogerty wrote the OTHER National Anthem for baseball fans, "Centerfield", as an 8 year old kid. He recorded the song and released it in 1985. His ode to the game of baseball and gift to the fans got him into the Hall......25 YEARS LATER!!! If he had been a player, his enshrinement ship would have sailed 10 years ago with his only hope being the long shot of the Veterans' Committee. He was also a "first ballot" Rock and Roll Hall of Famer in 1993. Kudos to the baseball writers for eventually doing the right thing in finally recognizing one of the all-time greats who never swung a bat at the big league level, along with his guitar, Slugger..........about 10 years too late.
Fogerty is a MUST SEE if he comes near you on tour. The guy is ageless, and he's playing the best shows of his life the past few years. He has one of the best bandmates in the biz, and his song catalog stacks up with any rock & roll musician in history!! I saw him w/ John Mellencamp in 2005 in Raleigh, North Carolina and again w/ Willie Nelson in Birmingham. Phenomenal shows!!! But don't take my word for it...........
No comments:
Post a Comment