Jim Rice makes baseball HoF. Andre "Hawk" Dawson doesn't

[Bluzmann57]

And that makes no sense whatsoever. The simple fact is that Hawk was a better baseball player than Rice. More homers and a far and away better defensive player and better speed too in spite of his bad knees. Congratulations to Rickey Henderson and congratulations to Rice as well. And Hawk for the Hall next year!

[Gemini Cat]

1. Congratulations to both.

I knew Henderson would get in and hoped Rice would. I think Dawson will get in next year.

http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090112&content_id=10819&vkey=hof_news

[MaineDem]

2. THis was Rice's last shot.

Dawson has more chances.

[joeybee12]

6. Yeah, his percentage will only go up...

...thank God for Rice...Congrats! :toast:

[nickgutierrez]

3. Neither does Tim Raines.

The only reason people don't take Raines more seriously is because he was a contemporary of Henderson. Being the 2nd best leadoff man of the 1980s just doesn't have quite the same weight to it.

[Captain Hilts]

4. True about Rock Raines. nt

[jakefrep]

8. It probably didn't help that he played in Montreal.

While Henderson played in NY and Oakland.

[Captain Hilts]

5. I'm thrilled for Rice. Dawson will get in...

Rice had fewer cheap hits on astroturf.

[hughee99]

7. Dawson should and will get in.

but congratulations to Ricky and Rice. Looking over Ricky's career, I have to wonder who took a look at his accomplishments and said "I just don't think he's HOF material".

Jim Rice was my grandmother's favorite. She always used to call him "Jim Ed".

[IndianaJones]

9. letting Rice in opens the door for a LOT of borderline corner fielders. nt.

[hughee99]

13. I think Tony Perez opened that door a few years back.

Despite playing 7 fewer years and about 700 fewer games, their HR's are about the same, Perez has 201 more RBI's, about 300 more hits, and about 20 more RUNS, and Rice's BA is .298 compared to Perez' .279

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=riceji01
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=perezto01

[HuskerDU]

10. I agree with you Bluzmann. They have very similar numbers

with Rice's being slightly more impressive. However when you factor in Dawson's glove, wheels, arm and years playing the premium defensive position of CF, Dawson was the better overall ballplayer IMO. Only Willie Mays had 5 better tools than Dawson in baseball history. (Mays and Barry Bonds are the only 2 players with more HR and more SB than Dawson.)

When I was a kid back in the late 70s, Rice and Dawson were my 2 favorite players. Congrats to Jim Rice!

[Yavin4]

11. I Cannot Wait for Rickey Henderson's Speech

That should be hilarious. Rickey is none too shy to brag about Rickey.

[Capt. America]

12. He'll rip out the podium and lift it over his head --" I am the greatest"

[cboy4]

14. I'll always remember when I was a boy the excited nature

of the Montreal PA guy announcing in a thick French accent, Andre DAHHHH-SUNNNN!

He sure was good.

[rcsl1998]

15. Tommy John & Jim Rice BOTH Should Have Gotten Into The HOF

Terrible injustice to Tommy John...

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Before The Bad Knees. . .

. . .Dawson could fly! He was REALLY fast. After the knees he was merely faster than most right fielders. But, in the first few years of his career his speed allowed him to take a lot of extra bases.

He made the turn at each base really efficiently too. So, he didn't waste his speed with wide turns.

Back in the 80's, when the Cubs had both Hawk and Sandberg, they had the two most efficient baserunners in the game, batting 3rd and 4th.
GAC

[Captain Hilts]

17. The astro turf hurt his knees but helped his hit totals. Double edged knife.

Playing in Montreal and the National league had so much plastic grass in that era, it was gross!

I much prefer games played on the real thing.

[ProfessorGAC]

18. I Buy That

They had a really fast infield in Montreal, so i can see how that would help. Double edged sword is right!
GAC

[PVnRT]

19. I remember when Dawson won the MVP on a last-place Cubs team

Back when I was a misguided Cubs fan. He was an incredible player, one of my favorites.