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Why isn't San Francisco native Lefty O'Doul in the HOF

Jun 17, 2020 at 9:44 AM
He played the allotted time, over 10 years, batted .349 for his career. Singlehandedly brought baseball to Japan. Is a SF legend. Guys like PeeWee Reese, Phil Rizzuto and Bobby Doer are in the Hall and a man that won 2 batting titles (.398 one year) is denied. This is one of the great SF citizens, it's way past overdue.
Jun 17, 2020 at 6:18 PM
Lefty had a short peak in an otherwise kind of forgettable career. He made one all star game. He barely had more than 100 homeruns in his career. He barely had more than 1000 hits in his career. His career WAR is 1 point higher than Brandon Crawford's.

I appreciate the man as much as you do kesh, but he really has no business in the HOF.
Jun 17, 2020 at 6:25 PM
And just to reference the players you named:

Pee Wee Reese: 2166 games (3 years of his prime lost to fight a war), 11x All Star, 68.2 WAR
Phil Rizzuto: 1661 games (3 years of his prime lost to fight a war), 5x All Star, 42.0 WAR
Bobby Doerr: 1865 games (prime 27 season lost to fight a war), 9x All Star, 51.1 WAR

Should be pretty clear why these guys are in and Lefty is not.
Jun 18, 2020 at 12:47 PM
His batting is beyond question and there is his time managing in the Pacific Coast league . He mentored Joe D., his famous line was he just stayed out of the way and let the Yankee Clipper do his thing. He is known as the father of baseball in Japan and is in their HOF. Born, raised and died in SF. First great Sports Bar in the US, Lefty O'doul's, still around today.
Jun 18, 2020 at 1:15 PM
A bridge over McCovey Cove, near the Giants' home field of Oracle Park, is named the Lefty O'Doul Bridge in his honor. Accordingly, the ballpark plaza and gate entrance adjacent to the bridge are also named after O'Doul.
Jun 18, 2020 at 3:24 PM
Originally posted by SteveWallacesHelmet:
And just to reference the players you named:

Pee Wee Reese: 2166 games (3 years of his prime lost to fight a war), 11x All Star, 68.2 WAR
Phil Rizzuto: 1661 games (3 years of his prime lost to fight a war), 5x All Star, 42.0 WAR
Bobby Doerr: 1865 games (prime 27 season lost to fight a war), 9x All Star, 51.1 WAR

Should be pretty clear why these guys are in and Lefty is not.

bump
Jun 18, 2020 at 9:17 PM
Originally posted by RishikeshA:
His batting is beyond question and there is his time managing in the Pacific Coast league . He mentored Joe D., his famous line was he just stayed out of the way and let the Yankee Clipper do his thing. He is known as the father of baseball in Japan and is in their HOF. Born, raised and died in SF. First great Sports Bar in the US, Lefty O'doul's, still around today.

There have been tons of players and coaches over the years who were great ambassadors for the game and meant a lot to all time greats. You need to have had a HOF level playing career or managerial career to get elected, and O'Doul just didn't.
Jun 19, 2020 at 8:17 AM
Originally posted by Niners99:
There have been tons of players and coaches over the years who were great ambassadors for the game and meant a lot to all time greats. You need to have had a HOF level playing career or managerial career to get elected, and O'Doul just didn't.

We're not talking about being a brand ambassador, we're talking about bringing the sport to another country. Managed 17 years with the SF Seals. Had a 5 year run of batting that ranks with the best. If you were born in SF his induction into the HOF is a no-brainer.
Jun 19, 2020 at 11:24 AM
Originally posted by RishikeshA:
Originally posted by Niners99:
There have been tons of players and coaches over the years who were great ambassadors for the game and meant a lot to all time greats. You need to have had a HOF level playing career or managerial career to get elected, and O'Doul just didn't.

We're not talking about being a brand ambassador, we're talking about bringing the sport to another country. Managed 17 years with the SF Seals. Had a 5 year run of batting that ranks with the best. If you were born in SF his induction into the HOF is a no-brainer.

Not sure you understand how the HOF works.
Jun 19, 2020 at 12:07 PM
Originally posted by RishikeshA:
We're not talking about being a brand ambassador, we're talking about bringing the sport to another country. Managed 17 years with the SF Seals. Had a 5 year run of batting that ranks with the best. If you were born in SF his induction into the HOF is a no-brainer.

Are you a relative or something

Jun 19, 2020 at 12:24 PM
I guess if he was important, we would have been talking about him in the Giants thread.
Jun 19, 2020 at 12:50 PM
Originally posted by TheGore49er:
Not sure you understand how the HOF works.

Sure do, if you were a teammate of Ted Williams when he was on the Old Timers Committee you have a free pass.
Jun 19, 2020 at 1:34 PM
Originally posted by RishikeshA:
We're not talking about being a brand ambassador, we're talking about bringing the sport to another country. Managed 17 years with the SF Seals. Had a 5 year run of batting that ranks with the best. If you were born in SF his induction into the HOF is a no-brainer.

I was born in SF and I think Lefty into the Hall of Fame is actually asinine.
Jun 19, 2020 at 2:37 PM
Originally posted by RishikeshA:
Originally posted by TheGore49er:
Not sure you understand how the HOF works.

Sure do, if you were a teammate of Ted Williams when he was on the Old Timers Committee you have a free pass.

obviously you have a good grasp on it. good talk. i hope this thread helps get him in the HOF.
Jun 19, 2020 at 9:55 PM
  • Garce
  • Veteran
  • Posts: 58,602
Originally posted by SteveWallacesHelmet:
Lefty had a short peak in an otherwise kind of forgettable career. He made one all star game. He barely had more than 100 homeruns in his career. He barely had more than 1000 hits in his career. His career WAR is 1 point higher than Brandon Crawford's.

I appreciate the man as much as you do kesh, but he really has no business in the HOF.

Oh, please. Once glance at baseball reference and you're calling this dude's career forgettable? That is ridiculous. Hyperbole of the highest order. Pretty audacious considering you've never seen him take a single pitch, let alone play.
[ Edited by Garce on Jun 19, 2020 at 9:56 PM ]
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