Veterans Committee Results Announced

The Veterans Committee - this year looking at players who played during the supposed Golden Era from 1943 to 1972 - had their ballots and results announced for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame today.  Unlike the past three seasons, the Committee actually elected a player this year.  3B Ron Santo, who spent the majority of his career with the Cubs, was elected, the first played to be inducted on the Veterans Committee since former Yankees 2B Joe Gordon in 2008.

LeRoy is happy for Santo's family, who died last year due to complications from diabetes and cancer, who should have been elected to the Hall of Fame a long time ago.  In his career, Santo batted .277 with 2,254 hits, 342 home runs and 1,331 runs batted in in his career.  He also won five Gold Glove Awards and was an eight-time All-Star.

LHP Jim Kaat received the second-most amount of votes - two shy of election, and 1B Gil Hodges and OF Minnie Minoso fell three votes shy of election and OF Tony Oliva was four votes short.  Of those four players Hodges - who died of a heart attack in 1972 - is probably the most deserving, having hit 370 home runs with 1,274 runs batted in in his career, along with playing in eight All-Star Games.