Voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame can feel as joyful as the math portion of the SATs. Cherry-picking stats. Hair-splitting WAR figures to the right of the decimal point. Comparing players of different eras by the same metrics. Deciding on “right” and “wrong” answers entirely on a formula.
Today the Hall is a better place because two oversight committees went beyond numbers to remember the actual root of the place right there in its name: fame. The committees elected six players. Most importantly, four of them deserved enshrinement because of hybrid careers in which they continued to make significant contributions to the game after they finished playing: Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso and Buck O’Neil.