No Brainer, Hall of Famer
Written by Sean Salisbury, Thursday August 25 2011
It’s fascinating to me how in sports, the squeaky wheel always seems to get the grease. We reserve full paragraphs for much of the nonsense and people in sports who don’t deserve it, and for those who do, we are so reluctant to give them their do. It’s as if we are more attracted to the burning car than the guy who saves the person in the car.
All this leads me to write a simple blog about one of sports’ great people, players and gentlemen. And a guy who is a first ballot Hall of Famer on the field and off the field. Jim Thome is that guy who we can’t say enough good things about. This is a guy who epitomizes what I personally want in a teammate and a gentleman. On the field, I don’t need to give you any other stat other than 600 home runs – no other stat matters when it comes to Jim Thome’s first Hall of Fame ballot. 600 and you’re in!
600 home runs also means longevity and durability, aside from the fact that you are just a great hitter with one of the best swings of all time.
Add to that, when we talk steroids Thome’s name never comes up, nor should it, and when we talk great clubhouse leaders his name always comes up. I don’t care that he’s a designated hitter and I don’t care that he’s not a four-time MVP in the league. He spent much of his career at first base, but to me even if he never fielded a ground ball at first base and spent his whole career as a designated hitte,r he’s still a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Now I know, outside the playing field is not how we judge Hall of Famers, but it’s my blog so I can pick a Hall of Famer however I want!
There are never any tabloids that surround Jim Thome. There’s never any gossip among players about Jim Thome. There are never any fan complaints about Jim Thome. And there are never any salary complaints by Jim Thome. There have never been any complaints of where he plays. As a former athlete, and current sportscaster, Jim Thome is as fine a gentleman and as forthright and humble as any athlete I’ve ever interviewed.
You want him on your team, you want him in your lineup, and you want him doing your post-game interview. While Jim Thome is still going strong as a current MLB player, when he decides to retire, baseball will have said good bye to one of the great ones.
So to the Hall of Fame committee that does the voting, don’t continue to disappoint us as you have many times in the past. Make sure that you reward the great player, the great man, and, without hesitation, a first ballot Hall of Famer. Don’t make Jim Thome wait!
Sean Salisbury, former NFL quarterback and NFL analyst for ESPN, covers sports for www.playerpress.com. Follow him on Twitter @SeanUnfiltered.
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