#42 has been elected to the HOF in Cooperstown!
Earlier this afternoon the Baseball Hall of Fame announced that Bruce Sutter will join the baseball elite in Cooperstown, NY. Here's how the voting came in:
Name Percentage
Bruce Sutter 76.9
Jim Rice 64.8
Rich Gossage 64.6
Andre Dawson 61.0
Bert Blyleven 53.3
Lee Smith 45.0
Jack Morris 41.2
Tommy John 29.6
Steve Garvey 26.0
Bruce Sutter, along with Rollie Fingers and Goose Gossage, was the prototype closer from the late 70's and early 80's. While Sutter's numbers may not compare with today's closers their was no doubt that you were watching greatness when he entered the ballgame. When Sutter entered it was gameover.
I have long thought that Sutter deserved this honor. Sutter was the best closer that I ever saw in the Cub pinstripes. In some pretty bad years for the Cubs, Sutter was brilliant. As a relief pitcher he won the Cy Young Award in 1979. His split-fingered fastball was often unhittable. Sutter also notched four NL Rolaid-Relief Man Awards. From a historical standpoint: Fingers, Gossage & Sutter were the prototypes for the modern day closer.
While Sutter will join Fingers with a plaque in Cooperstown, one has to wonder what Goose Gossage has done not to earn that same recognition. Gossage was just as intimidating and just as dominant as Sutter. I also feel that Jim Rice, Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven are deserving.
Congrats to #42.
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