Welcome To Cooperstown

Today, the Hall of Fame inducts Jacob Ruppert, best known as the man who bought Babe Ruth from the Red Sox, and who built Yankee Stadium to house him. The Hall inducts Frank O'Day, an umpire who kept his integrity in an era when it was embarrassingly easy to bribe and pressure the ump to favor the home team; O'Day was the umpire who ruled Fred Merkle out in 1908. The Hall inducts Deacon White, who recorded the first hit in professional baseball history- it was a double- and who caught 458 games barehanded, and without chest protector or facemask. His 2,067 hits should be coupled with the fact that, in 1871, his first year as a pro, his Cleveland Forest Citys team only played 29 games, and in his last season, 1890, his Buffalo Bisons played 122 (seasons didn't crest the 100-game mark until 1884, by which time White had switched to third base). These days, White would almost certainly have gotten over 3,000.

Let's not worry about who isn't getting inducted. Let's not even say their names. No person is bigger than the game. Let's celebrate those who are.