Elect Roger Maris to the Hall of Fame

Elect
Roger Maris
to the
National
Baseball
Hall of Fame*

A legend of the game, the name Roger Eugene Maris is synonymous with baseball's most monumental and historic single-season record. Thirty-nine years later, baseball fans still measure home run hitters by comparison to Roger Maris. Yet, as unbelievable as it might seem, Roger Maris has not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Consider what the Hall of Fame has overlooked:

61 Single Season Home Runs (1961)

This record stood for 37 years,
longer than the record Maris broke,
the immortal Babe Ruth's 60-homers of 1927.
Roger remains one of only four players
to ever hit more than 60 homeruns in a season.

Two-time American League Most Valuable Player
1960 and 1961

Only 11 players have won consecutive MVP awards
-- all of the others (who are eligible) have already been inducted into the Hall of Fame --
Jimmy Foxx, Hal Newhouser, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle,
Ernie Banks, Joe Morgan & Mike Schmidt.

Other than those seven,
no other Hall of Famer has achieved this distinction,
including (to name just a few) Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench,
Roberto Clemente, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Nellie Fox,
Lou Gehrig, Reggie Jackson, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew,
Willie Mays, Babe Ruth & Ted Williams

3 World Series Championships and 7 League Pennants

New York Yankees 1960-66
Yanks won 5 pennants and 2 World Series in Maris' 7 seasons

St. Louis Cardinals 1967-68
Cards won 2 pennants and 1 World Series in Roger's 2 seasons

Lifetime 5.39 Home Run Percentage

Better than Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio (5.29), Hack Wilson (5.13),
Johnny Bench (5.08), Yogi Berra (4.74), Larry Doby (4.73) Billy Williams (4.56)
and the Hall's most recent inductee -- Bill Mazeroski (1.78)

Lifetime .983 Fielding Average and a Gold Glove

Better fielding average than most Hall of Famers,
including Hank Aaron (.980), Joe DiMaggio (.978), Roberto Clemente (.976),
Harmon Killebrew (.976), Ted Williams (.974), Billy Williams (.973),
Babe Ruth (.968), Willie Stargell (.961)
and identical to the Hall's most recent inductee -- Bill Mazeroski (.983)

Maris had a better fielding average than
Mickey Mantle (.982), who was considered a truly superb outfielder.
Maris earned a Gold Glove, even though he played in an era
filled with Hall of Fame outfielders.

Lifetime Batting Average Comparable to Many Hall of Famers

Roger's .260 lifetime batting average is higher than that of
Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew (.256), identical to Bill Mazeroski (.260),
and in the same range as many other Hall of Famers, such as:
Reggie Jackson (.262), Brooks Robinson (.267),
Mike Schmidt (.267), Al Lopez (.261), Willie McCovey (.270), Luis Aparicio (.262),
Johnny Bench (.267), Pee Wee Reese (.269), and Bobby Wallace (.267)

Selected to, and played in, 7 All-Star Games (1959 - 1962)

The Baseball Hall of Fame has this simple criteria for election by the Veteran's Committee:
"Voting shall be based upon the individual's record, ability,
integrity, sportsmanship, character and contribution to the game."
Based on the Hall's own rule, Roger is certainly qualified for induction.

Roger Maris' record of achievement and winning deserves to be honored by the Hall of Fame.
Make sure the Veteran's Committee of the Hall of Fame does not overlook Roger again.
Send reminders to each of the members of the Committee on Baseball Veterans:

Players	Club Executives	Media Members
Yogi Berra	Joe L. Brown	Ken Coleman
Stan Musial	Buck O'Neil	Ernie Harwell
Ted Williams	Hank Peters	Jerome Holtzman
Juan Marichal	Bill White	Len Koppett
Hank Aaron	John McHale	Allen Lewis

Tell them to honor Roger Maris this year. Send an e-mail or send a letter.
But make sure your voice is heard. Only an overwhelming statement by real
baseball fans may convince this myopic group to do the right thing.

You must address letters to the individual members at the address below.
Note: The Baseball Hall of Fame will not make copies of letters for distribution.
You must address a separate copy of your letter
to each individual member of the Committee.

[Committee Member]
Veterans Committee
National Baseball Hall of Fame
P.O. Box 590
Cooperstown, NY 13326

While you are remembering Roger, please visit
61 for 61
The Roger Maris Cancer Center

*In case it is not obvious,
this site is reasonably critical of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and,
thank goodness, it has no affilliation with that organization,
nor with the obtuse writers and baseball executives who run it.