A Clear Case of Voter Fraud

Can sportswriters really be trusted with voting for football and baseball hall of fame candidates?

Sportswriter Norman Chad doesn’t think so. Writing for AOL, he pointed out recently that in 1936, for the first baseball Hall of Fame induction class, 11 of 226 voters didn’t vote for Babe Ruth. Four of the 226 didn’t vote for Ty Cobb.

He found 20 of 302 voters in 1966 left a blank next to Ted Williams’ name. And in 1979, 23 of 432 didn’t vote for Willie Mays.

“If sportswriters were voting for the Serial Killer Hall of Fame,” Chad wrote, “Charles Manson would have to wait until his third year of eligibility.

“It’s guaranteed: Five years from now, when Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn are eligible--two mortal-lock, first-ballot Hall of Famers--several voters will leave their names off on principle.”

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More from Chad: “Howard Cosell often said sportswriters are wrong on every major issue. And, you know, he was right. We dress badly, we’re culinarily challenged and we pad our expense reports to hide the cost of hotel massages. But most of all, we’re wrong.”

On the subject of Pete Rose, Chad wrote: “If you want to let Pete Rose into the Hall of Fame, fine. Just take Ty Cobb out.”

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Trivia time: At the University of Oregon, who has the record for average yards per carry?

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Staying home, but moving on: One of the season ticket-holders for the new Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League is Joan Hodges, 74, widow of former Dodger great Gil Hodges who still lives in Brooklyn.

Old Brooklyn Dodger fans should get over it, she advises.

“That was in another time, and life will go on. They’re not our Dodgers anymore. This [the Cyclones] is our team now.”

The Class-A Cyclones play at Coney Island’s KeySpan Park and drew 7,500 for their home opener. Baseball America pointed out that’s more than the Dodgers drew for the final game in Brooklyn, 6,702, in 1957.

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Lighten up, Barry: Mike Beradino of Baseball America made this prediction in a recent column:

“Barry Bonds breaks Mark McGwire’s major league record with 71 home runs but falls short of the all-time pro record of 72, held by Joe Bauman. When reporters bring this up, Bonds complains about being unappreciated.”

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Simple problem: Baseball America’s analysis of why the Texas Rangers can’t win, even with Alex Rodriguez: “Even eight A-Rods can’t win if your ninth guys are giving up almost six runs per game.”

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Where do I sign? Boxer Felix Trinidad is becoming the Tiger Woods of Puerto Rico, in terms of endorsement dollars.

He recently signed a big-money deal with Kentucky Fried Chicken. Before that, he cut a deal with Advil.

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Looking back: On this day in 1995, Michael Johnson won the 200 meters in 19.79 seconds in the World Track and Field Championships to become the first male runner to win the 200 and 400 in a major championship.

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Looking back again: On this day in 1970, Jim Bunning became the first pitcher to win 100 games in both the National and American leagues since Cy Young. Bunning and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Houston Astros, 6-5.

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Oh, really? During the telecast of the Seattle Storm-Spark WNBA game last Saturday at Staples Center, Seattle broadcaster David Locke repeatedly implied the officials were favoring the Sparks’ Lisa Leslie with their calls.

Then, angrily, he threw in this: “The fact is, Lisa Leslie has choked in every playoff game she’s ever been in.”

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No comparison: From the San Francisco Chronicle’s Scott Ostler: “Sure, the TV guys lost their shirts at Bighorn, but you should’ve seen Custer.”

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Trivia answer: The late John McKay, 6.1 yards per carry, 1948 and ’49.

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And finally: A Baseball America cartoon depicting a sorrowful-looking sportswriter lamenting the retirement of Tony Gwynn carries this caption:

“Sportswriters haven’t been this somber since mini-bar charges were banned from expense reports.”