Hall Voters Committing Errors of Omission

We watched the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony with a degree of happiness and a larger degree of sorrow. The players that were inducted certainly deserved the honor. The fact that Gil Hodges has yet to be selected for membership leaves one with a hollow feeling and a sense of emptiness for those players currently in the Hall.

Our own Dodgers add to this insult by failing to place Hodges in their own Hall of Fame.

Richard Fandel

Anaheim

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Watching the Hall of Fame induction ceremony is always one of the highlights of the season for me. I shared in Dave Winfield’s and Kirby Puckett’s joy at their induction. I choked up along with Bill Mazeroski.

But someone is missing. Can anyone please explain to me why the great Bert Blyleven isn’t in yet?

Here is a pitcher who is third all-time in strikeouts with an incredible 3,701. This puts him behind only Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton. Blyleven won 287 games pitching for such second-division teams as the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers in the ‘70s, the Cleveland Indians in the mid-’80s and the Angels in the early ‘90s, while winning 15 or more games nine times.

It would be more than fitting if we could see Blyleven inducted next August.

Steve Smith

San Gabriel

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After viewing the Baseball Hall of Fame proceedings, I was deeply moved and inspired at the same time. I tuned in to watch the induction because I was always a huge fan of Dave Winfield and Kirby Puckett.

I had only heard the name Bill Mazeroski, usually on sports talk shows, with older listeners calling in and bemoaning the fact that he once again had been passed over for the Hall of Fame. After watching Mr. Mazeroski’s induction and viewing his incredible humility and genuine heartfelt appreciation and gratitude, I could not help but break down myself, and with a sense of joy that a truly great person, not just a great player, was finally getting his due.

James Boylan

San Diego