Tony Perez is entering the Hall of Fame this weekend after being elected in his ninth year of eligibility. “Big Doggie” certainly has the credentials to have made it to the Hall, batting .279 with 2,723 hits, 379 home runs and 1,652 RBIs (18th on the all-time list) in his 23-year career. In the public’s mind, Perez often was overshadowed by higher profile members of the World champion Cincinnati Reds teams of the 1970s (Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Pete Rose for example). However, his teammates considered him to be the heart and soul of the Big Red Machine. Perez began his career in the minors as a second baseman, broke into the majors as a third baseman, switched to first and will become the 18th first baseman to be inducted into the Hall. He is the first Cuban-born player elected to Cooperstown and the second enshrined. Martin Dihigo was honored by the Hall’s Negro Leagues Committee in 1977. Perez is the 11th Reds player, manager or executive to make it to the Hall.
PLAYER SEASONS WITH REDS
Sparky Anderson* 1970-78
Johnny Bench 1967-83
Warren Giles** 1936-51
Ernie Lombardi 1932-41
Bill McKechnie* 1916-17, 1938-46
Bid McPhee 1890-99
Joe Morgan 1972-79
Tony Perez 1964-76, 1984-86
Eppa Rixey 1921-33
Frank Robinson 1955-65
Edd Roush 1916-26, 1931
* Manager
** President/general manager
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PLATE TECTONICS
Carlton “Pudge” Fisk will be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame on Sunday. Fisk was elected to Cooperstown in his second year of eligibility. He holds the record for most games caught (2,226) and for most home runs by a catcher (351). However, he’s probably best known for his 12th-inning game-ending home run off Cincinnati’s Pat Darcy in the sixth game of the 1975 World Series. Fisk, then with the Boston Red Sox, hit a bullet that hit the left-field foul pole at Fenway Park and took the Series to a seventh game. He’s the 13th catcher to be inducted into the Hall and the first since Johnny Bench in 1989. Al Lopez, who owned the record for most games caught with 1,918 for decades, is in the Hall as a manager. The 13 are:
CATCHER INDUCTION YEAR
Buck Ewing 1939
Roger Bresnahan 1945
Mickey Cochrane 1947
Bill Dickey 1954
Gabby Hartnett 1955
Ray Schalk 1955
Roy Campanella 1969
Yogi Berra 1972
Rick Ferrell 1972
Josh Gibson 1972
Ernie Lombardi 1986
Johnny Bench 1989
Carlton Fisk 2000
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MISSING IN ACTION
Preston Wilson of the Florida Marlins is on a pace to break Bobby Bonds’ 31-year-old record of 189 strikeouts in a season. Through Friday, Wilson had 120 in 96 games.
