 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
A lineup with power
By KEITH NIEBUHR, Times Staff Writer HERNANDO -- When it comes to assembling great baseball names, the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame never has disappointed, but organizers might have outdone themselves in 2002. Sunday's lineup would make the 1927 Yankees envious. Cal Ripken Jr., Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Al Kaline, Don Mattingly, Gaylord Perry, Enos Slaughter, Virgil Trucks and Dwight Evans will be honored, and each plans to attend the ninth annual induction ceremony. Additionally, the late Roger Maris is being inducted into the hall. His widow, Pat, who lives in Gainesville, will accept his award. "This is a phenomenal lineup," museum executive director John Kriston said. "We're very proud of all the lineups, but this year is exceptional. "I think it shows a lot of respect for Ted and what he stands for. Ted thinks highly of all these players and has the deepest respect for them and that's why they're here." Ripken retired last year after 21 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and holds the major-league record for consecutive games played with 2,632, which broke the record of 2,130 held by Lou Gehrig. Ripken finished his career with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs. He twice earned American League MVP honors and is one of seven players with at least 400 homers and 3,000 hits. Ripken is one of the game's most beloved players. He endeared himself to fans as a piece of living nostalgia, playing his entire career with one team -- at one time in the same infield with his younger brother, Billy, on a club managed by his father and namesake. One of Ripken's lasting contributions will be his run at Gehrig's mark, but not simply because he broke a record. A season after fans were left embittered by a strike that wiped out the World Series, Ripken helped draw them back with a summer's pursuit of a supposedly unbreakable mark. Ripken, Evans, Maris, Mattingly and Slaughter are Hitters Hall of Fame selections, Perry and Trucks are being inducted into the Wall of Great Achievement, which is reserved for pitchers, and Kaline has been pegged for the 3,000 Hit club. Giambi is being honored as last season's Most Productive Hitter while Jeter earned the Splendid Splinter Award. Williams, a Hernando resident, hand-picks all honorees. Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda will emcee the induction ceremony. "He's a terrific friend of Ted and of the museum," Kriston said. "And the fans love him. Tommy's been doing this for a few years. He's top-shelf." Also expected to attend: Eldon Aucker, the last living pitcher to throw to Babe Ruth; Dom DiMaggio, a Boston Red Sox teammate of Williams; Johnny Pesky, another ex-Red Sox legend; and Ernie Harwell, longtime voice of the Detroit Tigers. No autograph sessions are scheduled. "That's hit or miss," Kriston said. "This is not an autograph event, it's an induction ceremony. Some players do sign autographs, but nothing is set up. That's not what this is all about." More than 2,000 people are expected to attend. Kriston said few tickets remain. "It takes six months of hard work to put this together," Kriston said. "We're blessed to have 60 volunteers to help pull all of this together." General admission tickets are $35, and VIP seating is $75. For information, call 527-6566. The ceremony begins at noon. -- Staff writer Brant James contributed to this report. CEREMONY GLANCEWHAT: Ninth annual Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame inductions. WHEN: Sunday, noon. WHERE: Ted Williams Museum, 2455 N Citrus Hills Blvd., Hernando. TV COVERAGE: BayNews 9. (Time-Warner cable.) ADMISSION: $35 for first-come, first-served seating under the main tent adjacent to the museum; $75 for preferred seating. Both include a commemorative yearbook and admission to the museum. People without tickets can sit outside the tent area for free, but the view is limited. INDUCTEES: Cal Ripken Jr., Dwight Evans, Roger Maris (accepted by wife Pat), Don Mattingly and Enos Slaughter. OTHER AWARD WINNERS: Wall of Great Achievement -- Gaylord Perry and Virgil Trucks; Splendid Splinter -- Derek Jeter; 3,000-Hit Club -- Al Kaline; Productive Player -- Jason Giambi; Rookie of the Year -- Alfonso Soriano (American League), Albert Pujols (National League). EXPECTED TO ATTEND: Ripken Jr., Evans, Pat Maris, Mattingly, Slaughter, Perry, Trucks, Jeter, Kaline, Giambi. -- CAREY FREEMAN 2002 HONOREESDWIGHT EVANS HONOR: Hitters Hall of Fame inductee. BIO: The longtime Boston Red Sox standout batted .272 during his 20-year career and finished with 2,446 hits, 385 home runs and 1,384 RBI. He posted a career slugging percentage of .470. In 1987, Evans' best season, he hit .305 and had 34 homers, 37 doubles and a career-best 123 RBI. He was a member of the 1986 Red Sox team that played in the World Series and lost to the New York Mets. JASON GIAMBIHONOR: Most Productive Hitter Award. BIO: Giambi, who recently inked a long-term deal with the New York Yankees, is among baseball's premier sluggers. Last season, he batted .342 with 38 home runs and 120 RBI. The 31-year-old Giambi has a lifetime average of .308 and 187 career homers. His career on-base percentage is .412. Giambi was the 2000 MVP and was second in the 2001 voting to Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki. DEREK JETERHONOR: Splendid Splinter Award. BIO The 27-year-old Jeter is among the true stars of today's game. In seven seasons, the New York Yankees shortstop has 1,199 hits and a .320 batting average. He hit a career-best .349 in 1999. Jeter also is considered to be one of the finest defensive players. In leading the Yankees to the World Series last fall, he batted .311 and had a .377 on-base percentage. In 2000, he won MVP honors for the All-Star Game and the World Series. AL KALINEHONOR: 3,000 Hit Club. BIO: The longtime Detroit Tigers slugger was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980. In 22 seasons, the durable Tigers outfielder accumulated 3,007 hits, 399 home runs, a .297 batting average, 10 Gold Gloves and 18 All-Star team selections. Known as Mr. Tiger, he won the batting title in 1955, hitting .340 at the age of 20. His reputation as a clutch performer was enhanced by his .379 average in the 1968 World Series. ROGER MARISHONOR: Hitters Hall of Fame inductee. BIO: Affectionately known as Mr. 61, Maris slugged a major-league record 61 home runs in 1961. The record stood until 1998, when it was broken by St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire. Maris was the American League MVP in 1960 and '61. He finished his 12-season career with 1,325 hits and 275 homers. He died in 1985. He spent the final years of his life living in Gainesville, where he owned a beer distributorship. DON MATTINGLYHONOR: Hitters Hall of Fame inductee. BIO: Mattingly is among the all-time great New York Yankee players. In 1985, he hit .324 with 35 home runs and 145 RBI. The first baseman won Gold Gloves from 1985-89 and again from 1991-94. He was the American League batting champion in 1984, AL hits leader in '84 and '86 and RBI leader in '85. For his career, he batted .307 with 2,153 hits, 222 home runs, 442 doubles and 1,099 RBI. His career was cut short due to injuries. CAL RIPKEN JR.HONOR: Hitters Hall of Fame inductee. BIO: The Baltimore Orioles great is one of the sport's most beloved figures. He played in 3,001 career games, finishing with 3,184 hits, 431 home runs, 1,695 RBI and a .276 batting average. Ripken, who played shortstop and third base during his lengthy career, owns the Major League record for consecutive games played (2,632), which was held for years by legendary New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig. Ripken won American League MVP honors in 1983 and '91. He was the 1982 AL Rookie of the Year. Born and raised in the Baltimore area, Ripken came from a baseball family. His late father, Cal Sr., spent several years in the Orioles organization and once managed the club. Cal's brother, Billy, also played for the Orioles. GAYLORD PERRYHONOR: Wall of Great Achievement inductee. BIO: The 6-foot-4 Perry is one of baseball's legendary pitchers. During his 22-year career, he went 314-265 with a 3.11 ERA and 3,534 strikeouts. Perry was a five-time 20-game winner and two-time Cy Young Award winner. He won the 1972 American League Cy Young Award while playing for the Cleveland Indians, then won the NL award in 1978 when he was with the San Diego Padres. He finished in the top 10 for the Cy Young voting five times and was a five-time All-Star. In 1972, Perry went 24-16 and posted a 1.92 ERA. ENOS SLAUGHTERHONOR: Hitters Hall of Fame inductee. BIO: Enos "Country" Slaughter was one of the greats in the 1940s and '50s. In 19 seasons, he had 2,383 hits, 413 doubles, 1,304 RBI and a .300 batting average. Slaughter was a 10-time All-Star and finished in the top 10 in the voting for the MVP five times. Seven times during his 13-year stint with the St. Louis Cardinals, he had one of the 10-best batting averages in the National League. In 1942, he led the NL in hits and total bases. VIRGIL TRUCKSHONOR: Wall of Great Achievement inductee. BIO: The Alabama native was a steady and reliable pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Browns, Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees. He won 177 games to go along with 135 defeats and a 3.94 ERA. Trucks played in two All-Star games and was fifth in voting for American League MVP in 1953. That year, he went 20-10.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
Citrus Times |
