Page 38 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 75

38 Issue #75 February 2019 www.sportsenergynews.com

“People Pulling Together for you”

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Cornwall Colts: Mike Carr MURPHY’S SPORTS LAW

By Victoria Klassen and then played in Cleveland,
Ohio when he was 16. He spent By David Murphy
hen Mike Carr was young, two years at a prep school before
The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New
Whis coach would ask the coming to play for the Colts last
York will welcome four players, three pitchers
team who wanted to play goalie— season.
and a designated hitter, at the 2019 induction
and Carr was the only one who
“I expected living in Canada ceremony.
would put up his hand. His passion
to be different than living in the Mariano Rivera became the first player to
and talent for this position led to
States, but to me it bears a lot of ever garner 100 percent of the votes (75 percent
being Cornwall Colts’ goalie for
similarity. I like Cornwall,” said is needed for enshrinement) in his first year of
the past two seasons.
Carr. “Coming from a big city eligibility. Joining the greatest reliever of all
“The things I like most about like Columbus it’s nice to come time are Edgar Martinez (in his 10th and final
playing goalie are the high- to a city where you get to know year of eligibility), Mike Mussina (his 7th year
pressure situations, and I love everybody and in a smaller city of eligibility) and Roy Halladay (in his 1st year).
being in the spotlight and coming like this, everybody knows who Harold Baines and Lee Smith were selected from the
up big for the team” expressed the the Colts are.” Veterans Committee.
20-year-old goalie. While I believe Rivera belongs in the HOF, the fact he is the
With plans to attend university
FIRST players with 100 percent of the votes highlights the flaws
“My favourite memory with the in the States next year, studying
with the system that decides who gets into Cooperstown. Babe Ruth,
Colts would have to be my shutout nursing, or medicine, Carr is
Cy Young (the guy the award is named after), Ted Williams, Hank
last season. Our last home game enjoying his time with the Colts
Aaron, Willie Mays, and Ken Griffey Jr (among others) were not

of the season was pretty special. and looking forward to playoffs. good enough for some members of the Baseball Writers of America
The way the guys played for me “We have such a close group of to induct into Cooperstown. None of those all-time legends received
was great, and it was fun to finish guys on the team,” Carr shared. 100 percent of the votes cast.
off the regular season strong like “Coming to the rink every day I’ve maintained since I first began following baseball, those
that.”
with 20 of your best friends is a already in the Baseball Hall of Fame should cast a ballot from the
Carr grew up in Columbus, Ohio, lot of fun.” qualified list of retired players and that should count for half the votes
needed. At the same time, the Baseball Writers cast their ballots and
then both are tabulated and then you have the newest of the elected
members. Who knows better what a Hall of Famer is than those
that have already been enshrined? It also makes sense to me to
have all the 400 plus voters make public their list of who they voted
for. I’d like the writers who didn’t vote for Ken Griffey Jr to justify
themselves – it could be quite entertaining.
On a similar note, Larry Walker should already be in the Hall of
Fame. Line up the numbers of Walker with Harold Baines and Edgar
Martinez. Walker is better than both players in batting average, runs,
stolen bases (not even close), slugging and OPS. Walker’s 383 home
runs top Martinez (309) and is only one shy of Baines (who played
5 more seasons than Walker). All that, plus Walker was arguably the
best defensive right fielder of his generation (right in line with Hall
of Famer Vladimir Guerrero). Walker earned 7 gold gloves while
Baines and Martinez were mainly Designated Hitters. Walker was a
pure 5 tool player and should already have his plaque alongside the
greatest of the all-time.
Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds qualifications for Cooperstown
are a topic for another column.
In the meantime, enjoy baseball in February. This is the month
Spring Training begins!!!
I’m David Murphy and that’s Murphy’s Law.
Photo Credit: Icelevel