Don Larsen - place in the HoF?

[gyb13]

He arguably had the greatest game by a pitcher ever - a perfect game in the world series.

should that merit enough consideration for the HoF?

i'm sure most will say no, but also please consider:

how important are unique performances to the legacy of baseball history and what role should they play in the HoF?

[Wolf Hopper]

If Larsen goes in for one game - how about Dr. Bobby Brown for a career in a World Series?

This is why they have a museum, I believe.

[Wolf Hopper]

From the NetShrine Stat Glossary (http://www.netshrine.com/statglossary.html)

Game Score [G Sc]

A measure of pitching performance for starting pitchers. Developed by Bill James. The formula consists of eight parts:

1. Start with 50.
2. Add 1 point for each out recorded.
3. Add 2 points for each inning the pitcher completes after the fourth inning.
4. Add 1 point for each strikeout.
5. Subtract 2 points for each hit allowed.
6. Subtract 4 points for each earned run allowed.
7. Subtract 2 points for each unearned run allowed.
8. Subtract 1 point for each walk.

Consider this pitching line:
IP H R ER BB K
8.1 5 2 1 2 7

The game score for the performance shown would be 72 (50+25+8+7-10-4-2-2).

An average start would score 50. One start in 300 reaches a score of 90 or better, and an all-time great performance would reach 100.

If anyone has some free time, please do the Game Score for Larsen on 10/8/56, Koufax on 10/14/65, and Jack Morris on 10/27/91.

Would be interesting to see how close they are...........

[Wolf Hopper]

Last one - - Randy Johnson on Oct 28, 2001. His Game Score is probably close to Larsen's from 1956 - - just eye-balling it.

[JamesI]

Larsen 94
Koufax 88
Morris 86
Big Unit 91

[Ytown Tribe fan]

At least one artifact from Larsen's perfect WS game is on display in the Hall of Fame already.

Lots of things are in the HoF besides Hall of Fame plaques. If a person is famous for one or two things, you can be sure that something connected to those things is on display in the HoF.

That, IMO, is the exact degree of HoF recognition that Larsen deserves.

[JamesI]

Originally posted by Ytown Tribe fan
At least one artifact from Larsen's perfect WS game is on display in the Hall of Fame already.

That, IMO, is the exact degree of HoF recognition that Larsen deserves.

agreed. Obviously the perfect game needs to me commemorated in the Hall. Just not with a plaque by the pitcher.

[TimmyB]

Originally posted by Ytown Tribe fan
At least one artifact from Larsen's perfect WS game is on display in the Hall of Fame already.

Lots of things are in the HoF besides Hall of Fame plaques. If a person is famous for one or two things, you can be sure that something connected to those things is on display in the HoF.

That, IMO, is the exact degree of HoF recognition that Larsen deserves.

Right.

We can all debate who does and doesn't belong in the Hall. (Crowbar/no-crowbar/pre-emptive crowbar, etc.) We do it all the time.

Having only been to Cooperstown once, my recollection is that of a great baseball museum that had some plaques in the middle of it.

Larsen doesn't deserve a plaque for one great game. (Heck, put in Johnny VanDerMeer, he had two great games...) He does deserve to have his accomplishment noted in Hall, which, as I recall, it is.

(This reminds me... it's time to start lobbying for another trip...)

[Craig S.]

Agree with James, YTF and Timmy for the reasons they already stated.

[Wolf Hopper]

Originally posted by JamesI
Larsen 94
Koufax 88
Morris 86
Big Unit 91

Thanks.

[rcartman28]

Commenorating the perfect game, yes. Larsen, no.

[KCBOOMER]

Originally posted by rcartman28
Commenorating the perfect game, yes. Larsen, no.

10-4.

[gyb13]

so, in response to my original question (and the point of it), would you say the HoF does a ____(perfect, good, average, substandard, terrible) job in remembering these kinds of moments?

[TimmyB]

Originally posted by gyb13
so, in response to my original question (and the point of it), would you say the HoF does a ____(perfect, good, average, substandard, terrible) job in remembering these kinds of moments?

Somewhere between perfect and good.

[pwdennis]

No, nay , nyet, nein , uh uh, no way


Never

[SmedIndy]

Originally posted by gyb13
so, in response to my original question (and the point of it), would you say the HoF does a ____(perfect, good, average, substandard, terrible) job in remembering these kinds of moments?

Pretty darn good.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Perhaps the HOF could have an exhibit for the Top 25 feats in the history of baseball. They could be ranked in order. If a feat occurs next year, say, which eclipses one of the top 25, well, that feat takes its place within the top 25. These feats could be reviewed every 5 years or so.

Larsen's feat is memorable; probably one of the top 25 feats of baseball history, and not likely to be duplicated.

Of course he's not a HOFer; if he were, Maris should have been a unanimous 1st ballot pick. Larsen wasn't the pitcher Johnny Vander Meer was, and I would argue that Vander Meer's feat (back to back no-hitters) is a superior feat.

[sweaver]

They did that before, didn't they? I mean, there was that meaningless "moments" voting last year, but I think there was a similar thing, maybe for baseball's "Centennial" in 1969?

The perfect game belongs in the Hall. Larsen himself, on a plaque, doesn't.