The Next Twenty Peeps in the Mets Hall of Fame

[G-Fafif]

Edgy DC wrote: So, Walker it should be then?

Rube Walker played a great role in the implementation of the five-man rotation. Kaz Ishii pitches every fifth day because the Mets have a five-man rotation.

Maybe Rube Walker's not such a hero after all.

[Willets Point]

Elucidate for the young and the ignorant: What is Rube Walker's connection to the Mets?

[Edgy MD]

Rube was one of Roy Campanella's backups with the 1950s Dodgers (and, in fact, his baseball card features prominently in the plot of the film Mask). When Gil Hodges took over as Met manager, he made Rube his pitching coach on his staff of almost all catchers. (Could you imagine how radio callers today would react if a manager named a former catcher as his pitching coach?)

Rube lasted from 1968 to 1981 and mentored all the pitchers that came to the Mets during that period. He survived the tenures of Hodges, Berra, McMillan, and Frazier before getting fired along with Joe Torre.

Torre despite inheriting the old coot, thought enough of him to re-hire him (and much of his Met staff) when he took over as Atlanta manager.

When Jerry Koosman was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame, Rube Walker was the non-family member he specifically requested be there.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Rube was also behind the plate for Brooklyn when Ralph Branca pitched to Bobby Thomson in that famous 1951 playoff game.

[Guest Mets Guy in Mich.]

Where's the love for Todd Hundley? This guy was our star, our All-Star, for a number of years, held the home run record and even set the single-season record for catchers while wearing the Mets uniform. He belongs!

[Guest cleonjones11]

How about Dave Mlicki for shutting out the Yankees.

[Edgy MD]

Where's the love for Todd Hundley?

Currently on the borderline case list.

And in Ms. Mets' heart.

This guy was our star, our All-Star, for a number of years, held the home run record and even set the single-season record for catchers while wearing the Mets uniform. He belongs!

Well, his two All-Star seasons were the only ones he qualified as a star. He holds the team homer record, but so did a lot of guys, though he set a nice record --- homers as a catcher, since broken ---- as a Met.

All of which makes him a little bit more qualified than John Stearns, but then Stearnsie's coaching career adds to his legacy.

The stadium won't burn if the Mets Hall of Fame were to include Todd Hundley, but, really, aren't there a dozen guys higher up on just about anybody's list? Let's be deliberate here (says the guy looking twenty years into the future).

[Willets Point]

I got my Rubes confused. I was thinking of the Hall of Fame pitcher from the early 1900's who is of course Rube Waddell. I couldn't figure out his Mets connection since he died decades before the Mets came into existence. Thanks for clearing up my cobwebbed mind.

Both Rubes are available for sponsorship at Baseball-Reference.com, by the way, Walker a bargain $10 and Waddell a mere $20 for a HOF-er!

[Valadius]

There was also the great Rube Marquard.

[Guest SI Metman]

Hopefully we will be putting Reyes and Wright in there 25-30 years from now. Perhaps Pedro and Beltran too.

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Edgy DC wrote: It doesn't have to be any pace at all. 1986 Rusty Staub

You forgot Buddy Harrelson!

Also, wanted to say, the Mets can at some point, I don't know, spruce up the Closet (a friend of mine, who is a MFY fan, came up with that nickname due to the small size of it) they have in the Diamond Club Lobby?

Not saying they need a full blown museum or something akin to Monument Park (save that all for Shea II) but put the names and a short bio of the HOFers up next to the blown up photos. Yeah a true Met fan knows who they are, but what about for a youngster or non-fan? Are they going to rely on whomever's with them?

"Yeah, thats uh Ed Charles" (pointing at Tommie Agee)

And maybe a nice plaque signifying all the major Met award winners through the years (BTW Al Leiter's Clemente Award is STILL hanging on the wall) and those enshrined in Cooperstown

Steve

[Edgy MD]

I forget my source (I think from the Mets' own site) but I got Bud Harrelson there in 1982. I'm pretty sure Rusty's induction day was his own. Those awful wigs stick out in my mind.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Rube Walker is a great choice. When Hodges named him pitching coach (to raisaed eyebrows, even tho it wasn't unprecendented to name a catcher a PC) the Mets had had 7 pitching coaches in 7 years.

[G-Fafif]

Edgy DC wrote: I forget my source (I think from the Mets' own site) but I got Bud Harrelson there in 1982. I'm pretty sure Rusty's induction day was his own. Those awful wigs stick out in my mind.

Mets Media Guide confirms Rusty and Buddy went in together as the first players in 1986. The Mets had run out of no-brainer non-players and were waiting on Tom to retire (Seaver, not Gorman). Rusty Fright Wig today was a separate affair from HOF induction. Don't hold me to it but I think the HOF was tied into Old Timers Day that year.

Rusty was broadcasting for the Mets so it wasn't hard to bring him back multiple times.

Seaver was inducted the day they retired his number, I think. I don't remember a separate ceremony. Everybody since then has gotten one.

[Edgy MD]

Well, I still didn't forget him, I just mislaid him.

Stupid source.

[G-Fafif]

Edgy DC wrote: Well, I still didn't forget him, I just mislaid him.

Buddy's small. Easy to mislay.

If you'd lost track of Kingman or Straw -- or Eric Hillman -- that would be something else.