In 2017 as the Twins' skipper, Molitor joined Frank Robinson as the only Hall of Famers to be elected as players and go on to win the Manager of the Year Award. The longtime Phillie won a World Series with the club in 1980. There was never a doubt that Jeter was going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Robin YountClass of 1999Yount spent only a few months in the Minors before reaching the big leagues as a teenager. Of course his scoring statistics were never as high as they were with the Pistons, and although lower than they were with Orlando, not that much lower (Hill averaged 19.9 points per-36 minutes for Detroit, 18.3 pp-36 with Orlando, and 14.5 pp-36 with Phoenix). At least thats what I convinced myself of immediately after I retired. MC5, a six-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee, revs up for first album in 51 years and new tour Guitarist Wayne Kramer, who leads the new edition of the band, likens its mission to Paul Reveres. As a rebounder, he remained right on par averaging 7.2 rebounds per-36 minutes with Detroit, 5.5 rp-36 with Orlando, and 5.7 rp-36 with Phoenix. Dave WinfieldClass of 2001Regardless of baseball, Winfield might be one of the greatest athletes ever -- he was drafted in four major sports leagues, according to Hall of Fame archives. You dont have time to dwell on what did or didnt happen in the past. That has to be a hard thing to shake, what could have or should have been? With Jimmy Butler hobbled late by an ankle injury, Miami gets big performances from Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love to take the series opener in New York. When the Pistons drafted him in 1994, it marked a new era in Motown, and the re-branding of a franchise. (The seventh season of Hills contract was a $16,901,500 player-option, which he exercised, after only playing in 21 games the season before. He was an eight-time All-Star, a 1995 World Series champion, the 2008 NL batting champion and the '99 NL MVP Award winner. Hill: (Laughing) Exactly. In perhaps his final chapter as a pro, Hill currently is playing with the Phoenix Suns, where he is meshing well with Shaq, Steve Nash and company. Had it not been for the three seasons he spent overseas, Spahn -- the winningest left-handed pitcher of all time (363), a 17-time All-Star and a 13-time 20-game winner -- might have joined Cy Young and Walter Johnson in the 400-win club. With a resume that extends far beyond simply the NBA, Hills Hall of Fame candidacy was never in question. Hill doubled as the leagues premier triple threat from the moment he arrived on the scene, tallying a league-high 24 of them in his first three seasons. What made you split the middle and go with Duke? Hill also served as his teams primary scorer, leading the Pistons in each of his first six seasons while topping out at 25.8 points per game his final season in Detroit. Hill: I think in my pre-Duke years, there were two moments when it hit me. Back in the day youd go to the local high school and watch the game and he was like this amazing player. Follow along with Commander Country as we keep you up to date with all firings, hirings, and breaking news in the NFL 3 draft pick of the 1961 Vikings. He only enjoyed rare flashes of the elite athleticism that marked his early years and retired on June 1, 2013. Tom GlavineClass of 2014Like Maddux, Glavine made his mark through command. John SmoltzClass of 2015Smoltz became arguably his era's most versatile pitcher. WebList of first ballot hall of famers (NBA players only) George Mikan Ed Macauley Andy Phillip Bob Cousy Bob Pettit Bill Russell Elgin Baylor Wilt Chamberlain Jerry Lucas Oscar Robertson Jerry West Bill Bradley John Havlicek Elvin Hayes Julius Erving Bill Walton An amazing four-year career at Duke, Rookie of the Year, Olympic gold medalist and 7-time All-Star, Hills career arc includes the injuries which prematurely ended his prime and derailed any potential best player chatter. I got to know him and follow what he was doing with his teams and his program. Well over half of our list of the Top 100 Legends were enshrined on the first ballot (including the entire top 20, assuming Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are First Ballot). Archived post. And I remember the hard times, the struggles. He was enshrined to the Hall with a 98.5 percent vote. At 68", he could play the shooting guard or small forward spot, and be a match-up problem for any team in the league. The Magic welcomed Grant with open arms, and exchanged Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace for the All-Star. When I was in Phoenix, my daughter Myla would go on YouTube and look at old highlights and she said, oh dad, you werent always a scrub. And you repair your ego a little bit, you look at it and go, oh yeah, I was pretty good at one time. Ive had more of those sort of moments now that reflect and get a chance to look back over the years to see some of the things I was fortunate enough to do. Babe RuthClass of 1936The Bambino's powerful left-handed swing and 714 homers ushered baseball out of the Dead Ball Era, and the former ace pitcher and home run king's larger-than-life persona transcended the limits of the baseball field and cemented his place not only in baseball lore, but also in American legend. And thats something that, if Im being honest with myself, it really, really bothered me. Hills Hall of Fame case was bolstered by the combination of the quality and length of his NBA career, as well as his spectacular college career. And we had just bought a Betamax and the first thing we taped was that Final Four, so I watched that game so many times I know the entire call, I memorized that game and was obsessed with it. Rivera won both World Series MVP and American League Championship Series MVP in his career, as well as All-Star Game MVP in 2013, his final season and final All-Star Game. WebRT @CalFootball: In honor of this years NFL Draft in Kansas City, lets throw it back to 1997 when our first-ballot Hall of Famer @TonyGonzalez88 was selected 13th overall by the @Chiefs #ProBears . I dont know, Hill recently told Sekou Smith of NBA.com. George BrettClass of 1999Brett, a Kansas City legend, enjoyed a run of sustained success that included batting titles in three decades (1976, '80, '90). Defensively versatile and offensively adept, Molitor hit .306 over 12,167 plate appearances and logged 50 or more games at designated hitter, third base, second, first, shortstop and in the outfield. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner's 305 wins are the fourth most by a left-hander. Maybe not as a scorer, but in terms of overall value, the numbers suggest a peak player right on par with Bryant, even if that peak was substantially shorter. A 12-time All-Star, Winfield hit 465 home runs and is a member of the 3,000-hit club. He shared Rookie of the Year honors with Jason Kidd in 1995 and was the man expected by many to serve as the superstar bridge for the league between the Michael Jordan era and whatever came next. A First Ballot Hall of Famer is a player who is elected to the Hall of Fame on his first appearance on the BBWAA ballot. Stan MusialClass of 1969Not only did Stan "The Man" win three NL MVP Awards, three World Series championships and seven batting titles, but he did it all in St. Louis, where he spent his entire 22-year career and became the face of the franchise. It wasnt all bad, if that makes sense. He was a stellar role player, great in every locker room he set foot in and one of the leagues best ambassadors off the court. Is Grant Hill in the Hall of Fame? Nolan RyanClass of 1999Ryan played a record 27 years in the Majors, pitching for the Mets, Angels, Astros and Rangers, and he is baseball's all-time leader in no-hitters (seven) and strikeouts (5,714). The only other player under 25 to finish in the top 10 was Shaquille ONeal, positioning Hill to ride the post-Jordan wave on the horizon. Then, in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Reds -- in his first career postseason start -- Halladay threw a no-hitter. Hill is also a part of the ownership group, led by Tony Ressler, Q&A: Grant Hill reflects on career in new memoir, Encouragement, challenges behind scenes stirs 2018 Hall of Fame class to their shining moment, Q&A: Heat guard Goran Dragic on his charmed basketball life, Female officials Q&A Part 1: Path to the NBA, Series preview: What to expect in Warriors-Lakers, 5 takeaways from Warriors' Game 7 victory, 5 takeaways from Heat's Game 1 win over Knicks, Curry sets Game 7 record with 50 points vs. Kings, Brooks fined $25K for violating interview rules, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, that purchased the Atlanta Hawks in June of 2015. Carrying the mantle as his teams top scorer and distributor? He said he didnt compartmentalize his career while he was in the midst of it because he was working so hard to reach a certain level that he just didnt have or make the time to take a step back and really appreciate what hed accomplished. But I want to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Ramsey said. He won a World Series with the Mets in 1969. One of Basketball-Reference.coms most unique features is a Hall of Fame probability calculator which considers the statistics, accolades and awards most correlated with getting selected into the Hall of Fame. With Jason Kidd the only other player with more than six over that same stretch, Hill was doing things as a playmaker that nobody else his size could match. What if instead of Magic and Michael, we looked to Grant Hill, a 68 wing with point guard skills that could also go and get his. Upon his return, he had three more 20-win seasons and finished with a 3.25 career ERA. Cobb's 98.2 percent vote was the Hall's highest until Tom Seaver eclipsed him in 1992. The first time Hodges was on the BBWAA ballot was for the 1969 Hall of Fame class. If Penny (Hardaway) and Grant don't get hurt, those are the two guys back in their day that everyone wants to play like.". Smith helped the Cardinals win the '82 World Series title. He was enshrined with an 85.2 percent vote. And then he received a call from Phoenix Suns General Manager Steve Kerr. Though the MVP voting for the 1996-97 season is most remembered for Karl Malone controversially edging Michael Jordan, Hill quietly finished third while averaging 21.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. The Suns, needing depth, Hill needing a change of scenery, and Phoenix with the widely-believed best training staff in the NBA, was the perfect destination, and thus the third chapter of his career began. Jim ThomeClass of 2018The blue-collar slugger from Peoria, Ill., was drafted in the 13th round by Cleveland in 1989 and went on to headline an era defined by power with 612 home runs, the eighth-most all-time. The following is a little bit about Scott Rolens chances of being elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. A little more than five years after authoring a record-breaking final season, Ortiz punched his ticket to Cooperstown. But as far as were concerned, in the Michael Jordan vs Oh, and don't forget about "The Catch.". Herrin native Steve Fisher up for Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame By Associated Press updated: 12/22/2017 2:39 PM Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, fellow star point guard Jason Kidd, Grant Hill and Ray Allen are among six first-year candidates for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Ken Griffey Jr.Class of 2016As the son of a successful 19-year big leaguer, the No. Reggie JacksonClass of 1993Dubbed "Mr. October" for his postseason heroics, Jackson not only enjoyed immense personal success -- he's a 14-time All-Star, the 1973 AL MVP Award winner and a four-time home run leader -- but contributed to some stellar A's, Yankees and Angels teams, including five World Series champions and 10 first-place finishers. The four finalists from the Womens Screening Committee includes: players Katie Smith and Tina Thompson, coach Kim Mulkey, and Wayland Baptist University as a team. No other player had more than three. Jim PalmerClass of 1990Palmer became destined for greatness early on. So again, I wanted to play with my friends on the freshmen team, who by the way went 22-0 that year, so if I had played with them I might have messed them up (laughing). NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Players who are selected into the Hall of Fame in their first eligible year are a special group. With a variety of college and professional experiences, both on and off the court, Grant was named Managing Director of the USA Basketball Mens National Team in 2021. I didnt get a chance to see it through, to see what could have been. But yeah, I forget sometimes, even my kids remind me. Congratulations to him, and the entire 2018 Basketball Hall of Fame class. Simpson) and 34 (Joe Perry) are also enshrined. He went into the Hall as a Ranger after spending his first 12 seasons as Texas' backstop, and he would go on to play in two World Series, in 2003 for the Marlins and '06 with the Tigers. Looking back, that looked like a one sided deal back then, but the Pistons wound up winning a title and went to the Finals twice due to Ben Wallaces play.