Seventy-seven MLB seasons – 24 All Star selections – 7 Gold Gloves – 5 Stolen Base Titles – 3 Home Run Crowns – 3 Twenty-Win Seasons – 2 Rookie of the Year Awards – One MVP Award. Those are the considerable – and well-earned – credential of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) 2018 “Hall of Game” class.
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On May 1, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) announced the lineup for its Fifth Annual Hall of Game inductions:
- Power-hitting Dick Allen – a two-time league HR champion and 1972 American League MVP.
- Eddie Murray – one of the greatest switch-hitters in MLB history, with more than 3,000 base hits and 500+ MLB home runs.
- Speedster Kenny Lofton – who not only led the American League in stolen bases five straight seasons, but also earned four consecutive Gold Gloves in center field.
- Jim Mudcat Grant– owner of 145 major league victories and the first Black pitcher to win 20 games in the American League, as well as the first Black hurler to win a World Series game for an AL team.
- Fireballer J.R. Richard – whose career was cut short (10 seasons) by a stroke, but who can still look back on a twenty-win season, 74 wins over a four-span and two consecutive 300+ strikeout campaigns.
This group will join previous honorees (listed alphabetically): Lou Brock; Orlando Cepeda; Roberto Clemente; Andre Dawson; Ricky Henderson; Fergie Jenkins; Joe Morgan; Tony Oliva; Al Oliver; Tony Perez; Tim Raines; Lee Smith; Ozzie Smith; Louis Tiant, Jr.; Maury Wills; and Dave Winfield. Ceremonies are scheduled for 8:00 p.m., June 9 at the Gem Theatre, 1615 18th Street, Kansas City, Missouri.
NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL MUSEUM HALL OF GAME
The NLBM established its Hall of Game in 2014 to recognize MLB greats “who competed with the same passion, determination, skill and flair exhibited by the heroes of the Negro Leagues.”
Now, let’s take a look at the 2018 Hall of Game class.
Dick Allen – MLB career, 1963-1977
Dick Allen made a name for himself early in his career. In his first full MLB season (1964 – after a 10-game call up in 1963), the 22-year-old Allen played in all 162 Phillies’ games (at third base) – hitting .318, with 201 hits, 29 home runs and 91 RBI. He also led the league in triples (13) and runs scored (125). That performance earned him the 1964 NL Rookie of the Year Award (and a seventh-place finish in the MVP balloting.) The 5’11”, 187-pound Allen went on to live up to that early promise.
In four minor league seasons, Dick Allen hit .306 with 82 home runs and 342 RBI (in 482 games). When he was called up to the Phillies in September of 1963, Allen was hitting .289-33-97 for the International League (AAA) Arkansas Travelers.
Playing for the Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers. White Sox and A’s, Allen led his league in slugging percentage three times, on-base percentage twice, home runs twice, as well as in RBI and total bases once each. In 1972, playing with the White Sox, Allen earned the AL MVP award, hitting .308 and leading the AL in home runs (37), RBI (113), walks (99), on-base percentage (.422) and slugging percentage (.603).
For his MLB career, the seven-time All Star hit .292 (1,848 hits), with 351 home runs, 1,099 runs scored and 1,119 RBI.
Dick Allen collected 79 triples over his MLB career – and had one stretch of four consecutive seasons of ten or more three-baggers.
Jim “Mudcat” Grant – MLB career 1958-71
In 1965, while with the Minnesota Twins, Jim Mudcat Grant became first Black pitcher to have a twenty-win season in the American League – as his 21-7 campaign led the Twins to the American League pennant. Grant led the American League in wins (21), winning percentage (.750) and shutouts (6), while putting up a 3.30 ERA and fanning 142 battersin 270 1/3 innings.
He followed that performance with a pair of victories (versus the Dodgers) in the 1965 World Series – becoming the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game for an American League club.
In a clutch performance in Game Six of the 1965 Fall Classic, Jim “Mudcat” Grant not only earned a complete-game, six-hit, 5-1 victory, but also cracked a sixth-inning, three-run home run to put the game out of reach.
During his career, Grant appeared in 571 MLB games (293) starts, picking up 145 wins (119 losses) and 54 saves, while pitching to a 3.63 earned run average. He fanned 1,267 batters in 2,442 MLB innings. He was a two-time America League All Star (1963 & 1965) was named The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year in 1965. Grant pitched for the Indians, Twins, Expos, Cardinals, Pirates and A’s.
Jim “Mudcat” Grant was the starting pitcher for the Montreal Expos in their first-ever official MLB game.
Following his retirement from the playing field, Grant dedicated himself to promoting the rich history of Blacks in baseball. In 2006, he released released his book The Black Aces, Baseball’s Only Black Twenty-Game Winners – which included a chapter on each of MLB’s Black twenty-game winners and also featured a number of Negro League players Grant felt would have been twenty-game winners had they been allowed to pitch in MLB.
Kenny Lofton – MLB career 1991-2007
After five minor league seasons during which he hit .300 and stole 168 bases (363 games), Kenny Lofton came to the major leagues ready to run. Lofton joined the Houston Astros in a brief late-season call up in 1991 (20 games, .203 average). Then, in the off-season, the 5’11”, 190-pound outfielder was traded by the Astros to the Indians (along with infielder Dave Rhode) for pitcher Willie Blair and catcher Ed Taubensee– a trade the appropriately, paid off for the Indians “very fast.”
In his first full MLB season (1992), the new Cleveland center fielder hit .285, with five home runs, 42 RBI, 96 runs scored and a league-topping 66 stolen bases. Lofton would not relinquish that stolen base title until 1997 – running up totals of 66, 70, 60, 54 and 75 steals between 1992-96.
Kenny Lofton finished second to the Brewers’ Pat Listach (SS/2B/CF) in the 1992 AL Rookie of the Year balloting. You could hardly have slipped the proverbial “piece of paper” between the stats of the two players. Listach played in 149 games, Lofton 148. Listach hit .290 with 168 hits, Lofton .285 with 164 safeties. Lofton hit five home runs and stole 66 bases to Listach’s one home run and 54 steals. Lofton scored 96 runs to Listach’s 93, but Listach drove in 47 to Lofton’s 42. Lofton collected 68 walks to 55 for Listach, and fanned just 54 times to Listach’s 124.
During his career, Lofton played for the Astros (1991), Indians (1992-2001 & 2007); White Sox (2002); Giants (2002); Pirates (2003); Cubs (2003); Yankees (2004); Phillies (2005); Dodgers (2006); Rangers (2007).
In his final MLB season (2007), at age 40, Lofton hit .296 and stole 23 bases in 136 games.
In his career, Lofton earned six All-Star appearances (1994-99) and four Gold Glove Awards (1993-1996). His final regular season stat line: 2,103 games played, .299 average, 2,428 hits, 383 doubles, 116 triples, 130 home runs, 1,528 runs scored, 781 RBI and 622 stolen bases (15th all-time). He hit over .300 in seven campaigns and topped 50 stolen bases in six seasons. He also played in 95 post-season games, hitting .247-7-34, with 34 stolen bases in 40 attempts.
Eddie Murray – MLB career 1977-97
MLB Players with 500 home runs AND 3,000 hits. Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro and Alex Rodriguez.
When you are one of just five MLB players to hit 500 home runs and collect 3,000 hits – you are something special. When you are the only switch-hitter in the club, you also know you will be included in any conversation about the “the greatest switch hitters of all time.” That’stheEddie Murray legacy.
First baseman/DH Eddie Murray spent 21 years in the major leagues – primarily with the Baltimore Orioles (1977-88 and 1996). He also took the field for the Dodgers, Mets, Indians, Angels and Dodgers. While his career included just one home run title and one RBI crown, Murray was as steadily excellent as they come. In his first ten MLB seasons, he earned seven All Star selections (he garnered eight overall), three Gold Glove Awards and 1977 AL Rookie of the Year honors.
Eddie Murray drew 222 career intentional walks – tenth all time – leading his league three times.
In a 21-season MLB career, Murray hit 25 or more home runs 12 times, collected 100 or more RBI six times and hit .300 or better seven times. It all added up to 3,026 games played (sixth all-time), a .287 average, 3,255 hits (12th), 504 home runs (27th), 1,627 runs scored (41st) and 1,917 RBI (11th).
Eddie Murray was a first-ballot inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
J.R. Richard – MLB Career 1971-80
Flamethrower J.R. Richard’s career was cut short by a stroke in 1980. By that time, the big (6’8”, 220-pounts) right-hander had made a name for himself as one of the most feared pitchers in MLB.
When the 21-year-old Richard was called up to the Astros in September of 1971, he was 12-7, 2.45 with 202 strikeouts in 173 innings at Triple A. He made four starts tat month, going 3-1, 3.43 and fanning 29 in 21 innings.
In his very first MLB start – September 5, 1971 – J.R. Richard beat the Giants 5-3, throwing a complete-game seven-hitter and fanning a record-tying (for a first MLB appearance) 15 batters.
Richard was up-and-down (minors/major) until 1975 – as he worked to master control and command of his electric “stuff.” He had his first full MLB season in 1975, going 12-10, 4.39 – and fanning 176 in 203 innings. (He also led the NL in walks with 138) and wild pitches with 20). The following season, he lived up to his full promise, winning 20 games (15 losses), lowering his earned run average to 2.75 and fanning 214 batters in 291 innings. But, the best was yet to come.
Richard won 18 games in each of the next three seasons, put up earned run averages of 2.97, 3.11 and a league-best 2.71 (1979). In 1978 and 1979, he also topped the NL in strikeouts, with 303 and 313, respectively.
Richard looked to be getting even better in 1980. He was 10-4, with a 1.90 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings before suffering a career-ending stroke on July 30. For his career, Richard was 107-71 – a .601 winning percentage – with a 3.15 ERA and 1,493 strikeouts in 1,606 innings pitched. He gave up just 6.87 hits per nine innings – three times posting the league’s lowest hits-per-nine figure.
J.R. Richard’s career 6.87 hits allowed per nine innings is the fifth-lowest among pitchers with at least 1,000 MLB innings – trailing only Nolan Ryan, Clayton Kershaw, Sandy Koufax and Sid Fernandez.
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In announcing the 2018 Hall of Game honorees, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick said, “Each of these players was a phenomenal athlete who achieved remarkable stats and records. Buck O’Neil once said of the Negro Leagues that fans couldn’t go to the concession stands because they were afraid they’d miss something they’d never seen before. That’s how these guys played. Fans couldn’t take their eyes off them because they might miss an incredible play. This year’s honorees embody that wonderful Negro Leagues spirit, and we are delighted to welcome as our fifth induction class of our Hall of Game.”
In addition to the Hall of Game inductions, the NLBM will be presenting the Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award for “career excellence in the face of adversity” to the award namesake’s daughter, Sharon Robinson – who serves as an educational consultant for Major League Baseball and manages Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life, a baseball-themed national character education curriculum that helps empower students to face obstacles in their lives.
“There’s no one we would rather honor on this special anniversary year than Sharon Robinson,” Kendrick said. “She’s been a phenomenal voice and champion for diversity in sports and is carrying on her father’s legacy in a powerful and effective way.”
THE NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL MUSEUM
Satchel Paige pitches to Martin Dihigo, with Josh Gibson catching – on the Field of Legends at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and illuminating the rich history of black baseball. The museum, built in conjunction with the adjacent American Jazz Museum at the famous 18th & Vine Jazz District, has become an iconic piece of Kansas City’s social and entertainment culture. The NLBM is a privately funded, 501c3 not-for-profit organization incorporated in 1990. The museum’s inception brought together the vision of a group of Kansas City business leaders, historians and former baseball players, headed by the legendary John “Buck” O‘Neil. For more information, visit www.nlbm.com, and follow the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum on Twitter @nlbmprez
HY-VEE – Hall of Game Presenting Sponsor
Hy-Vee, Inc. has been the presenting sponsor for the Hall of Game awards since their inception. Hy-Vee is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 245 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $10 billion annually. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 10 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 5 favorite grocery stores. For additional information, visit www.hyvee.com.
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