Henderson, Rice Headed to Cooperstown

(AP) - Jim Rice's icy glare melted into a wide smile. Brash, flamboyant Rickey Henderson was humbled by it all. The former left fielders were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame today along with the late Joe Gordon, and Henderson, baseball's all-time leading base stealer, was briefly overcome before evoking some hearty laughs. "My journey as a player is complete," he said. More»

Players battle for spot with political-style campaigns

(NEWSER) - This weekend, Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice are headed for baseball’s Hall of Fame—and a life without financial headaches, the Wall Street Journal reports. Retired players make money with autographs, speeches, and endorsements, and a place in Cooperstown means their values skyrocket. “‘HoF’ after a signature is the single best predictor of baseball price,” a memorabilia expert says. More»

Hall of fame voters surprise yet again

(NEWSER) - Andre Dawson was the only player elected into the Hall of Fame today, with Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar missing the cut by just five and eight votes respectively. Dawson, one of only three players to hit 400 home runs and steal 300 bases, received 77.9% of the vote, a big jump from his 67.9% finish last year. “I can’t really explain the elation,” said Dawson. “It’s the greatest feeling an individual can have.” More»

Aaron, others want disgraced player in Hall of Fame

(NEWSER) - Pete Rose may yet have a shot at baseball’s Hall of Fame: Commissioner Bud Selig is weighing ending Rose’s lifetime ban for gambling on the sport, the New York Daily News reports. Hank Aaron, whose opinion counts heavily with Selig, told reporters over the weekend he’d like to see Rose in the Hall; members of its board of directors also want the suspension tossed. More»

(NEWSER) - The Baseball Writers of America turn out to be a predictable lot. A new computer program from a Missouri State computer science professor can accurately predict who’ll join the Hall of Fame, the Wall Street Journal reports. Given a set of 1,592 players who retired between 1950 and 2002, it accurately identified 98.7% of those selected to be Hall of Famers. More»