I was going to show these Hall of Fame pictures, but all of them had the mystery man in it. I'm guessing the question isn't terribly difficult, but I'm not just going to give it away.Robin Yount and George Brett meet in the first meeting of 3,000 hit players since 1925.
Robin Yount and George Brett would have made a terrific left side of the infield, but unfortunately, they never played on the same team. Incredibly, however, they both played on one team for their entire careers (Yount for the Brewers, Brett for the Royals), and it's pretty hard to find two players like this in any era. Regardless, both were excellent defensive players (Yount at short and, after 1984, center, and Brett at third) who could also hit.
By May 28, 1993, both players had 3,000 hits, and both players were on their last legs. After 1990 (his age 37 season), Brett was an average hitter, and as a full-time DH, he was there for mainly sentimental purposes. In 1992 for his 3,000th hit, he was picked off while trying to enjoy the moment in what was probably one of the biggest dick moves of all-time.
Yount was also an average player by this point and had been since about 1989 (his age 33 and second MVP season), but he was still playing center every day. He, too, had his 3,000th hit in 1992, but he didn't get picked off.
Coming into this game, both players were in their the twilight of their careers, but what careers they were, Hall of Fame in fact. Anyway, the Royals went to visit the Royals on the 28th of May. The Brewers, behind a complete-game gem from Cal Eldred, would beat Kevin Appier and the Royals 5-1. The two Hall of Famers didn't have memorable games. Brett went 0-3 with an RBI on a groundout. Yount went 1-4 with a sharp grounder through the hole between the first and second basemen. Neither would have great last seasons, but appropriately, both were elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Trivia Time
Who had the most votes in that Hall of Fame vote between the two, and who was the other guy elected in that election?
Yesterday's Answer --> Willie Mays, but he actually did it today. Firefox kicked me off after I made the change and did not save it. I'm a failure. Sorry.
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4 comments:
I'm pretty certain that was Nolan Ryan's HOF year. Three first ballot HOFers. If I remember right, that hadn't happened since the initial class. I don't remember the totals, but I think the percentages were something like: Ryan - 94%, Brett - 88% and Yount - 77%.
Oh, and George Brett got picked off after his 3000th hit?! What a jerk that pitcher was!
The order is correct, but I'll give the vote totals tomorrow.
Lar beat me. I was going to guess the same thing.
I remember a beer commercial around 1999 with Brett and Yount where Brett kept teasing Yount about getting a higher percentage of the vote.
Brett: Are you sure about that, Robin?
Yount: Yeah, I'm sure.
Brett: 98% sure or only 80% sure?
That's a great call, Ian. I had totally forgotten about that commercial. It was pretty funny. Too bad it's not on youtube...
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