Fred was an avid baseball fan. He loved to play his computer baseball game, especially against his father. After the 2011 season ended, Fred wanted to create two Hall of Fame teams, one for his father and one for himself.
Ever since the economy became bad, Fred’s father worked at three jobs. He was relieved that he wouldn’t have to make up his own team. After all, he reasoned, it had to be a great team because it would consist only of Hall of Famers.
Fred went to work selecting Hall of Fame players for the two teams. There would be two players for each position and a seven man pitching staff.
The following are Tom’s players followed by his father’s Hall of Famers.
1B Lou Gehrig .340/.447/.632 and George Sisler .340/.379/.468
1B Tony Perez .279/.344.463 and Orlando Cepeda .397/.353/.499
2B Rogers Hornsby .358/.434/.577 and Eddie Collins .333/.424/.428
2B Bill Mazeroski .260/.302/.367 and Johnny Evers .270/.356/.334
3B Mike Schmidt .267/.384/.527 and Pie Traynor .320/.362/.435
3B Ron Santo .277/.362/.464 and Jimmy Collins .394/.344/.409
SS Honus Wagner .327/.391/.466 and Ernie Banks .274/.333/.500
SS Joe Tinker .262/.308/.353 and Rabbit Maranville .258/.318/.340
LF Ted Williams .344/.483/.634 and Stan Musial .331/.418/.559
LF Lou Brock .293/.344/.410 and Jim Rice .398/.352/.502
CF Joe DiMaggio .325/.398/.579 and Ty Cobb .366/.433/.512
CF Richie Ashburn .308/.397/.382 and Lloyd Waner .318/.353/.393
RF Babe Ruth .342/.474/.690 and Hank Aaron .305/.377/.555
RF Harry Hooper .281/.368/.387 and Reggie Jackson .262/.358/.490
C Yogi Berra .285/.350/.482 and Bill Dickey .313/.382/.486
C Ray Schalk .253/.340/.316 and Rick Ferrell .281/.378/.363
P Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Lefty Grove, Pete Alexander, Sandy Koufax, Warren Spahn and Bob Gibson
P Jim Bunning, Don Drysdale, Lefty Gomez, Jesse Haines, Ted Lyons, Rollie Fingers and Catfish Hunter.
Tom’s father was delighted when he saw his players. As a veteran fan, he knew the importance of pitching. When he saw his pitching staff, he figured that his chances of winning were excellent. Bunning and Drysdale were two great right-handers while Gomez gave him a left-hander.
Rollie Fingers would be his closer. After all, he thought, Fingers won both the American League MVP and Cy Young Award in 1981.
Then Tom’s father examined his son’s team. He became as deflated as a balloon that has just been punctured.
Tom had put one over on his father, just as the Hall of Fame voters have done many times.