They also surf who only stand on waves
SANDCASTLE DAY
The Hall of Fame
JUNE 11,4,001,994 B.C.
Phil Niekro
W
L
PCT ERA G
318 274
. 537
H
BB
SO
5044
189
3342
3.35
63
CG
IP
Organic Produce, Nancy's Yogurt,
Bulk Grains, Cereals, Flours, Herbs, Snacks,
Organic Coffee Beans, Healthful Snacks,
Nutritional Supplements,
Health & Beauty Products,
Special Orders Welcome.
864 716 245 5403.1
SHO
45
It seems that all of us have forgotten all too
quickly just what a pitcher this cat was. His
induction into The Hall has induced paroxysms of
outrage from the S.l. Cognoscenti, as well as the
wizened old geezers of the "Baseball Monthly”
persuasion, such as myself.
Howell Plaza
Manzanita
Mon-Fri 7:30-5:30 & Sat-Sun 8:30 -5:30
368-5316
“It’s like watching Mario Andretti park a car.”
- Ralph Kiner, on
Niekro’s knuckleball
l U üj [jf ijTgrijfI3rw5n3n3ny5r^n3n3n3n3rnn3n3rt
Who belongs in the Hall of Fame and who doesn’t
is an eternal argument, as it should be; when we all
agree who is the greatest then baseball has lost its
spice, savor, and verve.
But there are some keys to the gates of logic here.
Again, Bill James has much to say. Let’s benefit
from his work and take a closer look at Mr. Niekro.
The party line of the Anti-Niekro Lobby, repealed
ad nauscum, went something like: ‘N iekro’s record
(318-274) is more of a testament to longevity than
excellence.”
It would make someone a nice challenge to write a
research paper quantifying the value of long life and
quality, and the exclusion of the two, and then
explaining Spahn, or Churchill, or maybe your
mother.
In the Second Historical Abstract, one of James’
more memorable passages detailed a conversation
betw een a w riter & an 80 year old fan in the Fenway
seats. This man, having seen every Sox from Ruth
to Rice, responded to the obvious question; ‘The
Best? Fred Lynn. Don’t think much of him now,
but for a few' years there, he was the best.”
Possible. But consider, Fred Lynn was eliminated
from Hall of Fame contention this year.
He is not alone, of course. The rigors and awful
demands of this game reap a gnm harvest every year.
Fred had a real problem with outfield walls. Others
of similar caliber have fallen victim to fast cars,
women, drugs, booze, insanity, disease, suicide and
soon. Niekro lasted. And lasted. Give him some
bloody credit.
James correctly points out the difference betw een
“peak value”, of the one or two year phenom, and
“career value”, the whole of the man’s worth over
the years. Obviously, Koufax would have a huge
peak value compared to Jesse Haines, while both are
Hall of Famers. But, how to compare on a season to
season basis?
What you do is compare the pitcher’s record over
his career to his team when he wasn't pitching. If
you accept James’ figures the results are stunning in
Niekro’s case. Consider also that this guy pitched in
front of inferior teams virtually his w hole career, and
in a ball park that was nicknamed ‘The Launching
Pad.”
The upshot of this whole muddle is, Phil Niekro,
by James’ math, is this; given the team he played
for, the yard he pitched in, and the league ERA,
during his career this guy won 39.6 games more than
he should have. Unimpressed? Check this partial list
of right handed pitchers already in the Hall of Fame.
Phil Niekro
39.6
Juan Marichal
Dazzy Vance
Bob Feller
Robin Roberts
Bob Gibson
Jim Palmer
Dizzy Dean
Gaylord Perry
Catfish Hunter
Don Drysdale
Red Ruffing
36.7
36.3
34.3
33.4
31.7
26.5
24.8
23.1
16.2
4.8
- 2.8
Donald Osborne, who’s works these fictional San Castle
Day poster are, will be honored March 6th with two special
showings in Portland. The Sacred Circle Gallery at 12th
and Hoyt will show 12 mixed media pieces dealing with
symbols of wholeness, and Little Wing Cafe, Bakery
and Salon at 13th and Hoyt will feature 40 pieces, large and
small, including his fictional shell series.
THE
Casual D in in g
O v e rlo o k in g the Piestucca River
Spirits •
Mot Sandwiches
Fresh Seafood Dinners •
Hom e Baked Desserts
Live M usic Every S a tu rd a y n ig h t
(5 0 3 ) 9 6 5 -6 7 2 2
pacific city
6*-(ze
/M anzanita
/dew s <£.
ESPRESSO
Starbucks Coffee & Espresso Drinks
Homemade Pastries, Sandwiches and Soup
Magazines, Local News, Maps and Calendars
<
The longevity issue is backward. Any play er that
can survive twenty-four years of Major League
Baseball deserves serious attention, not vilification.
I get the Iceling I’m preaching to the choir here.
Youth is wasted on the young, comets are idolized,
granite is grudgingly venerated but then we get old,
and start to speak in curious metaphors and similes.
Open Daily 7:30 A M.-5:00 P.M.
500 Laneda Ave.
Manzanita
368-7450
Epilogue;
“It’s the end of the world as we know it.”
Michael Stipe
‘T he world is just a finite sphere, a spinning
mudball that defines our sense of reality, unless
there’s something we don’t know, and then it
doesn’t.”
Yogi Berra
(No, not really.)
zT
You’ve been a great room, Thanks for your
attention.
Mr. Baseball
G ovrmf . t P izz .A
All power corrupts, but we need electricity
£
lim n LIFT iiC i (M C I)
I
O regon
mi
\
to *
• utmo«
r,wr»i
h im
T 'm r .H T
na i—iiia rar »
cam
fTVMO
11 u r i ! DOR ( M IR M * r u v o o n n a
MMEMOKÀ
1929 - 2 0 2 9
A selection of
OREGON WINES A
fine BEERS
always on hand.
Come join us for
dinner near the
pounding surf at
Laneda A Carmel
in Manzanita
503/ 368-5593