Deck The Hall

Editor's Note: I've reworked the poll to give more choices. Thanks for the early input. Please vote again - the quick two of you who voted. You may vote for more than one choice. 

Gentlemen (and one lady):

A few days ago I mentioned I would be stea...er, borrowing, an idea from another blogger. White Sox Cards provided my inspiration.

I'd like to create my blog's own little Hall of Fame. (And, before I continue, please vote now in the poll for a name for this Hall. And, if you have a better idea, let me know. If I choose it, I'll send you a small prize.)

The reason for my Hall: Fun, of course, but also to force myself to learn more about the history of other teams - not just those I'm fairly intimately familiar with (Reds, Tigers, Cubs).

Over the course of a year, I will cover each team, running down a short list of achievements of the best players to ever suit up for said team. I will then ask for your votes.

I'd like to create exclusivity for induction.

* For teams in existence for 50 or more years, 5 players - the top vote-getters - will win first-ballot induction. For teams in existence 30-49 years, 3 players will be inducted. For all other teams, the ballots will be grouped and the top four will be inducted. In all cases, players must have received at least 75% of the vote to be inducted. So, if only one player for any given teams gets more than 75% of the vote, then only one player will be inducted. Thus, the percentage rule overrules the top vote-getter rule.

* Roughly one year after any given team is featured, a second-ballot will be held. Three more players will enter the Hall for each team more than 50 or more years old. Two more for teams 30-49 years old. One more for the newer expansion teams.

* In subsequent years, we'll probably go with a percentage for induction.

I will ask voters to consider a player's entire body of work for the specific team featured. If a player had a HOF career but played just 3 seasons with the team in question - perhaps they don't deserve induction to the team's Hall. Your call.

No baseball card element involved - strictly baseball and baseball-related activities.

I'm starting with the Tigers, one of my two favorite teams. They rank just a smidge behind my beloved Reds. I asked for nominations the other day. I'll be adding those names to others I've gathered. If you'd like to add anyone, let me know here.

And, if anyone has read this far and sees a rule tweak or two or inherent problem, feel free to let me know. Enjoy.

The Fun-Time Baseball Hall: Nominees For Tigers, Reds Sought

The Hall of Fame news today, and a recent post from White Sox Cards, have led me to undertake a new venture on this here blog. I shall call it the "The Hall of Potch" or "The Potch Hall of Fame" or if anyone has a more creative name - and that shant be hard - please include in the comments.

In short, I'd like to solicit Hall votes from the sports card blogosphere. I will choose a team, solicit Hall nominees from said team and then feature short write-ups about the nominees - followed by a voting period. This is about baseball and baseball-related activities (announcing, for example). For each team's first ballot, the Potch Hall will induct the top 5 vote getters; then (six months later) another 5, then six months later, those getting 75% of the vote will be inducted. At that point, it will be an annual event.

NOTE: I'm still considering how to handle this for expansion teams. The induction process will be drastically different for these relatively new teams and they'll be combined in some form as well.

Please nominate players in the comments. Players must have been away from said team for at least five years. Players can include anyone from the team in question's long history.

To start, I'm seeking nominees for the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds. I realize that there are some obvious names you might not want to run through (Cobb, Bench, etc.) so don't necessarily worry about naming everyone. Those big names will obviously make the ballot. But, if there's a player you think might be lesser known/unsung, feel free to name that player.


Mainly, I thought this project would prompt me to look up some details - and learn more - about the great players to suit up for my favorite baseball teams - and perhaps my not-so-favorites. It's a labour of love, as UB40 might say, thus I apologize if this is something others have done before me. Please consider it flattery.

More will follow about the voting process once we have a slate of nominees.