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Final Thoughts
After researching this incident I came away with a few thoughts for each party involved.
The St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame - I think if there was better communication, a lot of this could have been avoided. If the fans were clearer on exactly what it meant to be in the HOF and what kind of members they were looking for, that would have helped. More transparency is always a good thing. Without going to the HOF manager I had no clue about the thought process or the procedures that get someone inducted. Also, maybe reaching out to those you want to nominate before it goes public might be a good thing.
The Committee Members - There are several writers on the committee and yet I was only able to find a couple of articles with any detail after the nominations were published. I wouldn’t expect Tony La Russa or Whitey Herzog to write anything but if you are a writer, write. If you are a broadcaster I’m sure you have access to the websites blog anytime you want. I am not asking for the internal workings of the committee but fans like me would love to hear why you voted for these players (or didn’t vote). After all, this isn’t a math test. There is no right or wrong answer but your opinions do matter. That after all is why we as fans read your work.
David Freese - After reading the statement that was released I know this wasn’t an easy decision. I feel bad that Freese was put in this position. However, because of these six words in his statement, “this honor means more to me” I want to see his plaque in the Hall even more. It would mean a lot if Freese looked that the stats listed above, thought about the big moments and the joy he gave to the St. Louis fans, and realized he does belong.
The St. Louis Cardinals - Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III said this: “Although we are disappointed that David has declined to be inducted into our Hall of Fame, we respect his decision and look forward to celebrating his great Cardinals career in other ways going forward”. So many times words are spoken and then forgotten. If Freese doesn’t reconsider then I hope you really do find a way to “celebrate his great Cardinal career”. Maybe celebrate the man by coming up with the “David Freese Award” for someone each year that exhibits immense courage or integrity which is exactly what this took. Don’t let this moment pass.