Sports Daily: Maddux not a Cub or a Brave in HOF

[RaychelSnr]

Recent Hall of Fame electee Greg Maddux did the majority of his damage from the mound while wearing an Atlanta Braves uniform. But the crafty Cy Young winner threw us yet another wicked change-up by announcing that he's not going into the HOF as a Brave.

Along with manager Tony LaRussa who saw success in Oakland and St. Louis, Maddux feels his time spent in Chicago and Atlanta should be honored equally. So instead of choosing one team over another, Maddux and LaRussa have opted for a blank spot in place of a logo on their plaque -- something forty-two other players have done previously.

Sound Off: How important is team affiliation when reflecting on your favorite Hall of Fame legends?

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[Knight165]

While I think it's important to have team affiliation.....it should be only if there is a clear cut team associated with that player, or the player has a preference if it's close.
For instance in the case of Glavine...it's the Braves cut and dry. I liked Glavine with the Mets, but I would never associate him with New York.

One thing .....Braves fans are going to freak out....while Chicago fans will see this as a "win".
JMO.

M.K.
Knight165

[nemesis04]

It does not dilute their accomplishment at all imo. To be honest I think it means more to the organization and fans for them to have a definitive team.

[Dante_X]

Isn't the Hall of Fame that pick the cap? I remember that Andre Dawson didn't want the Expos cap because they were extinct but the Hall picked the Expos for him. He wanted the Cubs.

[Iceman87GT]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dante_X

Isn't the Hall of Fame that pick the cap? I remember that Andre Dawson didn't want the Expos cap because they were extinct but the Hall picked the Expos for him. He wanted the Cubs.

Players have input, they used to have final say but that was ended when it appeared that bribing was going on (cap insignia being part of contract agreements, like what was apparently the case with Wade Boggs).

The Hall gets final say, but when a player with a legitimate case for choosing one of 2 teams like with Maddux (yes everyone will remember him as a Brave, but he spent his first 7 seasons with Chicago, and an additional 3 seasons (well 2.5) with them after leaving Atlanta), they will honor the request that they have no insignia on their cap.

I have a feeling that if Maddux had insisted upon them slapping a Cubs logo on his cap that they would have ignored him and put an A.. Basically I think the HOF will ignore most requests for a specific team if they feel that a player should be wearing a certain cap (your Andre Dawson example), but I think they will listen to the player 99% of the time if they request that they have no logo.

[LowerWolf]

He'll always be a Brave to me, but I'm OK with it.

The funny thing to me is, his Cubs affiliation is more like "Good old Cubs, let him leave as he's entering his prime, bring back him when his prime is over."

[BleacherBum2310]

I don't think it's a big deal. He Obviously enjoyed his time in both organizations. 10 Years w/ Cubs 11 w/Braves. & that Cubs fans consider this a win is nonsense.

[dingleberryfinn]

This is an outrage, Mad Dog should go in as a Padre, after all he was a 20 game winner for them
[/drippingsarcasm]