Baseball revisits its past, I think, more than any other sport. Its storied history is what links it from generation to generation. This year a special committee will once again consider players who were passed over for the Hall of Fame - nine former players and one executive. If you are a big enough fan, yoou can probaby make a solid argument for any one of the 10. Two in particular stick out for me and possibly a third, though I didnt see him play. The one who headlines my list is former Minnesota Twins star outfielder Tony Oliva. When we were growing up, between about ages nine and 15, there were two teams we followed intensely in our neighbourhood - the New York Yankees and the Twins. Minnesota had three players we all pretended to be - Harmon Killebrew, one of the greatest home run-hitters of all time, Rod Carew, an incredible pure hitter and base-stealer, and Oliva, maybe the best all-around player of the trio. Oliva played his entire 15-year career with Minnesota. From 1964 through 1971, he led the American League in hits five times. Over those incredible eight years, he received MVP votes every season and was the runner-up for the award twice. He was also an eight-time All-Star with 220 home runs to his credit for his career, as well as a .304 career batting average. The knock on Oliva has always been that he wasnt great for long enough. Though he played until he was 38, knee injuries robbed him of his immense skills and forced him to DH more and more as his career wore on. I dont believe the injuries should be held against him. Though its an apples and oranges comparison, Sandy Koufaxs brilliant career was cut short by an arthritic elbow and yet he still made it to Cooperstown. Why not Tony Oliva? Number two on my list is the late Gil Hodges who died at 47 of a heart attack while golfing, cutting short what could have been a great managerial career. But Hodges had a lot more going for him than just that. He was the first baseman for the Boys of Summer Brooklyn Dodgers of the 50s. Hodges spent 16 of his last 18 years in the Dodgers organization. He slugged 370 homers, was an eight-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glover and received MVP votes eight times, though never finishing higher than seventh. He was a member of the only Brooklyn Dodgers club ever to win the World Series when they finally beat the Yankees in 1955. But one of his greatest accomplishments was managing the Amazin Miracle Mets to their first World Series title in 1969 in what was the ultimate Cinderella Story. In Hodgess case, I dont know what else a guy has to do to get into the Hall of Fame. My third choice is a player Im not as familiar with, except through reputation and historical accounts in Chicago White Sox long-time star Minnie Minoso. Minnie spent 12 of his 17 years in the Bigs with the White Sox as a third baseman and left fielder. He began his career with the Cleveland Indians in a brief stint in 1949, but was traded to Chicago just eight games into the season in 1951, while still considered a rookie. In his first game with the White Sox, he hit the very first pitch he saw in his 1first at-bat for a home run. He went on to finish as runner-up for Rookie of the Year. Minoso played in nine All-Star Games and won three Gold Gloves, including one of the first nine ever given out in 1957. He is one of only two players to have appeared in the Majors in five different decades and actually played pro in seven different decades. Minnie is so beloved in Chicago that hes already been honoured with a statue at U.S Cellular Field. The last time a Golden Era balloting was done was 2011. That year, the late Ron Santo, former Chicago Cubs star third baseman and broadcaster, was the only one elected with 15 votes. Hodges and Minoso tied for third with nine and Oliva had eight. One other note that should be mentioned - Oliva and Minoso were both born in Cuba and both are still alive. Tony is in his mid-70s and Minnie is 88. At my count, 186 Cuban-born players have appeared in the Majors, yet only four are in the Hall of Fame and, of those four, only one actually played in the Majors. That would be former Cincinnati Reds slugger Tony Perez, the big RBI man on the Big Red Machine of the 70s. These kind of votes should never be based on race or country of origin, but surely, it has to factor in when you consider the tremendous careers of Tony Oliva and Minnie Minoso. The vote will be conducted on December 8 at the Winter Meetings in San Diego and the inductees for the class of 2015, if there are any, will be announced on January 6. - We probably say this every year, but what an October!. It was one of the greatest postseasons I can ever remember. Full credit to the San Francisco Giants for winning their third World Series title in five years by defeating a stubborn and talented Kansas City Royals team in seven games. Still, you have to wonder if the Angels would have written a different final chapter if their breakout star right-hander, Matt Shoemaker, hadnt been injured down the stretch. I guess well never know, - Teams have until Monday to make the $15.3 million qualifying offers to their potential free agents. In other words, thats the day the Blue Jays will officially cut ties with closer Casey Janssen and centre fielder Colby Rasmus. www.cheapjerseyswholesale.top . -- Far away from the NBAs brightest lights out here in Californias Central Valley, Jimmer Fredette can walk into a restaurant or grocery store and barely turn a head. cheapjerseyswholesale . Zeeman won the 1,850-metre event in seven minutes 24.29 seconds. The Cambridge, Ont., native also won bronze at the world under-23 championships earlier this year. http://www.cheapjerseyswholesale.top/... . 22 because of a bruised foot and have added forward Sean Collins to the roster on emergency recall from Springfield of the AHL. [url=http://www.cheapjerseyswholesale.top/]cheapjerseyswholesale.top . No. 4 Dokic lost in the first round to Paula Ormaechea of Argentina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, while the third-seeded Oprandi was defeated by Timea Babos of Hungary 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the second round. The seventh-seeded Dominguez Lino fell to Mariana Duque-Marino of Colombia 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the second round. SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Two-time Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore was a no-show for the first day of San Francisco 49ers training camp, apparently fulfilling his plan to hold out for a new contract. With the heart of the 49ers offence absent, new coach Jim Harbaugh opened his first practice Friday with a gaping hole in the backfield. He declined to talk specifics about Gores contract dispute, remaining hopeful that his prized running back will be on the field at some point. "There will be a reckoning to come," Harbaugh said. "I worry about Frank. I like Frank and hes a 49er. I hope Frank comes back." Gore is in the final year of his deal. He has been deemed healthy by his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who didnt immediately respond to phone messages or email inquiries. Gore went down with a season-ending fractured hip in a Monday night game at Arizona last Nov. 29. Gore, who avoided surgery on the hip, ran for 853 yards and three touchdowns in his sixth NFL season and caught 46 passes for 452 yards and two TDs. Shortly after re-signing with the team on a one-year deal Friday, quarterback Alex Smith said he has spoken to Gore often this summer and will likely make contact with him again soon. "Its part of the business. The contract side is something that we deal with," Smith said. "You hope for it never to interrupt the football side, but sometimes it does." Gore can be fined US$30,000 for each day of camp missed under the new NFL labour agreement. Of coourse, he could make that up and more if he gets his wish.dddddddddddd The 49ers have been reluctant to extend his contract because they didnt have the opportunity to even see him on the field during the lockout. Gore also has a long history of injuries, and at age 28 hes entering the part of his career where most running backs usually begin to break down. "As far as Frank, I wish he could get in here but its not under my control," tight end Vernon Davis said. "I know hes trying to get some things done. Thats all I can say about that." For as many times as Gore has been injured, he has returned even stronger. The former University of Miami standout tore a ligament in his left knee that forced him to miss the 2002 season for the Hurricanes, and he had a similar injury in his right knee previously. The knee problems were the biggest reasons he slipped to San Francisco in the third round of the 2005 draft, and he has proved to be a major steal. Gores 24 100-yard rushing games are the most in 49ers history. He is 2,275 yards shy of breaking the franchise mark of 8,689 yards rushing set by the late Hall of Famer Joe "The Jet" Perry. "The great thing about Frank is hes going to have no problem picking up stuff," Smith said. "Hes one of the smartest football players Ive ever been around. Youd love to have him here obviously. But I think if there was somebody that could really make the most of a short number of practices, its him." cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys cheap jerseys cheapjerseyswholesale wholesale jerseys ' ' '