Yanks Go Yard
FanSided

Yankees: Jeter’s vote for the Hall of Fame dramatically enhances his aura and stature

By Sheldon Kamieniecki

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 14: Former New York Yankees great, Derek Jeter stands by his plaque during a pregame ceremony honoring Jeter and retiring his number 2 at Yankee Stadium on May 14, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 14: Former New York Yankees great, Derek Jeter stands by his plaque during a pregame ceremony honoring Jeter and retiring his number 2 at Yankee Stadium on May 14, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Yankees
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 22: Derek Jeter puts on his Hall of Fame jersey after being elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2020 on January 22, 2020 at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. The National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on Sunday, July 26, 2020 in Cooperstown, NY. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

The Hall explains their reasoning

Jane Forbes Clark, the chairwoman of the Hall of Fame, adds that, following a discussion of whether votes should be public, the organization concluded that anonymous ballots were essential to preserving a free election. The same logic requiring a secret ballot in elections in democratic societies is operating here.

A small number of pundits are happy that The Captain did not receive a unanimous vote. For example, Corbin Smith, who lives in Vancouver, Washington (far from Yankee Stadium) and writes for NBC News, is delirious that a single voter spoiled Derek’s chance to be a unanimous choice.

According to him, “It’s a delicious outcome.”

Smith argues, though not convincingly, that Jeter is overrated and that he wasn’t a good fielding shortstop. He believes that Jeter received as many votes as he did because he was a golden boy and was popular with the media. It was not because of his statistical records and accomplishments.

Embarrassingly, in his article Smith initially stated that 425 baseball writers voted on Jeter’s induction into the HOF. Following publication, NBC was forced to correct the mistake; it was 397 writers who voted. This numerical error also may point to a mathematical inability on his part to accurately interpret Jeter’s analytics.

Home/Yankees News