Former Cubs’ star Ron Santo awaits Hall of Fame vote
MESA, Ariz. (AP) – Ron Santo plans to hold off on any early Hall of Fame celebration. Santo is hoping to hear good news today when the Hall’s Veterans Committee announces its vote. The late Gil Hodges and Roger Maris also were on the ballot, along with old-time pitchers Smoky Joe Wood and Carl Mays.
In 2003, Santo threw a big party at his home near Phoenix right before the Vets’ decision day. Needing 75 percent for election, the former Chicago Cubs star third baseman fell short with 56.8 percent.
“I feel the same way I did two years ago, hoping I get in,” Santo said this week during a visit to the Cubs’ training camp.
Joe Torre, Tony Oliva and Luis Tiant also were among the 25 players on the ballot. Reconfigured to include mostly Hall of Famers, the Veterans Committee did not pick anyone in 2003.
Torre hit .297 with 252 homers and 1,185 RBIs over a career that spanned 2,209 games. While never making a postseason appearance as a player, he has won four World Series titles and six AL pennants since 1996 as the New York Yankees’ manager.
“People inform me that with the voting, it’s based on my playing career,” he said Tuesday at the Yankees’ camp in Tampa, Fla. “I haven’t gotten in yet on my playing career.”
“Let’s admit it, if I wasn’t the manager here, we wouldn’t be having this conversion,” he said. “(Until) they consider the managing part of it, which can’t happen until after I’m retired, I don’t expect any phone calls.”
Santo played for the Cubs from 1960-73 before spending one season with the Chicago White Sox. He retired with a lifetime .277 average, 342 home runs and 1,331 RBIs.
Santo won five Gold Glove awards and was a nine-time All-Star. At 65, he currently works as an analyst on Cubs radio broadcasts.
Cubs manager Dusty Baker, with whom Santo does a pregame show, says he has his fingers crossed. Santo received scant support from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America during his years on that ballot.
“I’d like to see him make it a lot,” Baker said Tuesday. “I was pulling for him to make it in the (broadcasters wing of the) Hall of Fame. He really didn’t think he was going to make that one. Hopefully, he has a great chance to make this one.”