The Tragedy Continues
Andre Dawson had 2,774 hits, including more than 500 doubles. He smacked 438 home runs before the steriod-induced era of ultramegasluggers. He stole 314 bases -- a major accomplishment when one considers that his deteriorated knees allowed him to steal more than 8 just once between 1989 and his final season in 1996. He is one of only three members of the 400 (HR) / 300 (SB) club. You might have heard of the other two: Willie Mays and Barry Bonds. And Dawson was the first player to ever be named MVP on a last-place team.
Says teammate Shawon Dunston: "Andre Dawson was Mickey Mantle. If Andre didn't have bad knees, he would have finished with 600 home runs and 500 stolen bases."
More on how great Dawson was.
But The Hawk, apparently, isn't good enough for the Hall of Fame. He wasn't on the list of one released today by Cooperstown -- onetime Cub Bruce Sutter was.
I must admit that, as a Cubs fan, I'm biased. I remember watching Dawson club his 30th and 31st home runs of the season in 1991 -- I believe on the same day of the year and, if I remember correctly, the last day of the season.
He only played six years on the Cubs, but for those half-dozen summers, he was a legend. Before there was Sosa, there was the Hawk. Even with the Cubs were dismal, Dawson was one of the players (along with Greg Maddux and Ryne Sandberg) who made bearable the daily humiliation of watching your team go down in continuous, ignomious defeat. Before Sammy Sosa began making his mark, there was Andre Dawson. And he didn't leave the same bitter aftertaste that Sammy did.
Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire played heroes. Andre Dawson was one. That's why it's so sad he hasn't yet made the Hall.
Says teammate Shawon Dunston: "Andre Dawson was Mickey Mantle. If Andre didn't have bad knees, he would have finished with 600 home runs and 500 stolen bases."
More on how great Dawson was.
But The Hawk, apparently, isn't good enough for the Hall of Fame. He wasn't on the list of one released today by Cooperstown -- onetime Cub Bruce Sutter was.
I must admit that, as a Cubs fan, I'm biased. I remember watching Dawson club his 30th and 31st home runs of the season in 1991 -- I believe on the same day of the year and, if I remember correctly, the last day of the season.
He only played six years on the Cubs, but for those half-dozen summers, he was a legend. Before there was Sosa, there was the Hawk. Even with the Cubs were dismal, Dawson was one of the players (along with Greg Maddux and Ryne Sandberg) who made bearable the daily humiliation of watching your team go down in continuous, ignomious defeat. Before Sammy Sosa began making his mark, there was Andre Dawson. And he didn't leave the same bitter aftertaste that Sammy did.
Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire played heroes. Andre Dawson was one. That's why it's so sad he hasn't yet made the Hall.