Hall of Fame names baseball’s Fred McGriff
Fred Jeter | 12/15/2022, 6 p.m.
It’s official.
Fred McGriff is headed to Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Known as the “Crime Dog,” the left-handed first baseman received a unanimous 16 votes from the Contemporary Era Selection Committee.
Failing to make the cut were former superstars Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling. Bonds and
Clemens are linked to performance-enhancing drugs, while Schilling is tarnished by insensitive remarks he has made.
In 19 big league seasons, with six different clubs, McGriff blasted 493 home runs, accu- mulated 2,490 hits, and knocked in 1,550 runs.
McGriff led his league in homers in 1989 and ’92.
The 59-year-old native of Tampa, Fla., was a five-time All-Star and played for the Atlanta Braves’ 1995 World Series champions. On nine occasions he received votes for MVP.
En route to the majors, McGriff passed through Richmond several times between 1984 and 1986 as a member of the International League Syracuse Chiefs. McGriff’s “Crime Dog” moniker stems from the advertising cartoon “McGruff” character police dog.
Formal Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are set for July 23 in Cooperstown.
