OK, another NY Giant Hall of Fame inductee from the 1970's, another
questionable call by the Veteran's Committee: Freddie Lindstrom, who
was voted in in 1976.
Check out my card:
At the risk of being disrespectful, Lindstrom joins the like of
Jesse Haines, Stonewall Jackson et al as players who benefited from
cronyism by the Veteran's Committee, putting up a nice, solid Major
League career but nothing resembling Hall of Fame status.
During his 13-year career between 1924 and 1936, Lindstrom batted
.300+ seven times, but really had only two all-star seasons while
donning a big league uniform, and one of them was during the bloated
1930 season in the National League.
In 1928 he batted .358 with a league-leading 238 hits and 107 runs
batted in for the Giants, and in 1930 he had his best season, as he
batted .379 with 231 hits, 106 RBI's and career highs in runs scored
with 127 and home runs with 22.
As we all know that 1930 season was an aberration, with everyone
and their mother seemingly putting up career numbers in the N.L.
So with that being stated, take a look at the rest of his career
and you have to wonder how this guy is in, but guys like Pete Browning,
Vada Pinson, Dave Parker or even Gil Hodges aren't in.
It's a shame really. But again, no disrespect to the players
themselves as I'd like to think they had nothing to do with their
inductions. It's just a shame that those Veteran's Committee guys like
Frankie Frisch had to resort to such gimmicks to get their
buddies into Cooperstown regardless of merit.
Anyway, by the time Lindstrom retired he had a career .311 average
with 1747 hits, 895 runs scored and 779 RBI's with 103 homers and 84
steals thrown in.
Dick Allen anyone? Or how about Lefty O'Doul?
