Dusty Asks... (Part 1)

by Dusty Writes

March 17, 2026

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The Babe (in Baltimore, not NY)

There is always so much debate on Hall of Fame selections. One fan wrote something very interesting. If I remember correctly, this fan said he or she disagreed with so many of the Hall of Fame voting selections and decided to make his or her own Hall of Fame. I guess this fan was going to select who he or she believed should be voted into the Hall of Fame.

If you were to choose which players should be in the Hall of Fame, would you have less players in the HOF than currently in the HOF? I am interested to see how our readers feel about this.

For those who say the HOF is getting more watered down, is it possible the HOF needs to be more watered down because it was too difficult in the first place (starting in the 1930s) to get elected? Many writers, fans, and others have pointed out that fewer players have been elected to the HOF in the last generation or so than in the very early days of HOF voting. Perhaps the HOF voting was more watered down back in the day.

And then, there are retired numbers and Monument Park...

How have the Yankees failed to retire number 11 for Lefty Gomez, one of the greatest pitchers in Yankees history, a HOF, and one of the greatest clutch pitchers in history, who was a big part of one of the greatest dynasties in history? The Yankees have retired numbers for players who are not in the HOF and who contributed much less to Yankees history than players such as Lefty Gomez.

Miller Huggins has a monument. While he had a successful managerial career with the Yankees, winning 3 world series and 6 pennants, other Yankees managers were more successful, yet do not have a monument, such as Joe McCarthy, Casey Stengel, Joe Torre. 

Perhaps Huggins received a monument because he was the first Yankees manager to win a championship or because he passed away during the season.

Also, what is the criteria for owners to get into the HOF? It seems arbitrary how these selections for retired numbers and HOF selections are made. Dan Topping and Del Webb, the most successful owners by far in history, with 10 world championships and 15 pennants in 20 years, are not in the HOF! The Yankees have failed to recognize these two owners. As far as I know, the Yankees have not given a plaque in Monument Park for Topping and Webb's contributions.

It is amazing how other teams celebrate Yankees players more than the Yankees do. For example, Hank Bauer is in the Baltimore Orioles HOF, while Bauer doesn't have a plaque or retired number in Monument Park.

Gene Woodling is also in the Orioles HOF, while the Yankees have not recognized Woodling's contributions. Bauer was the Orioles manager when they won the 1966 World Series and Woodling was his coach. Bauer and Woodling, however, contributed much more to the Yankees than they did for the Orioles.

As far as statues go, it is amazing the Yankees do not have statues of their great players as far as I know (except of Berra and Larsen inside the stadium). Other teams, with nowhere near the success of the Yankees have great statues of their players outside near their stadiums. 

If you want to find a statue of Yankees greats, you have to go outside of NY ! Babe Ruth's statue is in Baltimore. Mickey Mantle has a statue in Oklahoma. Joe DiMaggio has a statue in Chicago, near the Italian/American HOF. Derek Jeter had a statue in Louisville, Kentucky near the Louisville Slugger building. 

The Yankees " museum" inside the stadium is nowhere close to being as comprehensive as the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Museum, and some other teams.

Also, the Yankees do a very poor job of taking into account the fact that some players didn't reach certain statistical milestones because their careers were interrupted by military service. Players such as Hank Bauer, Tommy Henrich, and others are not in Monument Park, but they contributed more to Yankees history than some players already in Monument Park.

Roy White is another Yankees player who doesn't get enough credit by the Yankees organization. White, Bauer, Henrich and others should be recognized for their contributions in Monument Park.

Red Ruffing, a HOF pitcher, one of the greatest pitchers in Yankees history doesn't get his number retired! He was one of the best clutch pitchers in history and was usually the ace of one of the greatest dynasties in history. It was nice that CC Sabathia got his number retired, but Ruffing was a much more important player in Yankees history than Sabathia. In fact, had Ruffing not missed 2 seasons for military service, he may have won 300 games.

The way the Yankees retire numbers and award plaques  and the way the HOF selects players is often inconsistent and arbitrary.

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(Note - Paul Semendinger will respond to some of these questions and points tomorrow at 10:00 and then we will have plenty of space for readers' comments and such.)