Did They Have Something Better To Do?

Just to continue the All Star Game theme, the following Hall of Famers were not present last night for the wonderful ceremony at Yankee Stadium: Johnny Bench, Tom Seaver, Sandy Koufax, Joe Morgan, Nolan Ryan, Stan Musial, Carlton Fisk, and Carl Yastrzemski. What is up with that? This plan has been known for months, and these guys should have been there. Maybe Musial is ill, but I bet he will be at Cooperstown in a few weeks playing his harmonica; I also am sure he will be at the All Star Game next year in St. Louis. And Koufax is notoriously reclusive, but he is a New York guy originally. Seaver used to work for the Yanks and is the greatest Met of all time. Bench had one of his legendary performances against the Yanks in the '76 World Series. Ryan is president of the Texas Rangers. Joe Morgan calls Sunday Night Baseball for ESPN. Heck, Yaz is from Long Island, and Carlton Fisk could have been booed along with other Red Sox. Those guys better have a damn good excuse.

Update: there were some others not in attendance. Sparky Anderson, Jim Bunning (US Senator from KY), Bobby Doerr, Monte Irvin, George Kell, Red Shoendienst, and Bruce Sutter. With the exception of Sutter, these guys are all very old, so I cut them more slack. In addition, I just saw a list of attendees of the Hall of Fame Induction and Musial is not on it. If he is ill, I send him my best. He is one of the last legends of his generation.

Finally, as much as I used to hate Steinbrenner ("How could you trade Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps!" --Frank Costanza), it is tragic to see him as a shell of his former self. I assume it is Alzheimer's, but I prefer to remember him in all his insanity.