Bear
09-12-2008, 03:33 PM
By Andrew Baggarly
Mercury News
09/11/2008
SAN DIEGO — Peter Magowan is tending to unfinished business in his final three weeks before he steps down as the Giants' managing partner.
He already built a ballpark. Now he's building a shrine.
Inspired by a visit to Monument Park when he toured Yankee Stadium earlier this summer, Magowan dreamed up a Wall of Fame to honor great players in Giants history. The charter class of 43 players will be inducted at 4 p.m. on Sept. 23; their plaques will be affixed to AT&T Park's outer wall along King Street, near the recently dedicated statue of Orlando Cepeda.
Magowan sought information on similar displays in Cleveland and Boston while deciding on the criteria, format and look of the Giants' shrine.
"I think it will be better than the others because you can see it 365 days a year," Magowan said. "You don't need to wait for a home game, and you can look at it as long as you want. Nobody moves you along."
Retired players will have a place on the wall if they meet one of two criteria: They must have played five years with the Giants and made an All-Star appearance with the club, or they must have spent nine years in a Giants uniform.
Magowan acknowledged that some inspirational players would slip through the cracks — cancer survivor Dave Dravecky, for one — while others would appear to be out of place among the immortals.
"Johnnie LeMaster didn't have great numbers, but he lasted nine years,"
Magowan said. "Nine is a special number in baseball."
Another player who wouldn't qualify is shortstop Omar Vizquel, despite winning two Gold Gloves as a Giant.
"Our goal was to be objective, not subjective," Magowan said. "Maybe someone will come along and revise the criteria someday, but it was important to do something for our great players. Robby Thompson, Will Clark and Matt Williams won't be in the Hall of Fame, but they're in our Hall of Fame, as they should be."
One thing you can say about Magowan is that he is all about Giant History. I have always liked that about him! I think this is a great idea.:clap::awesomework.gif
Mercury News
09/11/2008
SAN DIEGO — Peter Magowan is tending to unfinished business in his final three weeks before he steps down as the Giants' managing partner.
He already built a ballpark. Now he's building a shrine.
Inspired by a visit to Monument Park when he toured Yankee Stadium earlier this summer, Magowan dreamed up a Wall of Fame to honor great players in Giants history. The charter class of 43 players will be inducted at 4 p.m. on Sept. 23; their plaques will be affixed to AT&T Park's outer wall along King Street, near the recently dedicated statue of Orlando Cepeda.
Magowan sought information on similar displays in Cleveland and Boston while deciding on the criteria, format and look of the Giants' shrine.
"I think it will be better than the others because you can see it 365 days a year," Magowan said. "You don't need to wait for a home game, and you can look at it as long as you want. Nobody moves you along."
Retired players will have a place on the wall if they meet one of two criteria: They must have played five years with the Giants and made an All-Star appearance with the club, or they must have spent nine years in a Giants uniform.
Magowan acknowledged that some inspirational players would slip through the cracks — cancer survivor Dave Dravecky, for one — while others would appear to be out of place among the immortals.
"Johnnie LeMaster didn't have great numbers, but he lasted nine years,"
Magowan said. "Nine is a special number in baseball."
Another player who wouldn't qualify is shortstop Omar Vizquel, despite winning two Gold Gloves as a Giant.
"Our goal was to be objective, not subjective," Magowan said. "Maybe someone will come along and revise the criteria someday, but it was important to do something for our great players. Robby Thompson, Will Clark and Matt Williams won't be in the Hall of Fame, but they're in our Hall of Fame, as they should be."
One thing you can say about Magowan is that he is all about Giant History. I have always liked that about him! I think this is a great idea.:clap::awesomework.gif