« Mike Maahs on the Fort Wayne Wizards | Home | Jim Shovlin, Y-100 to Start “Talkin Sports” »
A Minor Leage Baseball Hall of Fame? How About in Fort Wayne?
By Chad Gramling | January 10, 2008
Yesterday, Jonathan Mayo posted his perspective regarding a Baseball Hall of Fame for Minor League Baseball. At the conclusion, he states; “[a]s with the annual Cooperstown announcement, I hope at the very least it sparks some interesting discussion.”
This post is my attempt to add to that “interesting discussion” and is my personal attempt to begin a rally cry for the MiLB HOF advocates and proponents to consider Fort Wayne as the ideal location.
Mayo does a wonderful job of arguing the fact that there is a place in the baseball world for a honor to Minor League Baseball – even if does not travel the same road of a Hall of Fame. That said, I will not add to the argument. But here is why I believe Fort Wayne is the ideal place to locate it:
- Fort Wayne’s Baseball History: The first professional game was played in Fort Wayne in 1871. It currently home to the Fort Wayne Wizards and has been since 1993. During the time in between, Fort Wayne has seen many incarnations of professional and semi-professional baseball; both on “major” and “minor” levels.
- The All-American Girls: While the AAGPBL was technically a “major” league, it’s history and impact is relevant and there were minor associations (ever hear of the Junior Daisies?). This league was based out of the Midwest and deserves to have a legacy where it was established.
- World Baseball Academy (WBA): Imagine a World Baseball Classic for little leaguers where they not only played in a tournament, they received professional instruction. Caleb Kimmel, Steve Sotir and others have quietly been laying the groundwork for an international World Baseball Academy that could see it’s first action in 2010.
- Wildcat Baseball: In the 1960’s, Fort Wayne – and Dale “Mr. Mac” McMillen Sr. revolutionized the world of little league baseball with a simple philosophy; “Everybody Makes the Team.” Over the years, it has received national attention in the press and been visited by several baseball immortals. Today, Wildcat Baseball as vibrant a baseball resource as ever.
- Harrison Square: Whether you are for it or against it, Harrison Square is an amazing development that will produce a tremendous attraction and multi-use facility. A MiLB HOF is the perfect addition.
- #1 Minor League City: As we all know, in August, Street & Smith’s Sports Journal named Fort Wayne, Indiana as the #1 Minor League City in the country. That’s gotta account for something.
So who’s with me!
Tags: minor league baseball hall of fame, MiLB, Fort Wayne, HOF
Topics: IMHO |