OnlyBucs

113038113A32550 wrote: When you are considering an inaugural class you need to stop somewhere.  What number that is could be the problem.  I understand the MLB HOF members but others are important as well.  I love Blass but I think Prince should be there in his place.  Then there is Groat, who has Pittsburgh Blood running through his veins and he was a winner in Pittsburgh.  Then there is Bonds, he deserves to be in the Bucs HOF.  He helped take a mediocre team and make it into a contender with the chance of winning the WS. 
Bonds was a great player for the Bucs but he had a lot of help. Bonilla, Van Slyke, Bell, LaVailliere, Slaught, Drabek, Smiley, Walk, Heaton, Merced, Zane Smith, Tomlin, Wakefield. And Bonds was worthless in the post season for the Bucs.



Groat, Frank Thomas, Face, Burgess, Oliver, Sanguillen, Law, Friend, Van Slyke, Bonilla all come to mind besides Bonds as deserving. Derek Bell...not so much.

Just to be clear, I wasn't being critical of any omissions. I was just wondering aloud (on a message board?) what criteria was possibly used.

56777F567D75120 wrote: When you are considering an inaugural class you need to stop somewhere.  What number that is could be the problem.  I understand the MLB HOF members but others are important as well.  I love Blass but I think Prince should be there in his place.  Then there is Groat, who has Pittsburgh Blood running through his veins and he was a winner in Pittsburgh.  Then there is Bonds, he deserves to be in the Bucs HOF.  He helped take a mediocre team and make it into a contender with the chance of winning the WS. 

Sure it was just an oversight, but you failed to mention Raul Mondesi and George Hendrick!

7D505D4C4B5A4D0D0E3F0 wrote: When you are considering an inaugural class you need to stop somewhere.  What number that is could be the problem.  I understand the MLB HOF members but others are important as well.  I love Blass but I think Prince should be there in his place.  Then there is Groat, who has Pittsburgh Blood running through his veins and he was a winner in Pittsburgh.  Then there is Bonds, he deserves to be in the Bucs HOF.  He helped take a mediocre team and make it into a contender with the chance of winning the WS. 
Bonds was a great player for the Bucs but he had a lot of help. Bonilla, Van Slyke, Bell, LaVailliere, Slaught, Drabek, Smiley, Walk, Heaton, Merced, Zane Smith, Tomlin, Wakefield. And Bonds was worthless in the post season for the Bucs. 



Groat, Frank Thomas, Face, Burgess, Oliver, Sanguillen, Law, Friend, Van Slyke, Bonilla all come to mind besides Bonds as deserving. Derek Bell...not so much.  

0B203738410 wrote: Sure it was just an oversight, but you failed to mention Raul Mondesi and George Hendrick!

When you are considering an inaugural class you need to stop somewhere.  What number that is could be the problem.  I understand the MLB HOF members but others are important as well.  I love Blass but I think Prince should be there in his place.  Then there is Groat, who has Pittsburgh Blood running through his veins and he was a winner in Pittsburgh.  Then there is Bonds, he deserves to be in the Bucs HOF.  He helped take a mediocre team and make it into a contender with the chance of winning the WS. 
Bonds was a great player for the Bucs but he had a lot of help. Bonilla, Van Slyke, Bell, LaVailliere, Slaught, Drabek, Smiley, Walk, Heaton, Merced, Zane Smith, Tomlin, Wakefield. And Bonds was worthless in the post season for the Bucs. 



Groat, Frank Thomas, Face, Burgess, Oliver, Sanguillen, Law, Friend, Van Slyke, Bonilla all come to mind besides Bonds as deserving. Derek Bell...not so much.  

Let's not forget VanMeter. BC and Shelton seem to think he's a special player.

55747C557E76110 wrote: When you are considering an inaugural class you need to stop somewhere.  What number that is could be the problem.  I understand the MLB HOF members but others are important as well.  I love Blass but I think Prince should be there in his place.  Then there is Groat, who has Pittsburgh Blood running through his veins and he was a winner in Pittsburgh.  Then there is Bonds, he deserves to be in the Bucs HOF.  He helped take a mediocre team and make it into a contender with the chance of winning the WS. 
I am sure that it is very tough with the First Class. Always room for debate. For myself, I would have voted for Groat. Blass, a great guy and a World Series hero but Groat was here for the good, bad and the ugly. Had very few off years. For as popular as Prince was, there were many who didn't care for him. As for me, I would have taken the POSSUM

Friend, Law, Groat and Face since they are alive


Friend passed in 2019. Face (94), Law (92), Groat (91), Bob Veale (87), Dave Giusti (82) are still around.



Guy not mentioned yet: Wilbur Cooper, who won 202 games with the team.

073428292A221429322E3532232F28460 wrote: Friend, Law, Groat and Face since they are alive


Friend passed in 2019. Face (94), Law (92),  Groat (91), Bob Veale (87), Dave Giusti (82) are still around.



Guy not mentioned yet: Wilbur Cooper, who won 202 games with the team.


thanks, these are good additions. I had forgotten about Friend passing.

715756415747340 wrote: Friend, Law, Groat and Face since they are alive


Friend passed in 2019. Face (94), Law (92),  Groat (91), Bob Veale (87), Dave Giusti (82) are still around.



Guy not mentioned yet: Wilbur Cooper, who won 202 games with the team.


thanks, these are good additions.  I had forgotten about Friend passing.
Wilbur Cooper for sure