Should Hall of Fames Have a Capacity?

[Gustavus Adolphus]

At what point do the various Hall of Fames for the four major sports say, "We have enough"?

To me, I think it's completely valid if Canton or Cooperstown don't have anyone enter for the next five or so years. I say this as a guy who under current rules argues that Shawn Marion should be in the Basketball Hall of Fame. However, I also think it's possible that you can move some players out of the HoFs. Obviously I don't think you should do it when the person is living, but once they pass I don't think it's the worst thing in the world to make an emeritus wing where some of the lesser recipients are housed.

What say you?

 

[gpphat]

What would be the criteria for bumping a player?

Dead, no longer top 5 in the major statistical categories, part of a social scandal?

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

What would be the criteria for bumping a player?

Dead would be one part of it. Despite the fact that I'd be removing the full distinction of being a HoF'er from a player, even I'm not that cruel to do it when a dude's alive. However, I think the best way to do it would be to re-examine their statistics, and how their original election to the HoF went. For instance, it took 9 years after his five year retirement for Andre Dawson to make the HoF. It would seem to me that he's a guy that could stand a full re-examination to see if he's fully worthy. If deemed not, put him in that emeritus status like I mentioned in the OP.

 

[Ares]

What is the motivation to put a cap on HoF and work on removing "unworthy" players from it?

This seems like one of those cases where the organization running a HoF would gain nothing and take PR hits in order to cap and remove players from the HoF.

I don't disagree with your notion, Gus... but I can't imagine anyone wanting to invest time/money/PR into an effort to remove people from, or limit, an artificial body like a HoF.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

What is the motivation to put a cap on HoF and work on removing "unworthy" players from it?

This seems like one of those cases where the organization running a HoF would gain nothing and take PR hits in order to cap and remove players from the HoF.

I don't disagree with your notion, Gus... but I can't imagine anyone wanting to invest time/money/PR into an effort to remove people from, or limit, an artificial body like a HoF.

This is a topic that hopefully gets discussion so we can take our minds off of Cam Meredith.

 

[Ares]

This is a topic that hopefully gets discussion so we can take our minds off of Cam Meredith.

Well then, humor me.

How bad do you think the PR could be if you started kicking old/dead players out of the NFL HoF?

 

[gpphat]

This is a topic that hopefully gets discussion so we can take our minds off of Cam Meredith.

We got to make room for Meredith for when he eventually makes the HOF

 

[airtime143]

Wouldnt the correct phrasing be "Halls of fame"?

 

[LordKOTL]

1st off...who?

2nd: I think any Hall of Fame has to scale with the number of players who have played the game. To wit: there have been 7757 players in the NHL through the end of this season. 271 are in the hall of fame--which gives about 3.5% of the players have made it into the hall of fame.

IMHO that top 3.5% has to remain somewhat consistent. When 10,000 players have played in the NHL, that number should increase to about 350. We are talking about the top 3.5% after all, and it doesn't matter that, say Clint Benedict and Geroges Vezina were the top 2 goalies in the 1st 10 years of the league and their numbers don't really align with guys like Carey Price or Henrik Lundqvist (two of the top goaltenders of the past 10 years who most likley will be in the hall of fame), they were still top guys of their era.

 

[airtime143]

At what point do the various Hall of Fames for the four major sports say, "We have enough"?

To me, I think it's completely valid if Canton or Cooperstown don't have anyone enter for the next five or so years. I say this as a guy who under current rules argues that Shawn Marion should be in the Basketball Hall of Fame. However, I also think it's possible that you can move some players out of the HoFs. Obviously I don't think you should do it when the person is living, but once they pass I don't think it's the worst thing in the world to make an emeritus wing where some of the lesser recipients are housed.

What say you?

To the point of your post- No.

I think they should separate by eras if they do not already... a wing for each couple decades or whatnot.

Maybe the voters could be a little more selective overall, but i do believe that if you are considered a top player in your game for a decade give or take, that warrants a place in the history of the game.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Well then, humor me.

How bad do you think the PR could be if you started kicking old/dead players out of the NFL HoF?

You understand I'm talking more about moving these types of players to a different kind of HoF status. Not booting them completely.

 

[Ares]

You understand I'm talking more about moving these types of players to a different kind of HoF status. Not booting them completely.

Fair enough, but you know some people would see it as those players being booted from the HoF, even if you just gave them a new status.

 

[Crystallas]

They're museums and act to salvage history. There will always be snubs and questionable entrants. No reason to not curate details and items from special games, just because a newer generation has no connection to it.

That being said, someone could always start their own hall of fame. Do things their way, stop hijacking tradition.

 

[Omeletpants]

You can dump Richard Dent and open a space

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

They're museums and act to salvage history. There will always be snubs and questionable entrants. No reason to not curate details and items from special games, just because a newer generation has no connection to it.

That being said, someone could always start their own hall of fame. Do things their way, stop hijacking tradition.

Yea, you don't start to phase out history due to capacity.

"Well, why do need to include cavemen into our human history museum? They've been dead for thousands of years!"

Keep standards relatively the same, admit around the same top %. It will get bigger over time, but that doesn't decrease the significance of the Hall of Fame. More players are in because time goes on and you have more players that played overall.

 

[Omeletpants]

and Bill Mazorowski....that ****** has no business in the MLB HOF

 

[Burque]

I would say maybe a by generation limit, but they already kind of do that with the NFL. They aren't tossing in tons of old players.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Warden of the Northeast]

You can't use death as a way to kick someone out of the HOF. Explain to that players great great grandchildren why he's no longer worthy of being in the HOF. They've likely never seen him play so this is how they can remember his legacy.

 

[BNB]

I don't think guys should be kicked out of the HOF.

I do hate the Basketball HOF though. So many undeserving people make it, it kind of waters it down. I mean, ****, they have Bill Bradley in the HOF, and he averaged 12 PPG, 3 APG, and 3 RPG for this entire career. WTF? They need to be more strict with who they let in... and split it up and have the NBA HOF, WNBA HOF, etc.

 

[number51]

If something is still generating great people than no. If there are no more people being generated in that category, shut the doors.

The Hall Of Fame for Egyptian Pharaohs closed.

Hall Of Fame for murdery WWII fascists locked tight.

Hall Of Fame for autistic wine box drinking never understanding hero's? I think we could admit just the one and then shut it the **** down.