There are multiple avenues a player can take to reach Cooperstown. There are those who stroll in by performing at an elite level offensively. Others find a way in via excellent defense. And then there are the select few who epitomized an era and influenced the game for future generations. Don Mattingly exemplified all of those unique brands of greatness to varying degrees, but he remains excluded from the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The longtime New York Yankees first baseman, who earned an American League MVP Award, nine Gold Gloves, 3 Silver Slugger crowns, a batting title and six All-Star Game selections during an injury-hampered 14-year MLB career, was denied entry by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. He received only six votes, while Jeff Kent was the only one on the ballot to surpass the requisite number of 12.
Neither ample accomplishments nor Pinstripes prestige have been enough to secure Donnie Baseball an eternal place in sports' most iconic exhibit. Writers, Yankees fans and plenty of others are voicing their outrage following Mattingly's latest HOF rejection.
Mattingly receives an outpouring of support from Yankees fans, media
“Just six Hall of Fame votes each for Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy?” acclaimed author and columnist Mike Lupica posted on X. “Was that the Contemporary Baseball Era committee voting or the College Football Playoff committee?”
“I guess Donny is never getting in, So unfair” @NJSportsDoc lamented. “Garbage. He was the Yankees in the 80s,” @tch1_ab remarked. “In what world is Jeff Kent a HOF player over Don Mattingly??” @HoosierCards1 asked incredulously. “What a sad day for baseball.”
“Don Mattingly may not be a Hall of Famer to them. But he will ALWAYS be a Hall of Famer to me,” @GinaMuscato proclaimed. “He’s a Yankees icon & the epitome of what every damn ballplayer should be.”
Will No. 23's time come?
There is no denying Mattingly's impact on America's Pastime. He was among the best in the game from 1984-87, blasting 119 home runs and eclipsing a .320 batting average, .370 on-base percentage, .530 slugging percentage and .900 OPS in each of those seasons. Chronic back injuries caused his power to diminish and prevented him from achieving more milestones. The Yankees' lack of October success during the 1980s did not help, either.
Mattingly's only playoff at-bats came in 1995, the final campaign of his big-league career. He made them count, batting .417 with one home run and six RBIs in five games versus the Seattle Mariners, but a larger postseason sample size could have potentially bolstered his Hall of Fame case. The longevity argument continues to keep “The Hit Man” on the outskirts, making many wonder if there is any committee that will ever choose to immortalize him.
Mattingly maintains a visible presence in the sport. The 2020 National League Manager of the Year served as skipper for both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins and was most recently the bench coach for the AL pennant-winning Toronto Blue Jays. The man's contributions span decades and helped shape legends like Derek Jeter, but his legacy may never be enshrined with baseball's most celebrated pioneers.
No. 23's next opportunity to enter The Hall will come in 2028. Expect fan support to remain strong in the meantime.
