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After 15 years on the ballot, Jim Rice will become a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rice gets in with 76.4% of the vote just over the 75% cutoff. Rice will be joined of course by Rickey Henderson.

Rice, who spent his entire 16-year career with the Red Sox, was perhaps the game’s most feared slugger in the 1970s. He is the only player in major league history to post three straight seasons with 35-plus home runs and 200-plus hits.

He led the AL in home runs three times, hit .300 or better on seven occasions and was selected to eight All-Star Games.

Rice was named the AL’s MVP in 1978, when the Red Sox lost a famous one-game playoff to the New York Yankees to decide the East Division title. That season, he batted .316 with 45 homers and 139 RBI.

Rice, who finished his career with a .298 average, 382 home runs and 1,451 RBI, joins Red Ruffing (1967) and Ralph Kiner (1975) as the only players inducted in their final year of eligibility.

Now I'm sure the Sox will be planning something to have Rice's number 14 retired for good.

It's a horrible selection but, thankfully, it's over with and we won't ever have to hear about it again.

I know not a popular decision among stat geeks, but I'm glad he is in. He was my favorite as a young kid and why I wore #14 in little league.

You are my man, #14!!!!!!!!

Our old 1b coach? What'd that guy ever do?


bout time, congrats jim.

Know what he impressed me? During 70's and 80's, Boston was known as a racist city probably because of white athletes. He stayed loyal and played for the same organization for 15 years. I was only a kid that time. I wonder if the fans supported him enough? As a kid, I thought he looked somewhat affected. I hope it had nothing to do with racism. I mean he was mostly a black sheep on the team. I wonder how hard it was for him. Plus, he was not getting that kind of attention in the hall of fame. He hit over 200 hits 4 times? It is quite an accomplishment for a heavy hitter.

My all time favorite player. Simply awesome power. Legend has it that he is the only player to hit home runs on a check swing and off a broken bat. Some of his hits were enormously deep. He had huge wrists and was also a long ball legend in golf. Over 400 yards on occasion.

Numbers don't do him justice. He had a presence at the plate that was awesome and scary for opponents.

At a boy Ricer.