Buck Oneil

Passed away at age 94 If you know anything about the history of MLB baseball you know what a genuine great guy this guy was and the huge injustice him not being in the HOF years ago

 

I knew of him and had certainly heard about his greatness as a person, but I can't really feel outraged that he didn't make the Hall of Fame until I hear someone point out his accomplishments on the field. The fact that those are routinely ignored even makes me wonder if they weren't all that special compared to some of the other Negro League greats.

 

I'm not sure they are ignored, more than they are unknown. Some players had numbers (Josh Gibson, etc), but O'neill (as you point out) is somewhat of a mystery on the field.

I agre we need some statistical data, but on the other hand, the guy was an icon for the Negro League, and was also a long-remembered "barnstormer" with Satchell Paige and others.

I could see him being in or out honestly.

 

I "met" him about 10 years ago at a baseball card show in Cedar Rapids Iowa. I was just wondering around looking getting a couple autographs when I saw him sitting alone at a card table waiting for someone to come by. Everyone was around Mark McGuire at the other end of the room. I knew of him from reading about the negro leagues. I sat there for about 45 minutes just talking to him. Super nice guy. Offered me a soda that the promotors had given him. I wish more baseball fans appreciated the Negro league players. Oneil didn't seem bitter at all and didn't have a bad word to say about anyone.

 

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