The most Hall of Famers, update 6

Well, the Baseball Hall of Fame finally did it. It finally made me as outraged and indignant as everyone else about who goes into the Hall.

As you know, I don't have much use for the arguments. I've always been a "what will be, will be" kind of person on many matters and who gets a plaque in a building three hours from me is certainly not the time to make an exception. Famous baseball people make the Hall almost every year, that's good enough for me.

While others have piled their rage on voters -- writers or committee members -- I've always thought the system in place was to blame as it forces the votes we get. It is merely a vehicle to create argument, keep the Hall in conversation at all times, and to make money. I still think that way, but I'm breaking from that viewpoint this one time to blame the voters, particularly the 16-member Today's Game Era Committee who last week skipped any worthwhile players to select Bud Selig -- Bud Selig? ... BUD SELIG? -- for enshrinement.

Bud Selig???

Cancel all drug testing of current ballplayers and invest every ounce into the members of this committee. Round-the-clock drug testing for everyone.

What the F?

My understanding is that those who are selected into the Hall of Fame made some sort of notable contribution to the game. As far as I can tell, Selig did none of that. I could be missing any behind-the-scenes genius, but I believe the growth in the game that happened under his watch would have happened whether he was there or not. I don't remember the ideas of interleague play, expansion, expanded postseason, divisional realignment (most of which I despise by the way), originally springing forth directly from his mouth. I don't think he invented the MLB Network or mlb.com. I don't think presiding over an era of growth deserves anything more than a display in the vestibule heading into the Hall of Fame museum.

Then you must consider the huge negative of his tenure the cancels anything else out that I've mentioned above -- the absence of the 1994 World Series. That still hurts me every time I think about it. It just kills me. The 2002 All-Star Game tie and the resulting "this time it counts" is just embarrassing, Mickey Mouse league stuff. And he got rid of the Expos!!! WHAT? Time for another drug test! Speaking of drug tests: steroids!!!

I can't defend anything that happens with the Hall of Fame as far as who gets in and who gets left out anymore. This was it. I won't turn the other way and go on rants and out writers, but my days of "well, maybe there's a reason ..." are done. My hands are thrown up. And they're staying there.

To wipe the taste out of my mouth, I went through and found two more sets to evaluate in my search for the Topps set with the most Hall of Famers. Fortunately I don't have to worry about Selig because he hasn't appeared in a Topps flagship set.

For the updated list, I chose a set I'm very close to completing -- the 1972 set -- and the set 20 years later, the 1992 set.

The sixth update for the most Hall of Famers:

1956 (33): Hank Aaron, Walter Alston, Luis Aparicio, Richie Ashburn, Ernie Banks, Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Roberto Clemente, Larry Doby, Bob Feller, Whitey Ford, Nellie Fox, Warren Giles, Will Harridge, Monte Irvin, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Sandy Koufax, Bob Lemon, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews, Willie Mays, Pee Wee Reese, Phil Rizzuto, Robin Roberts, Jackie Robinson, Red Schoendienst, Enos Slaughter, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Hoyt Wilhelm, Ted Williams, Early Wynn

1960 (39): Hank Aaron, Walter Alston, Sparky (George) Anderson, Luis Aparicio, Luke Appling, Richie Ashburn, Ernie Banks, Yogi Berra, Jim Bunning, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, Bill Dickey, Don Drysdale, Whitey Ford, Nellie Fox, Joe Gordon, Bob Gibson, Whitey Herzog, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Sandy Koufax, Bob Lemon, Al Lopez, Mickey Mantle, Bill Mazeroski, Eddie Mathews, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Stan Musial, Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Red Schoendienst, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Casey Stengel, Hoyt Wilhelm, Dick Williams, Carl Yastrzemski

1963 (40): Hank Aaron, Walter Alston, Luis Aparicio, Richie Ashburn, Ernie Banks, Yogi Berra, Lou Brock, Jim Bunning, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, Don Drysdale, Whitey Ford, Nellie Fox, Bob Gibson, Whitey Herzog, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Sandy Koufax, Al Lopez, Mickey Mantle, Juan Marichal, Eddie Mathews, Bill Mazeroski, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Stan Musial, Gaylord Perry, Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Ron Santo, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Willie Stargell, Casey Stengel, Joe Torre, Hoyt Wilhelm, Billy Williams, Dick Williams, Carl Yastrzemski

1968 (42): Hank Aaron, Walter Alston, Luis Aparicio, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Lou Brock, Jim Bunning, Rod Carew, Steve Carlton, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson, Jim Hunter, Fergie Jenkins, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Tony LaRussa, Mickey Mantle, Juan Marichal, Eddie Mathews, Willie Mays, Bill Mazeroski, Willie McCovey, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro, Jim Palmer, Tony Perez, Gaylord Perry, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Ron Santo, Red Schoendienst, Tom Seaver, Willie Stargell, Don Sutton, Joe Torre, Hoyt Wilhelm, Billy Williams, Dick Williams, Carl Yastrzemski

1969 (47): Hank Aaron, Walter Alston, Luis Aparicio, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Lou Brock, Jim Bunning, Rod Carew, Steve Carlton, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, Bobby Cox, Don Drysdale, Leo Durocher, Rollie Fingers, Bob Gibson, Joe Gordon, Jim Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Fergie Jenkins, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, Bill Mazeroski, Willie McCovey, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro, Jim Palmer, Tony Perez, Gaylord Perry, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Ron Santo, Red Schoendienst, Tom Seaver, Willie Stargell, Don Sutton, Joe Torre, Earl Weaver, Hoyt Wilhelm, Billy Williams, Dick Williams, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski

1970 (43): Hank Aaron, Walter Alston, Sparky Anderson, Luis Aparicio, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Lou Brock, Jim Bunning, Rod Carew, Steve Carlton, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, Leo Durocher, Rollie Fingers, Bob Gibson, Jim Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Fergie Jenkins, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, Bill Mazeroski, Willie McCovey, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro, Jim Palmer, Tony Perez, Gaylord Perry, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Ron Santo, Red Schoendienst, Tom Seaver, Willie Stargell, Don Sutton, Joe Torre, Earl Weaver, Hoyt Wilhelm, Billy Williams, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski 

  
1972 (46): Hank Aaron, Walter Alston, Sparky Anderson, Luis Aparicio, Johnny Bench, Bert Blyleven, Lou Brock, Rod Carew, Steve Carlton, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, Leo Durocher, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Bob Gibson, Jim Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Fergie Jenkins, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Tony La Russa, Bob Lemon, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, Bill Mazeroski, Willie McCovey, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry, Tony Perez, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson,  Nolan Ryan, Ron Santo, Red Schoendienst, Tom Seaver, Willie Stargell, Don Sutton, Joe Torre, Earl Weaver, Hoyt Wilhelm, Billy Williams, Dick Williams, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski 

1975 (43): Hank Aaron, Walt Alston, Sparky Anderson, Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, George Brett, Lou Brock, Bert Blyleven, Rod Carew, Steve Carlton, Gary Carter, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Bob Gibson, Rich Gossage, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Fergie Jenkins; Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Willie McCovey, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro, Jim Palmer, Tony Perez, Gaylord Perry, Jim Rice, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Ron Santo, Mike Schmidt, Red Schoendienst, Tom Seaver, Willie Stargell, Don Sutton, Joe Torre, Earl Weaver, Billy Williams, Dick Williams, Dave Winfield, Carl Yastrzemski, Robin Yount

  
1983 (44): Sparky Anderson, Johnny Bench, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Rod Carew, Steve Carlton, Gary Carter, Bobby Cox, Andre Dawson, Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Rich Gossage, Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Whitey Herzog, Reggie Jackson, Fergie Jenkins, Tony LaRussa, Tom Lasorda, Paul Molitor, Joe Morgan, Eddie Murray, Phil Niekro, Jim Palmer, Tony Perez, Gaylord Perry, Jim Rice, Cal Ripken, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Ryne Sandberg, Mike Schmidt, Tom Seaver, Ozzie Smith, Don Sutton, Bruce Sutter, Joe Torre, Earl Weaver, Dick Williams, Dave Winfield, Carl Yastrzemski, Robin Yount  

  
1987 (35): Sparky Anderson, Yogi Berra, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Steve Carlton, Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Dennis Eckersley, Carlton Fisk, Rich Gossage, Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Whitey Herzog, Reggie Jackson, Barry Larkin, Tony LaRussa, Tom Lasorda, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Phil Niekro, Kirby Puckett, Jim Rice, Cal Ripken, Nolan Ryan, Ryne Sandberg, Mike Schmidt, Tom Seaver, Ozzie Smith, Bruce Sutter, Don Sutton, Earl Weaver, Dick Williams, Dave Winfield, Robin Yount

  
1990 (33): Roberto Alomar, Sparky Anderson, Craig Biggio, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Dennis Eckersley, Carlton Fisk, Tom Glavine, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Whitey Herzog, Randy Johnson, Barry Larkin, Tony LaRussa, Tom Lasorda, Greg Maddux, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Kirby Puckett, Jim Rice, Frank Robinson, Cal Ripken, Nolan Ryan, Ryne Sandberg, Ozzie Smith, John Smoltz, Frank Thomas, Dave Winfield, Robin Yount

1992 (31): Roberto Alomar, Sparky Anderson, Craig Biggio, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Dennis Eckersley, Carlton Fisk, Tom Glavine, Rich Gossage, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Randy Johnson, Barry Larkin, Tony La Russa, Tom Lasorda, Greg Maddux, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Kirby Puckett, Cal Ripken, Nolan Ryan, Ryne Sandberg, Ozzie Smith, John Smoltz, Frank Thomas, Joe Torre, Dave Winfield, Robin Yount

 

1996 (22): Roberto Alomar, Craig Biggio, Wade Boggs, Andre Dawson, Dennis Eckersley, Tom Glavine, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Randy Johnson, Barry Larkin, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Mike Piazza, Kirby Puckett, Cal Ripken, Ryne Sandberg, Ozzie Smith, John Smoltz, Frank Thomas  

The 1972 Topps set came within one of the 1969 Topps set with 46 Hall of Famers. Those three-player rookie cards helped its cause, notably this one:

It's Carlton Fisk's rookie card, on a three-player prospects card.

It's stuff like this that keeps me on my toes (I'm always missing those multi-player prospect cards). These cards certainly deserve to be in the total count so '72 Topps is at the top, fair and square.

A lot fairer and squarer than Selig in the Hall.

(P.S.: Hopefully I can do this again next month and there will be some real new Hall of Fame players to add).