Today I made my annual post-Hall of Fame ceremonies telephone call to
baseball writer Maury Allen to inquire as to whether he heard
anything about
Gil. Maury told me that he just returned from Cooperstown and was
very
encouraged about Gil's chances with the new Veterans Committee.

He told me that he had talked to about 25 Hall of Fame players and
virtually
all of them told him that they planned to vote for Gil. He mentioned
Snider,
Berra, Ford, Seaver and Kiner. Rod Carew told him that he would vote
for Gil
as did Johnny Bench. Tony Perez told him that he was aware that Gil's
offensive career was similar to his and that he was close to being
elected by
both the baseball writers and the old Veterans Committee. In short,
Perez
said he will vote for Gil.

Maury was also encouraged that Snider, Berra and Ford are " talking
Gil up"
with other members of the Hall. Allen was also told by someone on the
former
Committee that Gil was one vote away from being elected last year
when
Mazeroski was elected. This fact is apparently being spread among all
those
who will vote this time around.

Finally, Alllen told me that the Veterans' ballot will be made public
in
November. He believes that the results will be announced in the
spring of
next year. I heard that it may be in January.

I hope this information jump starts everyone's week.

DENNIS BUNKER--LOS ANGELES
CALIF.



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