Even though Joe Morgan said "this is not necessariyl trying to right a
wrong" that is exactly what THE HALL OF FAME DID by creating the well
deserved Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award along with a statue of
Buck to be dedicated in July,2008. Buck fell 2 votes short in the
special Negro League star election in 2006 but he gave the speech in
Cooperstown for the 17 elected and closed his speech by saying GIL
HODGES BELONGS IN COOPERSTOWN. Buck passed away in 2006 at 94. I met
him in Coopertown and have his autograph. He was a supporter of Gil and
on the 15 member Vet commitee headed by Ted Williams. Hope you all get
to cooperstown next year & see Buck's statue--I certainly will. There
will be future recipients of this award but exactly when and how
elected was not clarified in the article. We could write the Hall and
suggest GIL---it couldn't hurt.