Even in triumph, Rice keeps it close to the vest
Outside of the batter’s box as well as in it, Jim Rice generally was unyielding. The embodiment of stubbornness, Rice set his feet and stood his ground. He was the kind of man who dared you to pitch inside, then made you pay if you did.
Now Rice is in the Hall of Fame, after 16 years of playing, five years of waiting, and 15 years of voting. During that time, only Ralph Nader may have run a longer campaign. Rice finally will walk into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown Sunday, July 26, and maybe it is only fitting that he will do so offering nary a glimpse into a soul that has been tortured for more than a decade.
He simply knows no other way.
"It was a big relief," Rice said Monday in what amounted to his most reflective offering upon learning that he will join Rickey Henderson as the only members of the Cooperstown Class of 2009. "I didn’t have any weight on my shoulders before that, but when I got the call it just seemed like everything kind of fell [into place]."
And so, finally, there is no longer an issue to debate. Rice is a Hall of Famer, no questions asked. He’s in for life. Rice’s 412 votes (76.4 percent) are every bit as good as Henderson’s 511 (94.8 percent) in the ultimate individual question for any player ever to wear a major league uniform.
Was he a Hall of Famer?
Yes, he was.
End of discussion.
Never one to publicize his wants, Rice predictably took Monday's news in his relatively stoic manner. There was gushing, no crying, no unrestrained joy for anyone else to share. If Rice ever was emotional about baseball or anything relating to it -- right down to his Hall of Fame induction -- he has never cared to put it on display. Rice treated baseball like a job -- hence his famous reference to teammates as "associates"-- and he prided himself on maintaining a workmanlike approach.
From 1975-86, when he led the majors in runs batted in, Rice was not merely the most productive hitter in baseball; he was also one of the most versatile. Rice today spoke of his ability to hit the ball to the opposite field and move runners over, which was only part of the story. During that same 12-year span from 1975-86, Rice also hit 73 triples -- can you imagine Manny Ramirez ever running that hard? -- roughly the same number as Robin Yount (77).
On top of it all, Rice was the most durable player in the American League, appearing in more games (an average of slightly more than 147, including one strike year) than any other AL player. Rice played hard and he played hurt, even if he never really bothered to play a game he still refrains from playing now.
"Some of the writers probably said I was arrogant. You know, that wasn’t true," Rice told the MLB Network today in an interview just moments after the voting results were announced. "You want to talk about baseball, I talk about baseball, but I never talked about my teammates. I protected my teammates. I don’t think you should make any excuses when I felt like [as] captain of the ball club, I took a lot of pressure off the guys because some guys could handle pressure, some guys couldn’t handle pressure. I was the type of guy that I got paid to play baseball."
So just who is the real Jim Rice? That is a difficult question to answer. On the one hand, Rice was a longtime terror in the batter’s box; on the other, his career ended too early and abruptly. He was the kind of man who literally would rip the shirt off a reporter’s back and then buy him a new one -- he did this to onetime Globe beat reporter Steve Fainaru -- and he was the kind who would carry a fallen teammate (Jerry Remy) off the field following a serious injury. Once, when a small child was hit by a line drive behind the Red Sox dugout, Rice hoisted the boy out of the seats and carried him down the dugout runway, where the child could most quickly receive medical assistance.
Even as a coach, during a subway ride from Manhattan to the Bronx for a game against the New York Yankees, Rice was much more likely to engage a 12-year-old carrying a skateboard than he was a reporter toting a notepad. The reason? The boy wasn’t a threat. The reporter was.
Whether this all hurt Rice’s candidacy over the years is open to debate, though this much is certain: It did not help. Rice ultimately wanted the voting members of the Baseball Writers' Association to judge him as a ball player, which, ultimately, is precisely what they did.
"I think a lot of the writers that were voting, they never put a uniform on and went out there and played the game and saw how tough it was to accomplish some of the numbers that some of the players [accomplished]," Rice said. "You just take it with a grain of salt because there’s nothing you can do."
Lest this all come off as some suggestion that the Hall of Fame means nothing to Rice, think again. This means everything to him, as it would to any ballplayer who ever has worn a major league uniform. He just isn’t necessarily going to show it as much. Rice mused today that his induction speech would be short and sweet, that he would leave all of the talking to Henderson. As many laughs as the comment drew, it also happened to be true.
In the end, for all of the posturing and politicking that takes place in this day and age, know that Rice did none of it. The man who wanted to get into the Hall of Fame on the merit of his skills of a ballplayer did just that. Rice didn’t lobby for votes, win any popularity contests, or plead his case to the public. He just stood there and waited, as he so often did at the plate, and he ultimately accomplished precisely what he did in the batter’s box.
He didn’t miss.
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Why was there ever any debate? As a Yankee fan, Jim Rice was the scariest hitter ever! Was anybody ever scared of Kirby Puckett? It's about time Jim Rice is in the Hall of Fame. What you need to know about the Hall voters is how long it took Rice to get in and how many votes Mark "Cheater" McGwire received.
Congrats Jim Ed - you deserved it.
about time-he was the best of his day
Jim Ed, congratulations. This is many years too late but all that much sweeter now. Enjoy this as you have earned this honor and distinction
Hopefully the Red Sox will retire #14 this July after the HOF induction.
Nos. 1 and 4 are allready retired. It will read:
1 4 6 8 9 14 27 42
Gonna go
First to see Jim get his due
Second to see the unintentional comedy stylings of Planet Ricky
third to finally visit the HOF
My two reasons why this is a great day:
1) In 1975, I was a middle-class white kid who wanted nothing more than to be Jim Rice;
2) In 1986 I took my girlfriend to Cooperstown where we watched a film in which Reggie Jackson (her favorite player) named Jim Rice as the most dangerous hitter in baseball - AHEAD OF HIMSELF!
This should have happened a long time ago. WAY TO GO, JIM!!
About time, and my sincerest congrats to Mr. Rice. I'm a lifer Yankee fan (hey, for true fans of any team it's a matter of birth and geography, not choice, even more so than religion;), and was privileged to see him play quite a bit. I'm old enough to remember when Rice and Fred Lynn came up, and they became the core of some terrific Sox lineups. I can assure you that, as a Yankee fan, I hated to see Rice come up in key situations, much like Big Papi in recent years. Again, I am so happy he's finally been voted in - he was indeed feared, he played the game right, and he is well-deserving of the honor. This is long overdue, but better late than never.
A great player, an excellent coach, a class act on and off the field, and one of the most loyal players the franchise has ever seen. Well deserved, and frankly long overdue.
I saw Jim Rice and Fred Lynn play wen they were both rookies in Pawtucket. I think it was 1973 or 1974, I was a young kid. I went to Mark Bomback night in Pawtucket and during the game Lynn and Rice collided in the outfield. There was hush that came over McCoy that night, you could hear a pin drop whne they collided and were knocked out temporarily. I thought man there goes the franchise. One of the them I forget who was carried off the field. I am glad to see Jim Rice finally get in and he did it without steroids, a real baseball player.
Jim Rice is where deserves to be.
In Cooperstown next to all the other Hall of Famer's. For a 10-12 period era he was the dominant hitter of his era.
Williams, Yaz, now Rice in the Hall. That's the way it should be. Growing up, say what you want, Rice was THE MAN. Its a great day for Sox fans---Congrats Jim Ed
Atta boy, Jimmy! Better get that circular No. 14 sign ready for the right field facade by Jim Rice Day at Fenway.
Congratulations, Jim Ed!! You've finally gotten your due.
Yes, indeed. And if the Bosox front office had not been so stupid years ago when they let Freddy Lynn get away, two things would have happened. We'd not have waited until 2004 for the first World Series victory and both Freddy and Jim would be hall of Famers. Lynn was born to play in Fenway. Congrats to Rice or Riceronie has by 9-year old used to call him
It's about time!! Another great Red Sox leftfielder is where he belongs...in the Hall of Fame. Congratulations Jim Ed Rice.
I've always felt that the Sox would have beaten the Reds in '75 but for Jim Ed's broken wrist. What a year he and Fred Lynn had, probably the greatest rookie combo ever.
Great for Rice. Congrats. Now if we could only get the veterans committee to take a legitimate look at Dwight Evans. More career home runs than Rice!!!!!! and eight gold gloves. How does Ozzie get in on a first ballot if defense doesn't count for something.
1st
Go Rice!
Screw you Yankees.
Best arguments I saw for Rice:
Compare him to Cepeda, a fine player and a deserving one. Identical, nearly.
Rice was great when he was at his best. His career stats are merely excellent due to his early fall off (I think his eyes betrayed him), but I would be more inclined to vote for a great player with a shorter career than a good player with a long one.
An honor delayed, but never to be denied, for a gentleman, a dedicated baseball player and a Boston Red Sox for his entire career. An honorable person who now has been recognized for his excellence as a baseball player. He now stands with his peers.
Jim deserves this accolade and I am thrilled to see him get it. Kudos to Dick Bresciani for staying the course.
It was certainly long deserved. I was very excited to hear that JimEd was finally rewarded with baseball immortality. Especially considering the story on the news in NY this morning said that he came up 16 votes short!
Congrats JimEd. See you July 26th in Cooperstown!
Hall of Fame Voting should be taken out of the hands of the Sports Witers, now that this is done, is there any doubt? Jim waited fifteen years too long.
Congrats Jim Ed , long overdue but well deserved. I remember the way Rice patrolled left field and mastered the Monstah, and what a class act to boot. Thanks again for the leadership, loyalty, and dedication. Truly a great honor for Jim Ed, and as a Red Sox fan, see you in Cooperstown!
To anyone who ever saw him play he was a feared a hitter as I have ever seen. It was soo great to finally see him get hisreward and get into the hall.
I moved to New England at the end of Rice's career, unfortunately having watched him play live only a few times before that. So, I can't claim to have been a big fan during his playing days. However, I've always greatly admired his dignity as a person after he retired. He remained true to his principles and never pandered to the Hall of Fame voters. Thank goodness they recognized his accomplishments.
Congrats to you, Jim Ed! Maybe if the Sox hadn't let Freddie Lynn get away, you both would have received this honor a long time ago. And congrats to you too, Mazz, this was the best and most succinct piece I've seen on how richly this honor was deserved and will be treasured.
What a complete joke that the king of complaining, one Mr. Jim Rice, is in the Hall of Fame. Do you know what his lifetime season averages are? .298 BA 23 HR 90 RBI .854OPS Even in that era those numbers are not HOF material. Also, lets consider that he played half his games in Fenway! If he played in Cleveland or New York or Anaheim the guy would have hit 15 home runs per year, max. He constantly complained, hated Boston, had no speed, was an average fielder and was a terrible post season player. He is about as good a player as Kevin Youkilis – at best.
I always felt that Rice was a clone of Orlando Cepeda [ the Baby Bull]. In my humble opinion, if Rice had been healthy and able to play in the 1975 WS vs. Reds, and the Sox had won the World Series that year[ or in 1986] , it would have enhanced his Baseball "resume" and gotten him an earlier ticket to Cooperstown. Congratulations #14; well deserved and long over-due !
Growing up in Central New York I am a life long Sox Fan in the heart of Yankee Country. Im 41 now and my brother and I would set up a wiffle ball park in the pasture out back with a Green Monster (Green Horse Barn). My brother was and still is a KC Royal Fan and he would be George Brett during those home run derbies with the wiffle ball. Me, I wasnt Yaz or Boggs or any of the more popular Sox I was Jim Rice. My favorite player then and now. He will always be special to me and I am so happy the writers finally put him in with his numbers. Thanks for the memories Jim and congrats on a HOF carrer. I will see you ooperstown this summer.
Old School Sox Fan
Another Yankee fan salutes Jim Ed, the scariest righthanded hitter our guys faced for years. Hey Big Daddy: he woulda made a great Yankee! Nice sentiment.
A happy day for so many Red Sox fans. He set an example for others to follow in many ways beside being a great hitter. I remember the time a young boy was struck in the face by a foul liner. Rice reacted immediately. He instantly went into the stands, picked up the boy and took him and his father into the dugout for help. I remember a game when Jerry Remy ripped his knee going sliding into second and lay there in agony. Jim Rice just picked his teammate up and carried him out of the spotlight to help. I remember a fight was about to break out with the Indians.When Rice came in from left, nobody dared to raise a hand in his presence. HE as a clzss act who always worked hard, never complained, took all the long bus rides in spring training and nevery said a negative word about a teammeat. Hewas and is a man to be admirde for who he is as well as what he showed on the field.
Another NY fan (Met, not so much Yankee) congrats Rice, who has deserved this for years, and in fact, my opinion is that he's much more worthy than Henderson. Rice just went about his business, no ego. Henderson, not so much.
Anyway, this NY fan salutes Jim Rice. Next up, let's get Blyleven in, for the same reasons as Rice.
Congrats Jim!!!
Looking forward to taking my daughter to see # 14 hang between Ted + Fisk in right field!!
This is a day long overdue!!
Congrats, I too, back in the days of whiffle ball, was always Jim Rice, even today as a 37 yr old man, when I play rec sports I wear the number 14 or I dont play. I am so happy today, this is right up there in my top 10 days of my life. It took awhile, but its a wonderful ending. Now just to talk my wife into a Cooperstown. NY trip for the family vacation!
At last....Jim Ed deserves this more than can be said or written....i was honored to watch him play ...and pound that ball in his way...sure he wasnt the best for interviews...but oh my...could he HIT...
congrats Jim Ed Rice....
joe
gaparch said
Do you know what his lifetime season averages are? .298 BA 23 HR 90 RBI .854OPS Even in that era those numbers are not HOF material.
*********************
When you take partial seasons like 1974 and 1989 and count them as if he had played full seasons, guess what? His "averages" go down. But try again. Baseball-Reference gives his 162 game average as:
.298/30 homers/113 RBIs/ OPS+ 128
I'm not sure what is more satisfying, that Jim Ed is in the Hall or that haters like you are shown to be fools.
He was a great player. Jim Rice should be in the baseball Hall of fame. WONDERFUL to see him voted in.
It is a shame that the standards for Hall of Fame induction are lowered once again. Take Rice away from Fenway and he is just above average (at best). No glove no defense, no clutch and a lot of GIDP. I am a big Red Sox fan and was during the time he played. Even though I liked him as a player back then when I was a kid, I do not think he deserves to be in the HOF. He was a good player, not great. The HOF should be for great players.
Jim Rice Hall-of-Fame ... it sounds great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations, Jim - - long overdue but done in your lifetime - - thanks for the memories!! I trully enjoy your comments and insight onNESN!!
Congrats to the most dangerous hitter of his era!
Well deserved and about time, Mr. Rice. Wonderful news.
Congratulations Jim! You waited a long time for this moment and you deserve to be elected. You had a great career but during those five or six years in the late '70s and early '80s you were simply the best. There is justice after all.
From a White Sox fan to a great Red Sox, Congratulations Jim. You certainly deserved this recognition! Glad one of the best in the game now has a permanent place in Cooperstown!
Congratulations Jim! One of the Gold Dust Twins gets his just reward. This should have been done years ago but just like fine wine improves with age your long wait will taste that much better this summer.
Congrats Jimbo! You were my hero when I was a kid and first started watching the Sox in the 70's. This was long overdue and well deserved.
He was above average at best, and doesn't belong in the HOF, but hey whining and complaining works.
I love my childhood hero Jimmy Rice. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
But WHY, for the love of god, did they have to tell us he, the slugger of my youth, was watching THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS when he got the call.
in 2020, when papi gets the call, he better not be jazzercizing.
Finally! Red Sox fans worldwide are rejoicing! I live in Orange County, Calf. now, but growing up in Boston, I will never forget those summer days when Jim Rice came up to bat and terrorized the opposing teams with his triples and homers... He was such a class act and all the boys and girls in town looked up to him. He was our hero then and now. Baseball needs more loyal life-timers. Now days, it's sad to see a player on the Red Sox team one minute and next thing you know, he's with the Yankees just cuz they offer him more money! You would never have seen that with Jim Rice and Reggie Jackson!
I have been a Yankee fan since 1956. Jim Rice was my worst nightmare. Too long, far too long to wait for a TRUE HALL OF FAMER.
Congrats, Jim Ed. You deserve this great honor and distinction. Can't wait to see your number up in Fenway alongside Ted and all the other great ones. We really enjoy your analysis on NESN. Thanks for all the great memories.
The one good thing about Jim making the hall....we will no longer see any Mark Teixeira articles! Oh, and if it takes a player 15 years to make the hall...should he really be there? I think you should have to get 90% of the vote...that way you know you were meant to be there.
Congratulations, Jim Rice!! Much much deserved... hearing the announcement brought tears to my eyes. I sincerely hope the case will be reopened for Dewie Evans, truly a great all around player, right fielder non-pareil, OB machine and power who absolutely should be in the Hall. Memories of the Rice, Lynn, Fisk, Evans, Rooster, Scott and Yaz era will never fade!!
I have to love these haterz "but if he hadn't played in Fenway his stats would be lower ..."
And if the queen had junk she'd be the king.
Congratulations to Jim Rice, the crusher.
Obviously it is way over due and I wish Jim the best.
I find it truly interesting that at least two die hard Yankee fans have commented here and offered their congratulations. To me, that speaks volumes about the quality of Jim Rice's talents and the way that he played the game.
To be recognized by others outside of your own fan base is just another validation of what Jim Rice brought to the ball park every day that he played.
Wave your flag "Jim Ed Nation" members. What a great thing it is to see the strongest man to parade left field get into the HOF!
Cannot wait to see # 14 retired. As much as everyone loves Johnny Pesky, Jim Rice is much more deserving of having his number retired, hopefully they do it for Opening Day. After all he did fulfill the requirements, at least 10 years with the Sox, good character, and induction in Cooperstown. Pesky didn't do that.
To all the NY fans who have taken a minute to salute Jim Rice:
Thank You from Red Sox Nation for giving Mr. Rice you kind words on this blog. Now starting Wednesday at noon EST we will go back to bashing your team on this site. Hope to see you in Coopertown on the 26th of July.
Tony, Rice actually had 79 Triples not 73.
The BBWAA finally confirmed what so many players from Rice's era have been saying for years - Jim Rice deserved to be in the HOF! Ripken, Brett, Schmidt, Morgan, Gossage, Mattingly etc - They had the greatest respect for Jim Rice as a baseball player and that is all Jim ever wanted from the writers. I've had the pleasure to speak with Jim many times over the past 30 years and he has always been a real gentleman. About Home/Road Splits, Jim had a BA of .336 & SLG. of .661 lifetime in the "House that Ruth Built" & hit..290 or higher in 8 parks - and hit .308 lifetime with RISP! Congrats Jim - & Thank You!!!!
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