randomduck

It’s very sad to read of the death of Buck O’Neil at the age of 94.

Buck O’Neil was a class act. One of the greats of the Negro League, O’Neil was a pioneer in many aspects of baseball. As a player, he was known for his prowess at the plate. As a coach, he was held in high esteem by generations of players for his keen eye on technique and his honest assessment of ability. As a talent scout, he helped discover Hall-of-Fame players Lou Brock and Ernie Banks.

Yet Buck O’Neil never made it into the Hall. He fell one vote short on his last opportunity to enter the Baseball Hall-of-Fame in February of this year. It’s a loss to the Hall, for sure - but O’Neil’s death is more of a loss to all of baseball and its fans.

Swing for the fences up there, Buck.

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