Newz Forum: GOLF: Singh elected to golf HOF on technicality

I find it interesting that the golf HOF admits current players. As such, there is no doubt that Vijay belongs there. The youngest ever, but only for the time being. There is a ceratin cat waiting in the wings, I think he might make it earlier than my favorite Fijian.


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Vijay Singh wasn't exactly the people's choice, but he got just enough votes to squeak into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The 42-year-old Fijian with 25 PGA Tour victories and three major championships becomes the youngest golfer to be elected on the PGA Tour/Champions Tour ballot – although he gained admission to the Hall on a technicality.

In other sports that 5 year period between retirement and being eligible for the first time gives people time to really ponder what achievements the person accomplished. In this case Vijay is still a force on tour and is not the most well liked guy on tour. Give it a few years after his retirement and people will say 'remember Vijay Singh, he was special'. Who knows why anyone wouldn't put him on their ballot but all in all he is in the HOF now, right where he belongs.

DEAR IA Clonz, GIBBS & ALL,

Yeah, he's "special," all right. Isn't he the one with the proudly trogolydytic views about women in his sport, or am I thinking of the wrong guy? I don't think I am.

Now, of COURSE that doesn't make him any less deserving of golf's Hall of Fame, once he's eligible for it. But it makes me a lot less happy for the dude.

And I sure wouldn't want to waive whatever the ordinary waiting period is on his account. That would be like letting Jim Brown into the NFL's Hall more quickly that others (in the 1960's), because he could throw his women farther off balconies than other football players could. And yeah, I know Vijay never did anything physically appalling to women with his muscles; but his mouth did plenty of harm, and not just to one female golfer.

Now, I know almost nothing about golf's subleties, and from what I DO know, Singh is a slam dunk Hall of Famer--unless you think being clearly and significantly inferior to his period's top dog (er, tiger) disqualifies him... which is asinine, because it would disqualify ALL of these fine players we have now.

In baseball, I DON'T believe sportswriters with god complexes should make obviously qualified baseball stars wait several years because their "morals" came up short. (See, for example, Juan Marichal.) Ditto for any other sport. So if currently active golfers can be put in golf's H.O.F., then I don't think Singh's sexism should disqualify, delay or otherwise hamper him... though anyone who thinks it's ok, as a tit-for-tat gesture, for men to play on the women's tour, is nuts and missing the point.

OK, I'm tired and that's at least "enough said." As I've stated of MANY players in baseball, ALL guys who are qualified and who didn't cheat or throw games should get in the Hall, no matter how repellent their personalities. I have meant everything I've said about that, and it obviously is just as applicable to hoops stars, football players, boxers... and golfers.

Those who read my posts know I think Tris Speaker was a gnat's eyelash below Ty Cobb on the All-Time MLB Players List, and one of the 10 Greatest MLB players ever, and if you want to debate that point with me, you'd better be WELL-prepared, because I've got a hell of a lot of stuff to back me up. Well....

In his youth, Speaker was a "rough and tumble" young wild man (like I was, and like many of you undoubtedly were/are). Part of his young adulthood was this: He was a proud, true-believer member of the . . . . KKK.

Since I'm a self-admitted Northern Californian, long-haired, lifelong hippie/leftist type, I doubt I need tell you what I think of THAT type of Klan membership (as opposed to the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black type of membership).

BUT....

If I'd been one of those 1937 sportswriters who got to vote on the SECOND Hall of Fame class--the ones in 1936 elected Ruth, Cobb, Wagner, Mathewson and Walter Johnson--I would have voted for Speaker in a heartbeat, and I would have picked him AHEAD of Cy Young and the two spectacular second basemen who are still generally accepted as among the 3 best ever--Eddie Collins and Rogers Hornsby.

In other words, THIS Singh matter is one where I have to put my heart and soul where my mouth has been. I'm repulsed by his caveman comments, but despite how little I know about golf, it's obvious how outstanding a golfer the dude is. I can see no reason to deny him the benefit of the Golf Hall of Fame's rules, unless you think being a puke is a reason to do that.

I've said all along, as to Bonds, Rose, Cobb, Hornsby and others, that it's NOT a valid reason in baseball. Same story here. So, Vijay, you old pig, welcome to the World Golf Hall of Fame. You're certainly more-than-qualified. Indeed, I look forward to many years of more great battles between you and Tiger, or you and Phil. Please forgive me if, when the time comes, I'm rooting for them.

B.H.N.