EWB Sports Hall of Fame Ballot 1 Results

[sahyder1]

Thanks to the 37 people who voted on this first ballot. I think only person did not get back to me with a correct ballot. Lets get more voters for the future ballots. This is a work in progress. I will be going back and editing these bios in the future. All criticism and suggestions are welcome in this thread. I will create a separate "HOF Thread" that will have just the inductees so it doesn't get cluttered with discussions. Feel free to do that here. I have created a separate thread for the 2nd ballot. The next class will be inducted on February 29th. Once again all ideas are welcomed. What would you like to see changed? Did I miss something?

So without any further delay here are our inductees.....

Michael Jordan

Full Name: Michael Jeffrey Jordan

Nickname: Air Jordan

Date of Birth: 2/17/1963

Total Votes: 21

Points: 105

First Place Votes: 6

Our first inductee is a run away winner for the top spot in this original class of the EWB Sports Hall of Fame. Appearing on 21 (56.76%) of the 37 ballots cast, Jordan received a total of 98 points. The full voting breakdown can be found below.

Few can argue against the man’s greatness. He retired as 3rd (behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone) on the all time scoring list with a whopping 32,292 points. Had he not gone away to play baseball for 2 years in the prime of his career he would definitely be 2nd on the list. He is one of only 2 men in history to average more then 30 points a game and his 30.12 per game is #1 on the all-time list. He is a 5 time MVP and a 10 time All-NBA first team selection. While it is brilliance with the ball that everyone remembers he had a record 9 NBA All-Defensive First team selections. Michael Jordan is also a 14 time all-star (started all but one).

While his regular season numbers are great, in the playoffs he just took them to another level averaging 33.4 points (NBA record), 5.7 assists and 6.4 rebounds per game. He led the Chicago Bulls to 6 NBA titles (1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98) and was the finals MVP each time. He’s a two time Olympic gold medalist (1984 and 1992). In 1996 for its 50th anniversary the NBA named its top 50 players of all time, Jordan of course was on it. Michael is on a short list of superstars that won a NCAA title (1982), an Olympic gold medal (1984 and 1992) and a NBA Championship (1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98). Had he not returned to play for the Wizards he already would be a member of the Hall of Fame but with the NBA requirement of being out of the game for 5 years that day is coming soon.

Career Highlights:

Spoiler: Click here to view

• Five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (1987-88, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1997-98)

• Ten-time All-NBA First Team selection (1986-87 to 1992-93, 1995-96 to 1997-98)

• Selected in 1996 as one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History"

• A member of six Chicago Bulls NBA championship teams (1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98)

• Six-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player

• The 1987-88 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and record nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection (1987-88 to 1992-93, 1995-96 to 1997-98)

• Entering 2002-03, ranked first in NBA history in scoring average (31.0 ppg), second in steals (2,391), fourth in points (30,652) and in field-goals made (11,513), fifth in free-throws made (7,061), sixth in field-goals attempted (23,010) and eighth in free-throws attempted (8,448)

• Closed the 1997-98 season as the Bulls' all-time franchise leader in points, rebounds (5,836), assists (5,012), steals, games (930), field-goals made and attempted and free-throws made and attempted (8,115)

• Holds the NBA record for most seasons leading the league in scoring (10)

• Shares the NBA record with Wilt Chamberlain for most consecutive seasons leading the league in scoring (seven, 1986-87 to 1992-93)

• Holds the NBA record for most consecutive games scoring in double-digits (842)

• Holds the NBA record for most seasons leading the league in field-goals made (10) and attempted (10)

• Led the NBA in steals in 1987-88 (3.16 spg), 1989-90 (2.77 spg) and 1992-93 (2.83 spg)

• Holds the NBA single-game records for most free-throws made in one half (20 against the Miami Heat on 12/30/92) and most most free-throws attempted in one half (23 in the same game)

• Shares the NBA single-game records for most free-throws made in one quarter (14 against the Utah Jazz on 11/15/89 and against the Miami Heat on 12/30/92) and most free-throws attempted in one quarter (23 against the Miami Heat on 12/30/92)

• Holds the NBA Finals record for highest single-series scoring average (41.0 ppg in 1993)

• Entering the 2002-03 season, ranks as the all-time NBA Finals leader in three-pointers made (42), second in three-point attempts (114), third in points (1,176), fourth in steals (62), fifth in field-goals made (438), sixth in assists (209) and free-throws made (258), seventh in field-goals attempted (911) and eighth in free-throws attempted (320)

• Holds the NBA Playoffs record for highest career scoring average (33.4 ppg)

• Established an NBA Playoffs record with 63 points against the Boston Celtics on 5/20/86

• Entering the 2002-03 season ranks as the all-time NBA Playoffs leader in field-goals attempted (4,497), free-throws made (1,463) and attempted (1,766), second in steals (376) and field-goals made (2,188), fifth in assists (1,022), seventh in three-point attempts (446) and ninth in three-pointers made (148)

• Recorded two playoff career triple-doubles, both against the New York Knicks (5/9/89 and 6/2/93)

• Participated in 13 NBA All-Star Games (1985, 1987-1993, 1996-98, 2002-03), starting 13 times, and missed another due to injury

• Named the MVP of the 1988, 1996 and 1998 NBA All-Star Games

• All-time NBA All-Star Game leader in steals (35) and ranks second in field-goal attempts (206), third in points (242), fourth in scoring average (20.2 ppg), and eighth in assists (52)

• Notched the first triple-double in All-Star Game history, with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, in the 1997 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland

• Won the Slam Dunk Contest in 1987 and 1988, also participating in 1985

• Notched his 28th career triple-double, with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, against the Toronto Raptors on 4/14/97

• Returned from retirement against the Indiana Pacers on 3/19/95 and posted 19 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals in 43 minutes

Awards:

Spoiler: Click here to view

1981 McDonald's All American

1983-84 NCAA AP Player of the Year

1983-84 NCAA John R. Wooden Award

1983-84 NCAA Naismith Men's College Player of the Year Award

1984-85 NBA Rookie of the Year

1987-88 NBA All-Star Game MVP

1987-88 NBA Defensive Player of the Year

1987-88 NBA MVP

1990-91 NBA Finals MVP

1990-91 NBA MVP

1991-92 NBA Finals MVP

1991-92 NBA MVP

1992-93 NBA Finals MVP

1995-96 NBA All-Star Game MVP

1995-96 NBA Finals MVP

1995-96 NBA MVP

1996-97 NBA Finals MVP

1997-98 NBA All-Star Game MVP

1997-98 NBA Finals MVP

1997-98 NBA MVP

Other Honors:

Spoiler: Click here to view

1982-83 NCAA AP All-America (1st team)

1983-84 NCAA AP All-America (1st team)

1984-85 NBA All-NBA (2nd team)

1984-85 NBA All-Rookie (1st team)

1986-87 NBA All-NBA (1st team)

1987-88 NBA All-Defensive (1st team)

1987-88 NBA All-NBA (1st team)

1988-89 NBA All-Defensive (1st team)

1988-89 NBA All-NBA (1st team)

1989-90 NBA All-Defensive (1st team)

1989-90 NBA All-NBA (1st team)

1990-91 NBA All-Defensive (1st team)

1990-91 NBA All-NBA (1st team)

1991-92 NBA All-Defensive (1st team)

1991-92 NBA All-NBA (1st team)

1992-93 NBA All-Defensive (1st team)

1992-93 NBA All-NBA (1st team)

1995-96 NBA All-Defensive (1st team)

1995-96 NBA All-NBA (1st team)

1996-97 NBA All-Defensive (1st team)

1996-97 NBA All-NBA (1st team)

1997-98 NBA All-Defensive (1st team)

1997-98 NBA All-NBA (1st team)

Voting Summary:

Jordan appeared on 21 of the 37 ballots cast. His 105 points easily make him the top inductee in this original ballot. Jordan received the most first place votes at 6. With there being 37 voters the most points anyone could’ve got was 370, Jordan received 105 an impressive 28.38%.

Muhammad Ali

Full Name: Muhammad Ali

Nickname: The Greatest, The Champ, The Louisville Lip

Date of Birth: 1/17/1942

Total Votes: 14

Points: 75

First Place Votes: 5

Muhammad Ali transcended sports in the US at a key time in this country’s history. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., Ali emerged as not just an athletic figure but a political figure when racism was rampant.

In his 61 fights Ali amassed a record of 56-5 with 37 of his wins coming via a knock out. Ali won the heavyweight championship 3 times despite having 3.5 years taken from him in the prime of his career when he refused to be drafted into the US Army for the Vietnam War, a war he didn’t believe in. Ali just may be the most quoted athlete of all time. He was quoted as saying” I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong ... They never called me nigger." His refusal to serve in that war was another positive step towards civil rights in the US. A gold medalist at the 1960 Olympics, Ali reportedly threw away his medal when he returned home and was refused entrance into a restaurant because of his skin color. He did get a replacement many years later during the 1996 Olympics.

His legacy was cemented long before his retirement but even now he is larger then life. He is not on the top of everyone’s list as far as boxers are concerned but there is little argument that his legacy is recognized by all. He is one of only 3 boxers to be named “Sportsman of the Year” by Sports Illustrated and in 1997 ESPN made him a recipient of the “Arthur Ashe Courage Award.” In 1999 BBC named him the Sports Personality of the Century. In 2005 Ali, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the US.

Ali was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.

Voting Summary:Actually averaged more points per ballot then Jordan but appeared on 7 less ballots. Made a late surge to finish 2nd. Next to Jordan, Ali was the only other candidate receiving at least 20% (20.27%) of the points.

Wayne Gretzky

Full Name: Wayne Douglas Gretzky

Nickname: The Great One

Date of Birth: 1/26/1961

Total Votes: 13

Points: 63

First Place Votes: 3

While you can make arguments for who the greatest to ever play a sport is in pretty much any sport, in hockey there is little argument. Wayne Gretzky completely changed the game. He is one of only 2 men in North American sports history to have their jersey retired throughout the league.

Wayne dominated the game from the get go scoring 50+ goals in each of his first 8 seasons in the NHL. Just how dominant was Wayne throughout his career? He ended his NHL career with almost a hundred more goals then any other player in history. He recorded over 700 more assists then any other player in league history and had an eye popping 970 points more then any other player in league history. He led the league in points 11 times including 8 straight at one point. Gretzky is a 9 time Hart Trophy winner as the MVP of the league including a stretch of 8 in a row. Wayne has 10 of the 11 highest single season point totals in league history. There have been 13 instances when a man has had 100 assists or more in a season, Wayne has 11 of them.

Upon his retirement in 1999, Gretzky became the 10th and final player to have the waiting period waived for his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Awards:

Spoiler: Click here to view

1979-80 NHL Hart Memorial Trophy

1979-80 NHL Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

1980-81 NHL Art Ross Trophy

1980-81 NHL Hart Memorial Trophy

1981-82 NHL Art Ross Trophy

1981-82 NHL Hart Memorial Trophy

1981-82 NHL Lester B. Pearson Award

1982-83 NHL Art Ross Trophy

1982-83 NHL Hart Memorial Trophy

1982-83 NHL Lester B. Pearson Award

1983-84 NHL Art Ross Trophy

1983-84 NHL Hart Memorial Trophy

1983-84 NHL Lester B. Pearson Award

1984-85 NHL Art Ross Trophy

1984-85 NHL Conn Smythe Trophy

1984-85 NHL Hart Memorial Trophy

1984-85 NHL Lester B. Pearson Award

1985-86 NHL Art Ross Trophy

1985-86 NHL Hart Memorial Trophy

1986-87 NHL Art Ross Trophy

1986-87 NHL Hart Memorial Trophy

1986-87 NHL Lester B. Pearson Award

1987-88 NHL Conn Smythe Trophy

1988-89 NHL Hart Memorial Trophy

1989-90 NHL Art Ross Trophy

1990-91 NHL Art Ross Trophy

1990-91 NHL Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

1991-92 NHL Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

1993-94 NHL Art Ross Trophy

1993-94 NHL Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

1998-99 NHL Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

Other Honors

Spoiler: Click here to view

1979-80 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)

1980-81 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)

1981-82 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)

1982-83 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)

1983-84 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)

1984-85 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)

1985-86 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)

1986-87 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)

1987-88 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)

1988-89 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)

1989-90 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)

1990-91 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)

1993-94 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)

1996-97 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)

1997-98 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)

Voting Summary:

Actually appeared on the same number of ballots as the 4th place candidate but edged him out based on points. Wayne appeared on 13 ballots (35.14%) taking 63 points (17.03%).

The full voting breakdown is attached. Here are some stats that stick out:

Spoiler: Click here to view

*Only one female got a vote

*Only 3 coaches got a vote

*About 2/3 of the nominees were North Americans

*20 different individuals got at least one first place vote

*77 different individuals got at least one vote

*Only 4 guys appeared on more then 25% of the ballots

*Michael Jordan was the only one to appear on more then 50% of the ballots

*The top 5 finishers were each from a different sport

Round 1 Voting Thread. Round 2 can be found here. Once again thanks to all who voted. Lets get more voters this time around.

EWB_Sports_Hall_of_Fame_Votes.htm

Edited February 7, 2009 by sahyder1

[Maxx]

Needs iconic pictures, like our last one had

[sahyder1]

Needs iconic pictures, like our last one had

I was going to do that in the actual Hall of Fame Thread. Great idea though. I didn't want to slow down the load time for this thread.

A cookie for the first person that responds with the answer to this question:

List all jersey numbers Jordan wore in an NBA game.

[Matt]

Eh, you should've included more first time around IMO. I could name 2 out of the next 3 inductees right now, probably all 3. The only person I'm surprised by on this 3 is Ali, who I'm surprised pipped Pele and to a lesser extent Babe Ruth.

Edit: I'll guess he only ever wore 23. Because someone will say it.

Edited January 31, 2009 by Footjob Fever

[sahyder1]

Eh, you should've included more first time around IMO. I could name 2 out of the next 3 inductees right now, probably all 3. The only person I'm surprised by on this 3 is Ali, who I'm surprised pipped Pele and to a lesser extent Babe Ruth.

Edit: I'll guess he only ever wore 23. Because someone will say it.

After the top 4 it was wide open. So with 3 of those guys being gone we should see a wide open vote in my opinion.

and no 23 is not the only number he wore in a NBA game.

[naiwf]

I'm fairly certain the answer is 12 (lost or stolen jersey?), 23 (duh) & 45 (merchandise sales baby!).

[sahyder1]

I'm fairly certain the answer is 12 (lost or stolen jersey?), 23 (duh) & 45 (merchandise sales baby!).

Correct. He wore 45 after his first retirement because his 23 was already retired by the team and he had to go through a process to get that # unretired. He wore #12 against the Magic in 1990 when his #23 jersey got stolen from the locker room before the game. Remarkably the team did not have a spare and only started carrying extras after that.

[METALMAN]

I'd say all of these are deserving of a spot despite me not nominating them. It'd be nice to some more representation from non-american sports though.

[sahyder1]

I'd say all of these are deserving of a spot despite me not nominating them. It'd be nice to some more representation from non-american sports though.

The answer to that would our international members voting. There is no regional quota. It is an EWB awards voted by EWB members not regional committees.

[METALMAN]

...I never said there should be a quota. I just said it would be nice.

[sahyder1]

...I never said there should be a quota. I just said it would be nice.

Fair enough.....but it might help if you don't vote for guys from the 1800s.

[sahyder1]

So just looking back at the voting from the first ballot and...

*Superbowl Slogger, thuggy and Thatz were the only 3 people who voted for all 3 guys that got inducted and of those 3 Thatz and thuggy were the only 2 who had them in the right order

*9 members (1PWCorino,-A-,Essa,Footjob Fever,GhostMachine,Johnny Quid,JSV,metalman,Pesci) didn't put any of the 3 on their ballots.

*A total of 17 sports were represented here. They were Soccer, Auto Racing, Baseball, Football, Basketball, Tennis, Hockey, Running(all distances), Wrestling, Cycling, Rugby, Triple Jump, Darts, Squash, Golf, Boxing and Rowing

*5 different guys got at least one vote in each of the 5 slots