The International League named Steve Balboni, Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken Jr to the I.L. Hall of Fame via an announcement on their website.
As minor league fans we remember Boggs and Ripken as participants in the longest game ever played. From April 18th to 19th of 1981 at McCoy Stadium in Rhode Island, the Pawtucket Red Sox beat the Rochester Red Wings by a score of 3 to 2 in 33 innnigs. You may also remember that former Ironpig skipper Dave Huppert caught the majority of those 33 innings.
Of course Boggs and Ripken went on to more distinguished Major League careers than Hupper did. While Balboni had a great career on his own, including a World Series ring in 1985, I alway have just enjoyed saying his name.
So here is the full announcement – IL Website
The International League announced today that Steve Balboni, Wade Boggs, and Cal Ripken, Jr., will be inducted into the
circuit’s Hall of Fame as members of the Class of 2011. All three players starred in the International League during the
early 1980’s, and they now comprise the first Class elected to the IL Hall by a vote of current Hall of Fame members,
along with longtime executives, broadcasters, and members of the media.
It was thirty years ago that Wade Boggs of Pawtucket was the IL batting champion, Steve Balboni of Columbus was the
home run king, and Cal Ripken, Jr. of Rochester was the IL Rookie of the Year. The contributions and accomplishments
of each player were recognized by voters who elected the trio to the IL Hall of Fame as the Class of 2011.
Columbus Baseball Hall of Famer Steve Balboni slugged 92 home runs in three seasons with the Clippers. He led
Columbus to the 1981 Governors’ Cup with a League-best 33 long balls and 98 RBI. He nearly matched those numbers
the next year in just 83 games before a promotion to the Yankees, again pacing the IL in home runs with 32. He went
deep 27 more times in 1983 to establish the Clippers all-time home run record. A former International League All-Star,
“Bye Bye” Balboni is the only man in League history to homer twice in one inning on two separate occasions.
Wade Boggs narrowly missed winning consecutive IL batting titles during an amazing two-year stint with the Pawtucket
Red Sox. In 1980, the 22-year-old Boggs lost the batting race on the season’s final day by a fraction of a point, but a year
later he improved his average from .306 to .335 to win the title. Boggs went on to win five American League batting
crowns, and in 2005 he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
Rounding out the Class of 2011 is another National Baseball Hall of Famer in Cal Ripken, Jr. Baseball’s future “Iron
Man” enjoyed a stellar season playing third base for the Rochester Red Wings in 1981. He slammed 23 home runs, and of
course did not miss any of the team’s 114 games prior to an August call to Baltimore. In 1982 Ripken joined the Orioles
full-time, following up his IL Rookie of the Year Award with American League Rookie of the Year honors. He played in
every game from May 30, 1982 to September 20, 1998, establishing an all-time record of 2,632 consecutive games
played.
The IL Hall of Fame, established in 1947, was dormant from 1964 until the League’s 125th Anniversary season in 2008.
Following a three-year transition period (2008-10) in which a total of 50 individuals were inducted after having been
selected by a committee, the Class of 2011 was the first chosen by what will continue to serve as the annual election
process moving forward. Each year the top three vote-getters who also receive a vote on the majority of ballots returned
will be elected.
Members of the Class of 2011 have been added to the International League Hall of Fame plaque display. The inductees
will be presented with “The Curtain Call” statue during individual enshrinement ceremonies to take place during the
coming season. The IL Hall of Fame plaque display does not have a permanent home, but rather serves as a traveling
testament to the storied legacy of the International League.
Complete statistical data and biographical information on all 104 members of the IL Hall of Fame, along with a copy of
the International League Hall of Fame policies, procedures, and guidelines are available at http://www.ILBaseball.com.
noisenation.mlblogs.com 
With all due respect, Cal Ripkin Jr. does not deserve to be in the International League Hall of Fame. He only played in the IL for 4 months and his statistics are above average at best. His only year in the International League was 1981 and he was playing in the majors with the Orioles by August 10th. He was clearly voted in based on his accomplishments in the major leagues and not on his accomplishments in the International League. The International League needs to establish strict guidelines so this kind of thing doesn’t happen in the future. Perhaps 1,000 career at bats in the IL or 50 games pitched. While Boggs and Balboni would both qualify under those standards, Ripken falls 563 at bats short. Cal is very deserving of the major league baseball hall of fame but he shouldn’t have even been on the ballot for the IL HOF.
Straying just slightly off topic, does anyone else remember when Cal Ripken Jr. was at the Trexler Mall signing autographs after his rookie season? I was there along with about a dozen other people. I wonder how many people would wait in line today for a free Cal Ripken Jr. autograph?
I remember players there to sign autographs but was never allowed to stay long enough to get one. I was still pretty young in those days. The good ole Trexler Mall!
More on IL hall of fame policy and procedure:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/league1/page.jsp?ymd=20070722&content_id=278209&vkey=league3_l117&fext=.jsp&sid=l117
Rips on TBS/MLB is hardly as interesting as his brother Billy on MLBNet.