BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick ‘The Commish’ Hummel dies at 77

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Monday, May 22, 2023

Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick ‘The Commish’ Hummel dies at 77

Beloved baseball writer Rick Hummel, who captured timeless highlights and countless historic feats with precise, vivid words that will echo alongside those moments forever, died in his sleep early Saturday morning after a short, aggressive illness. He was 77.

Known as “The Commish” at ballparks throughout the country, Hummel covered baseball at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for five decades. In his Hall of Fame career, he dined with Bob Gibson, talked hitting with Stan Musial and helped Muhammad Ali workshop a commencement speech in a Las Vegas hotel room. Hummel was so well-sourced and well-respected that two actual commissioners of Major League Baseball called him by his nickname.

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: May 22, 2023 at 12:53 PM | 6 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: obituaries, rick hummel

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1. The Duke Posted: May 22, 2023 at 03:02 PM (#6129536)

"The Commish” got his nickname for running a APBA boardgame football league with colleagues; he was the one organized enough and fluent in the rules to be, effectively, the commissioner. His command of baseball gave the nickname widespread use throughout the game, as did his standing with peers, who referred to him as a future Hall of Famer years before he was elected.

2. Eddie Gaedel Posted: May 22, 2023 at 06:09 PM (#6129586)

I find referring to Spinks Award winners as Hall of Famers to be pretty annoying. He was the President of the BBWAA, and earned a "BBWAA Career Excellence Award" bestowed by that same organization.

Despite frequent references to these sportswriters as "Hall of Famers," winners are not considered to be members of the Hall... they are not "inducted" or "enshrined", but are permanently recognized in an exhibit at the Hall's library.

To be fair, Hummel is a member of the MISSOURI Sports Hall of Fame as well as the Quincy High School Blue Devils Hall of Fame, so the headline isn't wrong... but it is misleading.

/rant

3. Perry Posted: May 22, 2023 at 06:27 PM (#6129591)

I find referring to Spinks Award winners as Hall of Famers to be pretty annoying. He was the President of the BBWAA, and earned a "BBWAA Career Excellence Award" bestowed by that same organization.

Despite frequent references to these sportswriters as "Hall of Famers," winners are not considered to be members of the Hall... they are not "inducted" or "enshrined", but are permanently recognized in an exhibit at the Hall's library.

To be fair, Hummel is a member of the MISSOURI Sports Hall of Fame as well as the Quincy High School Blue Devils Hall of Fame, so the headline isn't wrong... but it is misleading.

Technically correct, of course, but that battle was lost a long time ago. Frick and winners of the BBWAA Career Excellence (formerly Spink) award are routinely called "Hall of Famers" and I'm fine with that. Not really a distinction worth making. YM varies, and that's okay.

4. cardsfanboy

Posted: May 22, 2023 at 07:40 PM (#6129605)

Not really a distinction worth making. YM varies, and that's okay.

Nor a distinction worth bringing up in someone's obituary/death announcement, save it for July and induction weekend.

5. Eddie Gaedel Posted: May 23, 2023 at 09:53 AM (#6129709)

Nor a distinction worth bringing up in someone's obituary/death announcement, save it for July and induction weekend.

This wasn't a criticism of Hummel, but a criticism of the journalistic shortcuts people take to describe what are, in most cases, fantastic careers.

I'm sorry you were offended on Hummel's behalf. I'll tread more carefully in the future.

6. Howie Menckel Posted: May 23, 2023 at 11:24 AM (#6129729)

this is nothing compared to this one many of you have seen many times in bios:

"So and so was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 19xx."

sounds impressive, right?

well, it did/does take twisting your boss's arm to put up the 50 bucks necessary to "nominate" someone. then it gets ignored when it comes time to pick the winner and two finalists in each category.

what an achievement !

at least in these cases, someone was chosen for something.

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Monday, May 22, 2023

Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick ‘The Commish’ Hummel dies at 77

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