last time you saw this...

The last time you saw this item, it was probably on Craig Biggio's elbow during the June 29, 2005 game against Colorado when he broke the modern record for career HBPs. Unless you work for the Hall of Fame, which is where this picture came from.



I haven't heard if it's out on display or not, but rumors persist that the elbow pad has caused dozens of baseballs at the Hall to fly out of their protective display cases trying to hit it. These rumors are almost entirely made up by me.

Special thanks to those who sent along the picture. And for everyone else, always be sure to tip your librarian.

Hall update

They're very busy at the Hall of Fame, particularly in the weeks leading up to induction weekend, so I won't complain too vigorously about this one important point. Craig Biggio's elbow pad which he wore while breaking the modern era record for getting hit by pitches is not yet on display. I'm sure they consider it just as important a piece of baseball history as all of us do, and just haven't had time to get it properly indexed and have a suitable display constructed for it. They'll get to it sooner or later, and I can't really expect them to do that before they get around to things like taking the Beltran jersey and the Jeff Kent bat out of the Astros locker in the "This year in baseball" exhibit. On the plus side, Biggio is well represented.
They have plaques up on the walls with the leaders in major statistical categories, although one important method of getting to first base is missing.



Hughie Jennings is there. He'll be waiting when Biggio's plaque goes up on the wall, although they won't be very close to each other. If your visiting the Hall and looking for Hughie, he's in the 2nd alcove on the right as you enter the gallery with all the plaques, and in the upper left corner of that alcove.
Craig Biggio will return to enhancing his Hall of Fame resume tomorrow in Arizona, but the Astros are off today. He was hit once on August 1, in 1994 by Steve Reed.

Weekend: mets at houston, pbr at cooperstown

The Astros used the long standing theory of how to beat Pedro Martinez last night - wait until he leaves and beat his relievers. They also pulled into a wildcard tie, but Craig Biggio once again was not hit by a pitch.

Kris Benson pitches for the Mets tonight, he hit Biggio with a pitch on May 6, 2004, but Biggio has never been plunked on July 29th.

Saturday it will be Tom Glavine facing the Astros, and he hardly ever plunks anyone. But, Biggio has been hit twice on July 30th. Mike LaCoss plunked Biggio on July 30, 1989, and Hector Carrasco hit him on that date in 1996.

Sunday's Mets starter is Kaz Ishii. Ishii has never hit Biggio, but has delivered 16 plunks in 101 appearance. Greg Maddux hit Biggio with a pitch on July 31, 1993.

Also on Sunday, Peter Gammons, [edit]Jerry Coleman, Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I, too, will be at the Hall this weekend, hoping to see important artifacts of plunk history like the plaques of plunk leader Hughie Jennings, and all time plunker Walter Johnson (203 hit batters), and the famous elbow pad worn by Craig Biggio when he broke the modern era hit by pitch record. If I get a chance, I might even ask why Wade Boggs only got hit 23 times, and Sandberg only tallied 34 plunks - Craig Biggio had 34 in 1997 alone.

No pitcher who has hit Craig Biggio with a pitch has been elected to the Hall so far. In fact, only 5 have even gotten a single Hall of Fame vote, led by Darryl Kile's 7 votes. Sid Fernandez has 2 Hall of Fame votes, and Tom Browning, Ron Darling, and Jose Rijo only got one member of the Baseball Writers Association of America to vote for them. Most of the Hall of Fame caliber pitchers who have plunked Biggio are still playing, but Orel Hershiser is up for election next year for 2006 induction and should get a reasonable amount of consideration.