Recently the Baseball Writers of America cast their ballots for this year’s inductees into the Hall of Fame. While I agree with the selection of Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn, not to mention the non-selection of Mark “I’m not here to talk about the past” McGuire, I am still a bit miffed that these pundits once again overlooked Andre Dawson. Oh well, I may be a baseball writer, and I am an American, but they never asked for my opinion. I guess you, the readers of this column, are stuck with it. Ripken was a shoe-in for induction. Consider the fact that he played in an amazing 2,632 consecutive games, a record that probably will never be broken. Ripken’s accomplishment was beyond comprehension when you get right down to it. As a shortstop for most of his career, Ripkin played the most demanding position on the field, except maybe for catcher, and never missed a game. He didn’t extend his streak by going into the lineup as a designated hitter. No, Ripken trotted out to short every day and often played with fairly significant pain. These days, players are likely to sit out a game if they have a hang nail or if the planets in their astrological chart are lined up in an inauspicious way.

Ripken was one of a kind and a class act.

I lived in Miami for 15 years and during many of those years the Orioles held spring training at Miami stadium. Fanatic that I am, I would often go to the games early and watch the players take batting and fielding practice. Ripken took extra fielding practice almost every day and often showed up early to take extra swings in the cage. As a player, Ripken displayed a work ethic that was a model to younger players at all levels. Another thing I noticed is that Ripken always had time for the fans, hanging over the rail by the third base dugout signing autographs and answering question after question. As I said, he was, and still is, a class act.

Tony Gwynn was perhaps the best pure hitter of our era. Gwynn compiled a .338 career batting average, lacing singles and doubles to all fields. I recall an interview I saw on television with a young Greg Maddux. When asked which hitter he would least like to face with the game on the line, without hesitation Maddux answered “Tony Gwynn.”

Gwynn also compiled another amazing stat in his long career. He had eight consecutive seasons in which he struck out 20 times or less. To put this into perspective, a slugger like Adam Dunn may strike out 20 times in a week.

My memories of Gwynn also center around his physique. As the years wore on, Gwynn became increasingly rotund. I remember seeing him in those old brown and mustard yellow, skin tight Padre uniforms. He looked a lot like a bloated sausage, but man, could that guy hit.

Now, onto my beef.

For years now the writers have snubbed Andre Dawson. Dawson was one of the best players of the modern era. Possessing a quick bat, Dawson consistently hit for power and average and had decent speed as well, until he blew his knees out playing on the hard astroturf at Olympic Stadium. Playing most of his career for the Expos, Dawson’s offensive numbers might have been even better had he not had to play in that disaster of a ball park.

I saw a game in Montreal many years ago. Let me tell you, this was no place for baseball. The fences were too deep and the seats so far from the field that you might have needed binoculars sitting in the second row. And talk about echoes. When the ball came off the bat it sounded as if someone had fired off a Howitzer, and that was on a grounder to second base. Olympic Stadium was better suited for a yodeling contest that our National Pastime.

As for McGuire, I suspect his career is forever tainted due to the steroid scandal and his breakdown at the congressional hearings two years ago. He garnered only 25 percent of the Hall of Fame vote this year, well short of the 75 percent needed for induction. Only time will tell how this will all pan out in the future.

As for the future, I still have hope that Andre Dawson will eventually take his rightful place among baseball’s greats.

Stay tuned.