bill mazeroski is in my hall of famer collection

time for another latecomer to my hall of famer collection, and this time it's bill mazeroski. he's represented in the collection by this card:

that's a 2022 topps archives signatures retired player edition 2001 topps card numbered 65 of 76. here's the back:

the golden moments subset in 2001 topps is pretty sweet, with lots of significant home runs from the history of baseball represented, among other notable moments. this card, of course, shows mazeroski making his way around the bases after hitting the series ending home run in game 7 of the 1960 world series.

just like with edgar martinez, i was on the fence about including mazeroski in my collection when i first drafted the list of members. i decided that for him to be included, i needed a card depicting this moment because this is the play that i know him from, having seen this image countless times in print and on cardboard. thankfully, topps acquiesced. 

i was finally able to see the footage of his homer when mlb network played the game a few years ago after the reel was found among bing crosby's possessions, and it was glorious. it's great that this iconic photo was able to be cropped so as to only show mazeroski and third base coach frank oceak, and not the fans who stormed the field and mobbed mazeroski just after he rounded the base. 

while mazeroski was highly regarded for his defense (he won eight gold gloves), his election to the hall of fame by the veterans committee in 2001 was met with some controversy as you can imagine when a guy whose career on-base percentage was .299 is given a plaque in cooperstown. i am sure his home run is celebrated in cooperstown along with kirk gibson's and joe carter's, and those guys aren't going to be inducted, so i can understand the issue here. but, defense is part of the game and excellence should be recognized and taken into account, too. 

still, i have to believe that if he hadn't hit that home run, he wouldn't be in the hall of fame, and he for sure wouldn't be in my hall of famer collection. but, he did hit that home run and here we are!

as a reminder, you can see all the cards and members that make up my hall of famer collection here.