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White Sox: Harold Baines Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

By Etheria Modacure

15 May 2001: Designated hitter Harold Baines #3 of the Chicago White Sox prepars for an at-bat against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners defeated the White Sox 4-3. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule/ALLSPORT
15 May 2001: Designated hitter Harold Baines #3 of the Chicago White Sox prepars for an at-bat against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners defeated the White Sox 4-3. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule/ALLSPORT /
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White Sox legend will finally get enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The fan favorite was elected via the Today’s Game Era ballot.

It has finally happened for White Sox legend Harold Baines. He has finally been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The news was announced on Sunday as Baines was elected via the Today’s Game Era ballot.

Baines played 22 seasons in MLB with 14 of those seasons with the White Sox over three separate stints with the team. Over his career, Baines had a lifetime slash line of .289/.356/.465 with 2,866 hits, 384 home runs and an OPS of .820. Baines wasn’t elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America after being on the ballot for five years.

Thankfully, Baines was finally elected to the Hall of Fame by the Today’s Game Era ballot. 12 votes were needed in order to be elected and Baines received enough votes. Baines has his no. 3 retired by the Sox and was a fan favorite during his playing time with the team. The Sox drafted Baines with the first pick in the 1977 MLB draft out of St. Michael’s High School in Easton, MD. Baines will join Ken Griffey Jr. and Chipper Jones as the only players to be drafted first overall and be elected to the Hall of Fame.

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Baines will join former Cubs relief pitcher Lee Smith as players elected to the Hall of Fame for 2019 from the Today’s Game Era ballot. For Baines, being elected to the Hall of Fame is an incredible honor. Baines was a consistent offensive producer for the Sox in his first stint with the team.

From his rookie season in 1980 through 1989, Baines was selected to the All-Star game four times and finished as high as ninth in MVP voting in the American League in 1985. He never finished a season from 1981-1989 with a batting average lower than .271 and amassed a career WAR of 38.7. Baines played with four other teams in his career. He played seven seasons with the Baltimore Orioles over two stints, three seasons with the Oakland Athletics, two seasons with the Texas Rangers and one season with the Cleveland Indians.

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With his election to the Hall of Fame, Baines will join other Sox legends such as Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio and Frank Thomas in Cooperstown. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be on July 21. Surely the Sox will commemorate Baines’ induction with a special promotion in 2019. Baines was a special player for the Sox and thankfully he will be enshrined with other legends in the Hall of Fame.

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