A look at the honorees to be inducted Sunday into the Baseball Hall of Fame:
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RICH "GOOSE" GOSSAGE: Born Jan. 5, 1951, in Colorado Springs, Colo. ... First Colorado-born player elected to Hall. ... Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 9th round of the 1970 amateur draft and played for nine teams in 22 years. ... Along with Rollie Fingers, one of the earliest dominating modern closers. ... Led the American League in saves in 1975 (26), 1978 (27) and 1980 (33) and was runner-up twice. ... Ranks third in wins in relief (115) and innings pitched in relief (1,556). ... His 1,502 strikeouts place him behind only Hoyt Wilhelm among pitchers who primarily pitched in relief. ... From 1977-83 never recorded an ERA over 2.62, including a mark of 0.77 in 1981, and in 1980 finished third in AL voting for both MVP and Cy Young Award. ... Recorded the final out to clinch a division, league or World Series title seven times. ... Named an All-Star eight times as a reliever, besides one selection as a starter. ... Paired with Ron Davis in the Yankee bullpen, New York once won 77 of 79 games in which it led after six innings. ... Pitched in 1,002 games and finished 681 of them in recording 310 saves. .. For every nine innings pitched, averaged 7.45 hits allowed and 7.47 strikeouts. ... Pitched in three World Series. ... Missed most of the 1979 season with the Yankees due to a thumb injury sustained in a locker-room fight with teammate Cliff Johnson. ... Recorded saves in all three Yankee victories in the 1981 AL Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers and was the final pitcher when the Yankees clinched the 1981 pennant against Oakland. ... In 1983, his last season with the Yankees, Gossage broke Sparky Lyle's club record of 141 career saves. ... Holds the Yankees team career record for ERA (2.14) and hits per nine innings (6.59) among pitchers with at least 500 innings. ... In eight of his first 10 seasons as a closer, Gossage's ERA was less than 2.27. Over his career, right-handed hitters hit .211 against him. ... In 1984 earned the save in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series, sending the Padres to their first World Series. ... On Aug. 17, 1986, struck out Pete Rose in his final major league at-bat. ... On Aug. 6, 1988, while with the Cubs, became the second pitcher to record 300 career saves. ... On Aug. 4, 1994, became the third pitcher in major league history to appear in 1,000 games. ... In his final major league appearance four days later retired all nine Texas batters he faced for his final save.
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DICK WILLIAMS: Born May 7, 1929, in St. Louis. ... 18th manager selected to Hall of Fame. ... Managed six teams in 21-year career, winning World Series with Oakland Athletics in 1972 and 1973. ... Won American League pennant with the Boston Red Sox in 1967 and National League pennant with San Diego in 1984. ... Also had tours with the California Angels and Montreal Expos. ... Managed 3,023 games with a 1,571-1,451 record for a .520 winning percentage. ... Only the fourth manager from his era to be enshrined, along with Earl Weaver of the Baltimore Orioles, Sparky Anderson of the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers, and Tommy Lasorda of the Dodgers. ... Retired in 1988.
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LARRY WHITESIDE: Recipient of J.G. Taylor Spink Award, presented annually for meritorious contributions to baseball writing. ... Born in Chicago in 1937 and graduated from Drake University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. ... Spent more than four decades covering baseball as a beat writer, reporter, columnist, and national baseball writer. ... A pioneer among African-American journalists who educated readers about racial issues, labor strife and the worldwide spread of the game. ... Began his career at Drake writing for the Des Moines Register from 1957-59. ... His first full-time job was at the Kansas City Kansan in 1959 and four years late he joined the Milwaukee Journal, where he covered the Braves until they left for Atlanta after the 1965 season. ... In 1970 began covering the Brewers for three years. ... Moved to the Boston Globe in 1973, covering the Red Sox World Series runs in 1975 and 1986, as well as several Celtics playoff games. ... Three-time chairman of the Boston Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. ... In 1971 created "The Black List" of African-American reporters and copy editors, which he developed to assist sports editors in helping hire black journalists. ... Retired from the Globe in 2004. ... Died June 15, 2007, of complications from Parkinson's disease.
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DAVE NIEHAUS: Winner of Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for major contributions to baseball broadcasting. ... Born and raised in Princeton, Ind. ... Has broadcast nearly every Seattle Mariners game for 32 years. ... Entering 2008 season had missed just 82 of 4,899 Mariners games. ... Noted for his signature catch phrase "My, Oh My! It will fly away!" ... Began his career with the Armed Forces Radio and TV Service, calling the action for Dodgers games before moving to New York to handle Yankees baseball, as well as hockey and basketball. ... Following his Armed Forces work, returned to Los Angeles to broadcast Dodgers, Lakers and Rams games. ... From 1969-76 teamed with such broadcasters as Dick Enberg and Don Drysdale on California Angels games. ... From 1973-76 also called UCLA football and basketball.
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BARNEY DREYFUSS: Born Feb. 23, 1865, in Freiburg, Germany. ... Moved to Paducah, Ky., at 19 to work as an accountant at family owned brewery. ... Began playing baseball when his doctor told him he needed to exercise and helped organize semipro teams in Paducah. ... In 1890 became part owner of the Louisville Colonels of the American Association and two years later the team joined the National League. ... With the future of the NL in doubt after the 1899 season and the impending formation of the American League, sold his share in the Colonels and became part owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates. ... Orchestrated a trade on Dec. 7, 1899, that brought the best players from Louisville to Pittsburgh, including future Hall of Famer Honus Wagner, setting the Pirates up to be one of the best franchises during the first decade of the 20th century, winning NL pennants from 1901-03. ... At the end of the 1902 season helped create the National Agreement, which ended a feud between the AL and NL and ensured all major league teams were on equal footing. ... In 1903 contacted Boston owner Henry Killilea and worked out provisions for the first World Series. ... After Black Sox scandal pushed for the creation of the Office of Commissioner. ... Opened Forbes Field in 1909, a concrete-and-steel stadium that was the first of a new wave of double-decked parks, revolutionizing the way people saw baseball in the city. ... Died Feb. 5, 1932, in Pittsburgh.
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BOWIE KUHN: Born Oct. 28, 1926, at Takoma Park, Md. ... At age 14 became a scoreboard operator at Washington's Griffith Stadium. ... Graduated from Princeton in 1947 and the University of Maryland Law School in 1950, joining the law firm of Willkie, Farr & Gallagher and was named the NL's legal counsel. ... In 1969 became fifth commissioner of Major League Baseball. ... Endured five work stoppages in a long struggle with players union leader Marvin Miller. ... Created League Championship Series in 1969 and enacted the designated hitter rule in the American League. ... Maneuvered to create the Hall of Fame's Committee on Negro League Veterans. ... Helped make baseball an Olympic sport. ... Suspended Braves owner Ted Turner for tampering, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for illegal campaign funding, and Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays for consorting with a casino. ... Inked an unprecedented dual-network contract with ABC and NBC and spurred creation of the weekly highlight show "This Week in Baseball," hiring host Mel Allen to narrate it. ... Brought World Series games to weeknight television but kept weekend games during the day. ... Dismissed as commissioner in 1982. ... Wrote a memoir, "Hardball," counseled the International Baseball Association, and regularly read to AIDS patients at a New York City hospital. ... Died March 15, 2007.
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WALTER O'MALLEY: Born Oct. 9, 1903, in the Bronx. ... As a teenager left home for Culver Military Academy, where he became a battalion officer and editor of the school newspaper. ... Was president of both his junior and senior classes and helped manage the school sports program at the University of Pennsylvania. ... Earned law degree at Fordham University. ... Acquired a piece of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1944 and made a detailed study of baseball management in an effort to create a modern franchise. ... Became Dodgers president in 1951. .. Named executives Buzzie Bavasi and Lafayette Fresco Thompson, who enjoyed extraordinary authority in their more than 20 years with the team. ... Hired only two managers in the time he operated the franchise, Charlie Dressen and Walter Alston, who combined to win nine pennants and four World Series. ... When New York development czar Robert Moses prohibited a new stadium in Brooklyn to replace aging Ebbets Field and offered only a site in Queens, O'Malley relocated the team to Los Angeles in 1957, proving that Major League Baseball could thrive on a national basis and opening the door for the game to expand to 13 more teams over the next 50 years. ... For more than a decade worked on the design of Dodger Stadium, which opened in 1962. ... Retired as Dodgers president in 1969. ... Spent a record 28 years on the Executive Council of Major League Baseball and advised owners as they adapted to the arrival of a players union and free agency. ... Worked on baseball internationally, beginning with a team tour of Japan in 1956. ... Died Aug. 9, 1979.
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BILLY SOUTHWORTH: Born March 9, 1893, at Harvard, Neb. ... Broke into the major leagues as an outfielder with the Cleveland Naps in 1913 and played for the Pirates, Braves, and Giants before being acquired by the Cardinals in 1926. ... Hit .317 in 1926 and helped lead the Cardinals to the city's first World Series title. ... Named Cardinals manager for 1929, then won three straight pennants at Rochester of the International League. ... Served as a scout for the Cardinals and in 1935 discovered future Hall of Famer Enos Slaughter. ... In 1940 returned as manager of the Cardinals. ... In five full seasons and parts of two others with the Cardinals compiled a .642 winning percentage and won three straight NL championships. ... Defeated the New York Yankees in the 1942 World Series and the crosstown rival Browns in the 1944 "Streetcar Series." ... His St. Louis teams, led by Hall of Famer Stan Musial, won 106, 105 and 105 games from 1942-44, the only time in major league history a team has won 105 or more games three straight years. His second-place teams won 97 in 1941 and 95 in 1945. ... Was one of the first managers to change pitchers in the middle of the eighth and ninth innings. ... After the 1945 season left to manage the Boston Braves, winning the 1948 pennant with pitching aces Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain. ... In six of his nine full seasons, Southworth's teams won 90 or more games and reached the World Series four times. ... Had a career record of 1,044 wins and 704 losses, a .597 winning percentage, fifth all-time. ... Died Nov. 15, 1969.