The 2010 class for induction into the Florida State League Hall of Fame has been announced. Among the 11 players, scouts, owners and umpires to be inducted: Sid Fernandez, Marv Goldklang and Felipe Alou.
The Florida State League has announced the names of its 2010 Hall of Fame class of inductees. The installation of the honorees will take place on Nov. 8, 2010, at a site to be determined in Clearwater Beach.
The following personnel have been selected by a committee for their participation in the Florida State League at the beginning of their illustrious careers in baseball.
Four players will be inducted
Sid Fernandez
In March of 1982, Sid Fernanadez went 8-1 with a 1.91 ERA. Among his wins were two no-hitters, one one-hitter, one two-hitter and one three-hitter. Fernandez once retired 48 men without allowing a hit for Vero Beach, including completion of a no-hitter against Fort Lauderdale. Fernandez led the league in 1982 with a 137 strikeouts. Fernandez also holds the record for the most strikeouts in a game, with 21.
Stanley Karpinski
In 1949, Stanley Karpinski worked 315 innings for St. Augustine. He finished with the all-time W-L record at 29-5, led the league with a 1.56 ERA and racked up 276 strikeouts. He has the all-time record in shutouts with nine.
Carlos Delgado
Carlos Delgado's 30 home runs in 1992 were the most in the FSL that year, and the fourth-most ever in a single season in the league. His 100 RBIs also led the league as he won the circuit's MVP award. With more than 450 career home runs, he leads all Puerto Rican players in that category, as well as in runs batted in. Delgado is a two-time AL All-Star (2000, 2003) and three-time AL Silver Slugger Award winner (1999, 2000, 2003). In 2000, Delgado won the Hank Aaron Award and in 2006 he earned the Roberto Clemente Award.
Carlos Delgado's 1992 statistics:
133 G, 485 AB, 83 R, 157 H, 30 2B, 2 3B, 30 HR, 100 RBI, 2 SB, 59 BB, 91 K, .324 BA, .402 OBP, .579 SLG.
Dan Keith
In 1955, Dan Keith led the league in with a .400 batting average. He remains the only player in FSL history ever to bat at or above .400 for a season. Keith also the led the league in RBIs that season with 122.
Dan Keith's 1955 statistics:
136 G, 497 AB, 199 H, 38 2B, 6 3B, 10 HR, .400 BA, .561 SLG
Two field managers will be inducted
Jim Leyland
Jim Leyland managed for 11 seasons at the Minor League level, all in the Tigers organization (1971-1981). He advanced to the postseason six times in the Minors and won three league championships. Leyland was named manager of the year in the FSL in both 1977 and 1978, and received the same honor in the American Association in 1979. Leyland managed clubs in three consecutive championship series in the Florida State League, winning in 1976 and 1977 before losing in Game 7 in 1978. He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997. With the Tigers' victory in the 2006 American League Championship Series, Leyland became the seventh manager in history to win pennants in both the National and American Leagues. He is a three-time Manager of the Year Award winner — twice in the National League (1990, 1992) and once in the American League (2006).
Felipe Alou
Felipe Alou managed the West Palm Beach Expos in the Florida State League for seven years, in 1977 and from 1986-1991. Alou compiled a 541-399 record over that time. He led the Expos to the playoffs in five of those seven seasons. Alou was named the FSL Manager of the Year in 1990, after his team went 92-40. The West Palm Beach Expos won the FSL title under Alou's guidance in 1991, his final year in the Florida State League. Alou accumulated more wins that any manager in Expos history (691-717, .491), leading the team from 1992 to 2001. As a player, Fleipe Alou led the FSL in hitting in 1956 with a .380 batting average for Cocoa. During his 17-year career spent with the Giants, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Oakland, New York Yankees and Montreal, Alou regularly played all three outfield positions. He led the National League twice in hits and once in runs.
Two chief executives have been chosen
Terry Reynolds
Terry Reynolds was promoted to director of player development with the Cincinnati Reds in December 2006, and to his current position as a senior director in October 2008. He joined the Reds organization in January 2004, when he was hired as director of amateur scouting. Prior to joining the Reds' front office, he spent 25 years in the Dodgers organization, most recently as coordinator of Minor League scouting/special-assignment scout. While general manager of the Class A Advanced Vero Beach Dodgers, Reynolds was named the Florida State League Executive of the Year (1983) and the Florida Diamond Executive of the year (1986). He served as director of Dodgertown in 1988, assistant director of scouting for the Dodgers from 1991-98, and coordinator of winter baseball from 1993-96. In 1977, Reynolds graduated from Siena Heights (Mich.) College with a masters degree in guidance and counseling. A year later, he earned a masters degree in sports administration from Ohio University. He and his wife, Marie, have a son, Jonathan, and a daughter, Kathryn.
Charlie Blaney
Charlie Blaney spent eight years as general manager of Dodgers affiliates at the Class A, Double-A and Triple-A levels, and was twice named Executive of the Year. He spent 13 years as managing director of Dodgertown, the 450-acre facility that hosted a Minor League team and featured a 90-room baseball and football training facility, as well as 70 acres of citrus grove. Blaney spent the last 11 years of his career with the Dodgers, from 1987 to 1998, as their farm director. This was the span that included a World Series title for the organization, and the development of five consecutive Rookie of the Year honorees: Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Hideo Nomo and Todd Hollandsworth. "Charlie is a career baseball guy with an incredible personal history," said Minor League Baseball president, Pat O'Conner. "You get all of the intangibles with Charlie — integrity, honesty and hard work. He knows baseball. He knows the business of baseball." Charlie is currently the president of California League. Married for 43 years, he has 15 grandchildren.
Two owners will be inducted
Frank Decker
A retired construction company owner, 84-year-old Frank Decker owned the Lakeland Tigers from 1972 until 1992. He built Joker Marchant Stadium and Tiger Town — which in some quarters is called "the House that Frank built." Decker won Florida State League Championships in 1976 and 1978, and in his last game as owner, his club won the league title in 1992. Decker was named the Florida State League Executive of the Year in 1977. He served on many Florida State League committees' during his ownership.
Marvin Goldklang
Marvin Goldklang is the principal owner of the Fort Myers Miracle, and serves as chairman of the Goldklang Group which owns four Minor League Baseball clubs across the country. Marvin is also part owner of the New York Yankees. Goldklang's experience around the business of sports is extensive. His clubs are well known for their personnel and have won nearly every award given to professional sports operators. Marvin has been involved with the Miracle in the Florida State League for the past 20 years. His experience and energy has propelled the franchise into becoming one of the premier clubs in the league. Marvin holds a degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a masters of law degree from New York University. Following his military service with the 11th Special Forces Group, Marvin practiced law with a firm in New York until 1983, when he left to accept the position of senior executive vice president of a New York Stock Exchange company. In 1986, Marvin established his own merchant banking and private investment firm. Marvin played college baseball at Penn and holds what he believes is still the school's record for most batters hit by a pitcher in an inning (4). He has also run and competed in 14 marathons. Marvin and his wife have four children.
One umpire will be inducted
Ed Hickox
Ed Hickox was appointed to the revised Major League umpiring staff in 2007. He originally became a member of the American League staff in 1999 and has worked more than 1,300 Major League games. Hickox (No. 15) worked the 2007 NL Division Series (COL-PHL), the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006, and the Tokyo round of the 2009 World Baseball Classic. He attended the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in 1983 and graduated as one of the outstanding students. Hickox continues to serve as an instructor at the Wendelstedt School, a role he began in 1984. He has also umpired in the Gulf Coast League (1983), Florida State League (1983-85, 2004), Southern League (1986-87), Dominican Winter League (1988), Puerto Rican Winter league (1989), International League (1988-1997), Pacific Coast League (1988), New York Penn League (2002) and South Atlantic League (2003).
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