Long Overdue: Oliva, Kaat elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

Tony Oliva reacts after getting the phone call from the Baseball Hall of Fame. Photo: Minnesota Twins

(KDLM) – After a 45-year wait, Tony Oliva is a Hall of Famer. Oliva, former Minnesota Twins pitcher Jim Kaat, Chicago White Sox legend Minnie Monoso and longtime Brooklyn Dodger Gil Hodges were all elected into Baseball’s Hall of Fame on the Golden Era Committee ballot on Sunday evening.

Oliva, who was one vote shy of the 75% requirement the last time the committee voted in 2014, received 12 of 16 votes this time around, earning the 75% needed for enshrinement into Cooperstown.

Oliva was a three-time batting champion with the Minnesota Twins in the 1960s. Between 1964-1971, Tony O was one of the most feared hitters in baseball. He won the 1964 Rookie of the Year, back-to-back batting titles in 1964 and 65, made the All-Star team eight straight years to start his career, led the league in hits five times, was runner-up in the AL MVP twice, and won a Gold Glove in 1966. From ’64-71, Oliva hit .313 with 1,455 hits, 177 home runs, and 719 RBI.

But on June 29th, 1971, Oliva hurt his knee playing at a game against the Athletics at Oakland Coliseum. After missing three weeks, Oliva would return to the lineup but the knee would bother him for the rest of his career. When he hurt it in June, he was hitting .375. He limped to a .337 average to finish the season, which was still good enough for his third batting title.

Oliva would only play in 10 games in 1972 while recovering from knee surgery and primarily played DH during his final four seasons with the Twins. Oliva’s knees were so bad that he wasn’t able to slide into second base.

Critics of Oliva have long said that he didn’t put up Hall of Fame numbers long enough to get into Cooperstown.

But none of it matters now: Oliva is a Hall of Famer.

Congrats to Tony Oliva on being named to the MLB Hall of Fame! pic.twitter.com/pataGY76gj

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) December 5, 2021

The same can be said for Jim Kaat. Kaat spent 15 years with the Twins franchise, coming over with the Washington Senators when they relocated in 1961. Kaat was 190-159 record with a 3.34 ERA with the Twins and won the majority of his 16 Gold Gloves with the team.

Jim Kaat is headed to the Hall of Fame.https://t.co/J2cFVy6wyG pic.twitter.com/s01lOaZtt8

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) December 5, 2021

Kaat, who retired in 1983, led the majors with 304.2 innings pitched during the 1966 season. Kaat was a three-time All-Star in his 25-year career and compiled a 283-237 record and 3.45 ERA.

Kaat and Oliva will become the tenth and eleventh former Twins to be enshrined in Cooperstown: Kirby Puckett, Steve Carlton, Bert Blyleven, Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield, Jack Morris, and Jim Thome.

Both players will be inducted as part of a ceremony in Cooperstown, NY on July 24, 2022.