This week’s final home stand of the Chinooks inaugural season brought out huge crowds of fans looking to catch one last game before the end of the season. One of those fans in attendance was Jeff Idelson, President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, who took a moment to share his thoughts on his experience.
What are your thoughts of your first experience at Kapco Park watching the Lakeshore Chinooks?
It’s a great experience! This is a beautiful ballpark and the crowd is really into it. The fan experience is terrific and the concessions are top notch!
How does the Northwoods League compare to other leagues that you’ve seen?
Favorably! I’ve seen the Cape Cod league and a couple of New York leagues, and the talent level is good. The talent level is really good!
How would you assess some of the talent you’re watching here tonight?
The pitcher (Ryan Harris, Florida) locates really well, the catcher, (Connor Lynch, Georgia Tech) calls a good game, fielders are well positioned, so they’re obviously well coached and well managed. Good team, good talent!
What has been the most memorable Hall of Fame experience you’ve been a part of?
There have been many! I’ve been there 18 years and probably the ones that stick out most are induction day 1994 when my friend Phil Rizzuto was elected and I got to be there for that. In 1999, when Robin Yount and George Brett and Nolan Ryan went in, that was special for me because I grew up a big fan of all three of those guys. Those two and then guys that I worked with going into the Hall of Fame, Wade Boggs, Dave Winfield, Goose Gossage. Those were special moments.
Which current MLB players do you think are shoe-ins for the Hall of Fame?
Well I don’t know that anybody’s a shoe in because it’s very difficult to get in. You have a one in a hundred chance of making it if you’ve played in the major leagues. So you’d have to go out and watch two major league games and see a hundred players and only one of them is going to Cooperstown. I don’t know that anyone is ever a shoe in.
