Where Have You Gone, Bert Blyleven

Your fabulous career started in Minnesota. It ended many years later in California. Your statistics included sixty lifetime shutouts. You had over three thousand seven hundred strikeouts. A power right-hander considered among the best, your accomplishments placed you above much of the rest. Well Bert, despite your amazing prowess for the game, I cannot believe you have not made the Hall of Fame. Your lack of recognition appears as quite a shame. With two hundred eighty-seven wins in your career, you had a lot more than many other pitchers here. Why don’t I see your plaque? The reason is hardly clear. Like many others who follow the game of baseball, I want to see your name enshrined in Cooperstown’s Hall. Bert Blyleven was finally elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this year after thirteen straight years of unsuccessful attempts. He will be enshrined later on this summer. I wrote this poem back in 2004.