Dawson Deserved Better

Sure, I'm elated to see Andre Dawson, one of my all-time favorite players, get the Hall of Fame nod. But it's a shame it took this long.

In his first 10-12 seasons, "The Hawk" was arguably the best all-around player in the game. He was ...

• Mike Schmidt with a better average
• Ozzie Smith with more power
• Willie Stargell, only faster
• Tony Gwynn with more range and a stronger arm
• Reggie Jackson without the ego

And what do those players from Dawson's era all have in common? Each was enshrined at Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility.

Dawson essentially was penalized, through no fault of his own, for playing in the seclusion of Montreal during the early part of his career, and then playing through pain in both his knees in the later years.

Now that he's getting what is long overdue, it's only fitting that he won't have to share the spotlight. Congrats to Awesome Dawson.