Ancient Journalist Apologizes For Chasing Rickey Henderson Off Of His Lawn

Retired Tucson Citizen columnist Corky Simpson says he's very sorry for leaving Rickey Henderson off of his Hall of Fame ballot, and also that they've apparently canceled Murder, She Wrote.

Corky, of course, created a category four shitstorm earlier this week when Home Run Derby revealed that he'd left Henderson off of his ballot, which was among a handful published early. The fact that he did vote for fellow first-time nominee Matt Williams didn't help.

Then he expressed surprise when he discovered — via Western Union telegraph, one presumes — that the Internets were ablaze with stories of his major goof. An elaborate mea culpa ensued. From the Oakland Tribune:

"First things first, would I vote for Rickey if I had it to do all over again? Damn right, I would," Simpson said. "I had no idea my ballot would cause such an uproar. Seriously, he was a wonderful player and I simply goofed. I voted for eight deserving men. I could have picked two more — and I wish to heck I had."

But Simpson's claim that he simply forgot that he had 10 votes instead of eight doesn't hold a lot of water. Nick Prevenas, sports editor of the Green Valley Times, a retirement community newspaper in Arizona where Simpson now writes, said that he warned the columnist about leaving Henderson off his ballot when he turned it in. Said Prevenas:

"He (Simpson) told me that he 'wasn't a Rickey guy,' and that he would vote for him next time."

Anyone who followed the 2000 Presidential election knows how much trouble the elderly have with paper ballots. But still, if you're not going to take this seriously, then why not just take a pass? Rickey probably wasn't going to be the first player voted into the Hall unanimously anyway (Willie Mays missed by 23 votes, after all). But that doesn't make this any more digestible.

This never would have happened at the Boca Breeze.

Corky Simpson Would Like His Rickey Henderson Vote Back — I Want His BBWAA Card [Home Run Derby] Voter: 'I Made A Mistake Not Voting For Rickey Henderson' [Oakland Tribune]