NEW YORK _ Among the silliest "traditions" in all of sports finally ended last year when Mariano Rivera became the first player to be unanimously voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
That it took that long for the dam to break _ obviously, it should have occurred a long time ago with any number of players; Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson, etc. _ never was a good look for the Baseball Writers' Association of America, which votes on Hall of Fame candidates.
Regardless, it now appears as if it very well may happen a second straight year, this time with one of Rivera's Core Four teammates: Derek Jeter.
