Jim Rice: The Hall of Fame Journey | Red Sox Bios

Look back on the Hall of Fame career of Red Sox outfielder Jim Rice in this edition of the Red Sox Report.
Originally aired June 5, 2012.
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[@adamsoboleski6857]

I had a t-shirt in the early 80s as a kid, "Pitchers pay the price when they face Jim Rice".

[@bhulett]

Had the same shirt

[@ralphwinfield2872]

Excellent man!!! I'm from Massachusetts and I idolized Mister Rice. In fact, I still idolize Mr. Rice. God bless you, Mister Rice!!

[@TheEyewizard]

Jim Rice Is my FAVORITE baseball player OF ALL TIME . A tremendous athlete with the heart of a Lion . I worship the ground he walks on. A living Legend . He saved a boys life at Fenway Park without a 2nd thought from a lethal foul ball gone wrong. This man DESERVED many World Series Titles and I'm sure he could have left Boston for money and opportunity but, like Ted Williams before him , he was loyal and strong to the end. JIM RICE is a baseball GOD ! All hail #14 . My hero forever ! Before I die my greatest dream is to meet my bigger than life hero.

[@raypratt3611]

Actually at one time Rice was the highest paid player in the game,so idk about him goin elsewhere cuz Boston did pay him!!

[@TheEyewizard]

@@raypratt3611 He deserved every penny and he remains tied to the organization to this day. An exceptional hero in baseball added to the greats !

[@loydkline]

Jim Rice owned the green 👻 👽 monster

[@loydkline]

1978 Jim Rice was unpitchable

[@davidmacwilliamson5570]

And he played his way and didn't worry about the legends of Yaz or Ted Williams...

[@matthewobrien5991]

I'm a diehard Yankees fan from The Bronx who grew up during the epic struggles between The Yankees and Red Sox during the late 70's. Notwithstanding my allegiance to the Yankees, I always had the utmost admiration for the talents of Jim Rice, Fred Lynn, Yaz, and the rest of the Boston ball club. As for JIm, he had the sweetest, most compact powerstroke I've ever seen. He just snapped his wrist and the ball would fly 400 plus feet. He was, without question, the premier power hitter in the American League during the late 70's-early 80's, and his induction into the Hall of Fame was long overdue. Thanks for the memories Jim and congratulations finally for your induction into the HOF!

[@jamestjustice2936]

Jimmy Rice is my favorite athlete for saving that boys life at the game. God bless you Jimmy

[@michaelamanek8908]

He checked swing once and the bat broke. Strong man.

[@markhousman8447]

For ten years, Rice was a baseball hitting god. In late 70s, his at bats were must see TV.

[@dougchan8161]

His best years were 77-79. 3 straight 200 hit seasons, 124 home runs, 383 RBI's.

[@ccth22]

So true I grew up in the NYC area and he always got your attention when he came to the plate. I also believe if he played in 1975 World Series Boston would’ve beat Cincinnati...

[@dougchan8161]

@@ccth22 I think so too.

[@josephmcfarland8442]

That isn't just talk, he was dominant

[@clareomarfran]

Great player. Great man.

[@_Dave_S]

I have so many great memories of watching Jim Rice and Fred Lynn play. Even though the Sox didn't win a World Series back then (what could have been in 1975) it was still a great time to be a Red Sox fan.

[@seanfitzpatrick4730]

This guy is my favorite baseball player of all time I grew up watching Jim rice what a tremendous hitter he was hit a lot of line drives off that Green monster that would have been home runs in any other Park the green monster took at least a hundred and twenty home runs away from rice he was also a good outfielder with a great arm in his first 12 years he had more home runs and RBis and outfield assist then any player in the American league definitely in the top six players during that 12-year stretch in all of baseball at that time career was cut short due to injuries a true legend great man and a great player still my all-time favorite love Jim Rice

[@TheEyewizard]

I echo your sentiments from across the Border. My father is a lifetime Redsox fan from the 1940s until the present day at 85 years old . He took me to Fenway when I was 10 years old in 1978 to see that incredible team of Boston Greats and my superhero Jim Rice!. I have only been to Fenway 4 times in my life , finally getting my kids there Sept. of 2019 . There is no greater team and no better bed of heroes to me than the 'never quit Redsox' and Jim Rice is the embodiment of all my Love for Boston !

[@vitalyjohnson3514]

The Sabermetrics people that put him down are colossal idiots. Jim Rice was awesome!!!!!

[@josephmcfarland8442]

The dominant offensive force in the AL 1975-1986. A leader and heroic man, class act

[@stevepoitras2802]

Here is a thought for 50 years the Boston Red Sox had a Hall of Famer playing Left field, from Ted Williams in 1939 to Jim Rice's final season in 1989. I am still of the strong belief that in 1975 had Rice played the sox would've won the World Series and ended the drought. It is just a crime that the sports writers held such a grudge that they kept him out of the Hall for so long.

[@patlynch6517]

Yes, Rice had that ridiculous injury in '75 just before the playoffs. He would have crushed it in the World Series.

[@Jondsmusic]

One of my all time Favorite players as a little kid. It was an honor to watch him play and be a part of Red Sox nation!

[@jockoadams3377]

Years back, Jim came to my former employer's company golf outing. He was a great dude to hang out with all day. Lots of great stories, as cool as you'd hope he would be. Glad he made it into the Hall. He was Boston's Mr. Clutch and one of the three great Left-fielding power hitters along with Ted and Yaz.

[@Marvhagler]

My favorite player! Jim is a hero!

[@seanfitzpatrick4730]

From 1975 to 1986 he had more outfield assist more home runs and more RBIs then anybody in the American league hit a lot of line drives off the green monster that would have been home runs in any other park you were so strong and classic was so much presents on the field still my all-time favorite I have a fabulous day ✌🏼👍🏼✋

[@PTSDiy]

I used to watch him in 1989, at the end of his career, taking balls off the Green Monster. Still practicing his skills right to the end, while Mike Greenwell, his successor, stood around talking with teammates.

[@marcusanderson933]

Jim Rice was scary! One of the most dangerous bats in baseball!

[@davidmacwilliamson5570]

Even though I am a die hard SF Giants fan, when I was a kid in the late 1970s, I knew who Jim Rice was, his Bat was electric, WoW!!!!

[@michaelamanek8908]

Love his look everytime is wife talks about him.

[@jacknakash2677]

When l watched the Red Sox BP in Oakland damn they are/were right the ball made a different sound off of his bat a crack that really rang my eardrums as the ball sailed into the Oakland skyline. I always wanted to have #14 on my little league, colt, pony & high school baseball teams

[@fidelbanuelos9601]

Will hopefully be seeing him when I visit Cooperstown this summer.

[@seanfitzpatrick4730]

He was definitely a beautiful player so strong what a great presence on the field Jim Rice was awesome have a great day

[@rogeliofernandezjimenez3053]

Great Ball Player. Well deserved Hall of Famer.

[@scottdore8391]

As a kid from Maine in the 80s we were part of redsoxnation we went to fwnway Park once and I saw him and Don Baylor smoke humerus that day . I never will forget hearing the cracks as they connected thank you Jim Rice

[@spiritintosoul]

He was my favorite growing up. First athlete I ever admired.

[@frednesvet5046]

Sad that Red Sox greats Rice, Yaz, Lynn, Evans, Fisk, Rico, Scott, etc never were WS champs.😔

[@MarioMartinez-v3t]

Some magical times watching the Red Sox play in the 70"s when I lived in New England and a killer line-up. Jim Rice deserved to be inducted into the HOF much sooner!

[@markcatanzaro9699]

I'll never forget the time I saw him check his swing, and seeing the bat snap in half when he pulled it back

[@Robert-qm5so]

Such a beautiful married couple they are, Jim Rice and his pretty wife Corine. 😊

[@petercole8798]

I only wished him to win a world series ring. Rice yaz lynn Evans fisk. Such power if he played with the 75 Sox playoffs team we would have won. Like tony c in 1967 that curse just kept popping up. Good luck Jim rice you earned that H O F VOTE.

[@seanfitzpatrick4730]

From 1975 to 1986 more homeruns more RBIs and outfield assist then anyone in the American league at the time everybody knows he was a great hitter but such an underrated fielder should have won at least two gold gloves and had a cannon for an arm such a class act and a great baseball my all-time favorite

[@vitalyjohnson3514]

Guy had good speed for a big man. Led the AL in homers AND triples in 1978!

[@216marketing9]

Outside of my Tribe, Jim Rice is my favorite player. And the only jersey I would wear outside of a Cleveland player. He's a hero.

[@MrLeftygreen313]

And Jim is from my mom's home state!! Priceless!!!! And sister Carine........BEAUTIFUL!!!! GO SOX!!!

[@user-kc1vg3nt2o]

Loved watching Rice hit! Those 3 years, in the late 70's, were unmatched in baseball history. His hitting was great but one of my favorite memories was him jumping into the stands, in Yankee stadium, to retrieve his hat that was taken by a fan. He was fearless. I am torn between him and Evans for my favorite players. Evans should be in the Hall for his glove and arm alone. When those two played with Lynn they rarely made a mistake in the outfield and saved a lot of runs.

[@100chuckjones]

one of my favorites. Him, Lynn, Yaz and Ortiz.

[@LuisSang]

my favorite baisball player, the greatest 💯

[@erics2739]

Legend

[@cjpip7751]

My all time sports hero

[@marcyfan-tz4wj]

i had his baseball cards in 75 and 76 (when i was 10 and 11) and thought he and fred lynn especially were most wonderful players not on the cincinnati reds. i knew his career continued but i had no idea he was so good for so long. this is spectacular to watch.

[@JohnMAdams-nl9zt]

Great OF, Rice, Lynn, Evans

[@markyncole]

I got a pat on the head and "How you doing little man?" from him when I was 10 just outside of Fenway Park where the players come out after the game. He and Carlton Fisk came outside the team parking lot fence to greet fans and I was one of them.

[@stevepoitras2802]

My Dad used to take me back there where they parked before and after the game. Some of the players would come up to the fence sign an few autographs and be on their way. I have great memories of so many of the players because of it. Rice, Evans, Burleson, Remy, Scott, Fisk, Lynn, Stanley, Lee, Tiant. Those were great days. Now you can't even see back there. Baseball has lost that connection. Heck you can't even go in early to watch batting practice anymore and that was when you got to hit up the visiting team.

[@sergeantmasson3669]

The moment Jim Rice put om a MLB uniform, I knew he was destined to be in MLB HOF.

[@smedleybutler8787]

My favorite players .. even though I was Giants fan from the bay area. Jim Rice needs a Sports Centre espn

[@mdarrenu]

I worshipped Jim Ed Rice as a kid - especially after Lynn left. The injury in 1975 was really bad timing. Both 75 and 86 WS series were still part of the cursed Red Sox. He does still seem a little bitter understandably. After the 86 season -it seemed like he could get 450 HRs and 3,000 hits - but the injuries ended his career shortly thereafter. I remembered being quite surprised. HOF? Well, the advanced stats say he makes the grade. He does seem to deserve it - whatever that really means.

[@seanfitzpatrick4730]

Great coment injuries did cut his career short and the broken wrist in 1980 snd the strike season in 1981 had a big effect on his final numbers most recent news must of his numbers he put up was in a 12 year period given him an average of 29 home runs and 104 RBIs a season from 1975 to 1986 the most in the American league in that stretch dominance got him in the Hall of Fame if he got to stay healthy he definitely would have hit 470 home runs in his career he hit a lot of bullets off the green monster that would have been out of any other park many home runs turn to singles the monster Robbed him a hundred home runs during his career have a fabulous day thank you Jim Rice is still my favorite player 👍🏼✌🏼😎

[@raypratt3611]

Agreed man,I thought we had another 5 solid seasons with Rice,bouncin around 20-25 homers,but that 1986 season was pretty much the last great season from him or even the last decent season,he was just DONE after that yr,I still kinda find it odd how quickly he went down after 86?!?!honestly RICE should of had much better #'s cuz from 75-86 espesially that 3 yrs run to close the 70's out he just had nothin left after an MVP caliber season in 86,so again just REALLY strange to go from a top 3 MVP candidate to basically CAREER OVER still blows my mind,cuz he was in his mid 30's I would say,so I expected his #'s to drop off a bit but I kind of thought thats what 1986 was all about,maybe his power was diminishing so he started spraying the ball a little more so I figured at least a few more yrs of his 1986 type of seasons were on the way,but then injuries and he just never found the rhythm again,but man he was NO FLUKE hitter he was tremendous in his prime!!IMO the best hitter in the game from 77-86 and he only had 1 more power season in the 80's which was in 1983 with 39 HR's and 126 RBI but he was still pretty damn good 84-86 he still managed 74 HR's and over 100 RBI each season so yea all in all JIM RICE deserves his HOF Induction BUT....it is pretty close,but for over a DECADE he was one of the games BEST and for a few of those yrs one could argue he was THE best that the game of BASEBALL had to offer!!very special memories from my childhood watching JIM RICE and my RED SOX !!

[@mdarrenu]

Personally, I am not happy about resigning the manager Cora. He seemed like the one who instigated it in two teams. I mean, you can coach, but I would just move on to someone else. But I put principles over money - which rich people don't - or they wouldn't be rich.

[@janetbaldeon5273]

my favorite player of all times 🥲

[@elementrypenguin3116]

I’m a Yankee fan and I thought Jim Rice and Fred Lynn were phenomenal.

[@rafaelramirez1507]

Back in the 70s even my sister knew about Jim Rice and she didn't even follow baseball , does how much of a impact that great slugger contributed in my household , one of my all-time favorite baseball players 😊

[@vitalyjohnson3514]

Amazing achievement: he led the AL in homers and triples in the same season. Only Mantle did that in the AL besides him.

[@screechowl75]

I was hoping that Fred Lynn and Dewey Evans would join him at some point because that was a hell of an outfield.

[@patrickfurlong8221]

This Dude always reminded me of Richard Roundtree "Shaft" in a baseball uniform. As a Tiger fan I always hated seeing this Cat and Yaz stepping to the plate.Lynn washed up pretty quick after he left Boston.

[@clutegoodwin3424]

Great times ...Thank you Jim Rice

[@JohnGlass-hi1jd]

Love ya jim i have your jersey, yes, and it's stitched.

[@pd9971]

Gets in the Hall in his last year of eligibility that's awesome but very disgraceful, these sports writers shouldn't be voting because it's obvious they don't know shit about the game of baseball!

[@PakRT48]

Growing up, he was the reason I became infatuated with the number "14"

[@rufust.firefly4890]

I am a Sox an always will be. Rice could b a surly guy.

[@user-hv6sb3kg9g]

I'm sure you all as BoSox fans do but I know as a Met fan I ask why Jim Rice and Dwight Evans haven't attended EACH OTHERS HOF speeches.

[@user-hv6sb3kg9g]

@Gregory Holden I know terribly sad. What I meant by they should've attended ea others by now is that Dewey should've BEEN HAD a HOF induction speech for Jim #14 to attend by now. Just another way for me to say Dewey should be in the hall. Even if he would've been at Jim R's induction there's been no vice versa and it's looong over due.

[@user-br2zz7nn5u]

Unfortunately for Rice and those Red Sox teams, they never could overcome the Yankees and win a title....

[@thomaspaine374]

The Red Sox would most likely have won in 1975 had Rice not been injured.

[@christopheryellman533]

Not to take anything away from Jim Rice, but...in 1978 "Guidry had a good year"? How about 25-3?

[@toscodav]

Look. The Big Poopy at :46

[@Retro_Fan]

Didnt have trhe stats to be a HOF player. Sorry Red Sox fans...

[@seanfitzpatrick4730]

Most feared hitter in baseball for 10 years enough said being so dominating in that time qualified him from 1975 to 1986 more home runs rbi's and outfield assist then anyone in the American league definitely deserves to be in

[@seanfitzpatrick4730]

You don't know enough about Jim Rice career and his impact on the game during his time sorry Mister retro fan

[@seanfitzpatrick4730]

Don't try to be an expert on what you don't know you might hurt yourself you're into guesswork and assumptionsjust enjoy your Easter and stick to what you know if you know anything have yourself a good day understand your limitations you'll be fine fine👍👍✌️

[@seanfitzpatrick4730]

If you useing Donald Trump as an example you definitely can't be that bright

[@TheEyewizard]

The level of your stupidity is only matched by your inability to spellcheck. Go heckle your hater-aide in some Yankee blog where you can be never heard from again. RedSox Nation doesn't need or want you.

[@jondixon1392]

What a Great Dad “do you wanna play ball or go to school” knowing he had a STUD my hero Jim is