What Phillies’ player should be the next one inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame?

With the recent MLB Hall of Fame inductions, that question probably crossed Phillies’ fans minds.

In this week’s version of my Yesterday column – reminiscing about sports and pop culture from the 1960s, 70s, 80s and sometimes before and beyond – I’ll take a look at six potential candidates who were all part of a recent Times News Sports Facebook poll.

Pete Rose took top honors in the poll, gaining 71%. Chase Utley took 20%, Curt Schilling garnered 6%, Jimmy Rollins had 2% and Bobby Abreu had 1%.

A Tattered Rose ... It’s hard to deny that Rose was a major difference maker in helping the Phillies win their first World Championship.

Rose certainly has all of the credentials - and can be considered one of the game’s top players in the 1960s,70s, and 80s. However, his gambling issues and stubbornness to initially admit his wrongdoings got him banned from being considered. Barring a total reversal of policy, Rose won’t ever get in.

Do you remember how Rose became a Phillie? Phillies’ executive Bill Giles asked WPHL-TV 17 for an additional $200,000 in broadcasting rights – a large amount in 1978 – to help afford Rose. Giles pitched it as increased viewership and the station agreed. In turn, the Phillies signed Rose for a four-year, $3.2 million deal. It instantly paid off at the gate where the Phillies had $3 million in ticket sales over the next 30 days.

But the Phillies had another issue – where would Rose play? Do you know what they did? They sold first baseman Richie Hebner to the Mets to open a position.

The “Sliver Fox” and the “Red Light” ... Utley was named on 28.8 percent of the ballots in the latest voting - well short of the 75 percent needed to get in. He had a dominant five-year period from 2005-10, earning five All-Star selections, and hitting .298 with 162 homers, 216 doubles, 572 RBIs, 90 steals, a .911 OPS and a 133 OPS+ over 869 games.

Meanwhile, Schilling earned his nickname for his propensity for finding a camera. Schilling was a workhorse for the Phillies and also was a major contributor for the Red Sox. He came very close to getting elected in 2020 and in 2021, receiving 70 percent and 71.1 percent respectively. In his final year of eligibility in 2022, Schilling received 58.6 percent.

By the way, who did the Phillies send to Houston for Schilling? It was fellow pitcher Jason Grimsley.

Do Stats Lie? ... Rollins’ lack of interest is a puzzling one. He recently received 12.9 percent of the vote in his third year of eligibility. In the 2000s, Rollins’ numbers can be easily compared with those of Derek Jeter, Troy Tulowitzki, and Miguel Tejada.

His career numbers were a .264 batting average, 281 homers, 936 RBIs, 470 stolen bases, a 328 on-based percentage, a 418 slugging percentage, and a .743 OPS.

Rollins deserves a longer look.

Hall of Fame Bandit ... Remember the Frito Bandito? From 1967 to 1971, he was the cartoon spokesperson for Frito’s.

The commercial quickly rose to popularity with the tune, “Ay, ay, ay, ay, oh, I am the Frito Bandito. Give me Frito Corn chips and I’ll be your friend. The Frito Bandito you must not offend.”

The Bandito spoke broken English and “robbed” people of their Fritos. For a lot of people, it was a “Hall of Fame’ commercial.

Others to Toon In ... When you think of Hall of Fame cartoons, Bugs Bunny is definitely near the top of the list. “Popeye” should also be listed among ones that receive a Hall of Fame nod.

Do you remember “Crusader Rabbit?” I remember watching the cartoon from which debuted in the 1950s. Others in the mix for cartoon Hall of Fame consideration are “Bullwinkle,” “Might Mosue Playhouse,” “Tom and Jerry,” “The Flintstones,” and “Felix the Cat.”

Anyone watch “Deputy Dawg,” or “Huckleberry Hound?”

Philies Phodder ... Each week, I’ll have a Phillies’ trivia question for you to ponder. Test your Phillies knowledge without looking it up or looking below for the answer.

What Phillie led the league in triples and stolen bases as a rookie? See the answer below.

WWF Wrestler Wrap ... Each week, we’ll look back at a former WWF star from our past.

Do you remember Stan “The Man” Stasiak? Stasiak, a Canadian native and former star there, was active in the WWF in the 1970s and 80, and his claim to fame was his “Heart Punch.” He was the WWF champion defeating Pedro Morales in December 1973 but lost it to Bruno Sammartino a week later.

Stasiak retired in 1984 and settle in Portland, Oregon. Ironically, Stasiak died in 1997 at age 60 from heart failure. Shawn Stasiak, his son, currently is on the WWE circuit.

Trivia Answer ... Jimmy Rollins had 12 triples and 46 stolen bases to top both categories as a rookie in 2001.

Memory Lane ... Each week, I’ll look back at a former athlete, coach, manager, or media personality from our yesterday.

Do you remember Phillies’ pitcher Tom Hilgendorf? The lefthanded bullpen hurler was acquired from Cleveland for outfielder Nellie Garcia in the winter of 1974. In 1975, Hilgendorf posted a 7-3 record with a 2.14 ERA in 53 games for the Phillies, including a 1.91 ERA at the Vet - one of the lowest of all time there. He was released in spring training the following year, and never returned to the majors.

Feedback ... Your thoughts, ideas, and comments are always welcomed at tnsports@tnonline.com