Carlos Bocanegra elected to Hall of Fame, Hope Solo misses out
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Sep 8, 2020
Former U.S. men’s national team captain Carlos
Bocanegra was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
He is the lone member of its 2020 class. No other players were elected. The most notable omission was Hope
Solo, considered the greatest goalkeeper in the history of women's soccer.
No one was elected in the Veterans and Builders categories, where the candidate named on the most ballots
cast is elected, with a minimum of 50 percent required for election.
The threshold for election in the Players category is 66.7 percent. Bocanegra was named on 68.5 percent of ballots.
Five other players were named on more than half the ballots:
Steve Cherundolo, 57.3%
Hope Solo, 57.3%
Kate Sobrero Markgraf, 52.2%
Shannon
Boxx, 52.2%
Jaime Moreno, 50.6%
Bocanegra's 15-year pro career included stints in MLS, where he was Rookie of the Year in 2000 and Defender of the Year in 2002 and 2003
with the Chicago Fire, and in England (Fulham), France (Rennes and St. Etienne), Spain (Racing Santander and Scotland (Rangers).
He made 110 appearances for USA, serving as captain 64
times, and scored 14 international goals, the most by a U.S defender. He played on U.S. Gold Cup championship teams in 2002 and 2007, though he didn't win any league titles as a player.
Solo, who earned 202 caps, won two Olympic gold medals (2008 and 2012) and one Women's World Cup title (2015). She was selected as the top goalkeeper at both the 2011 and 2015 World Cups.
For Markgraf and Moreno, this was the final year of eligibility as players. They will move to the Veterans category in 2021.
Just curious who the 43% are that thought HS was undeserving. This is like the Pete Rose issue. HOF is to account for all the good things done for the game, not a weighing and balancing of cultural/societal benefits vs drawbacks.
I agree
Memo to SA readers who read this story and who might care about the Soccer HOF more than two days a year- Election Day and induction day: there are obviously many things right and wrong with the current process(hey check out how pro football and baseball handles their HOF voting if you wNt to see differences) but imho the single biggest issue to ‘accurate-not the right word but it will for my note here— is the lack of real knowledge and relative impact as seen by any voter when judging the merits of any player worthy of induction. This includes my media folks, other voters and general public AND the voting apathy by living HOFers (less than 40% currently vote on nominees l think) who don’t participate in process AND many who don’t understand or care to learn about the nuances of the process. Yes the process should be fixed but learn about the process please. Not defending anyone; just asking interested parties to learn more about it first.
Hola Senor Meredith: First thanks for your comment; second you probably remember me, and I just want to comment on your comment, principally by stating that I also served on the HoF Selection commitee for a couple of years right after WC USA '94. And now just a bit over 25 years after the fact, I must admit that then the vote was a bit more fairer/read "equitable", BUT, unfortunately for the love of me, I can't even remember the then rules and regulations - I know I probably have a file somewhere in my archives - and fyi and the readers of this piece, I then served on the HoF Selection Committee when the HoF was located in Oneonta, NY. And I must admit that my appointment was a very nice surprise, given not only my long and active membership of US Soccer, but my volunteer work with the Cal Youth Soccer Association for almost 10 years, but my volunteer and paid assignment with WC USA'94. My short and only one time appointment to the HoF Committee was not renewed as the movers and shakers of the committee and others, were about to make the changes now in place. Nevertheless, I've an idea, and that is since we were both involved in US Soccer going back more than a quarter of a century, why don't you step forward and illuminate the readers, or maybe and even perhaps there will be a change instituted that pertains to soccer, and not simply refer to the other sport's HoF, e.g. baseball, basketball, football, etc. Maybe then and only then will be able to erase "reader apathy" and "understanding" of what it takes to be a member of the Selection Committee and elect worthy persons, e.g. HS, and many, many, many others? Gracias and PLAY ON!
It is a disgrace that Hope Solo was not elected. She stood up for herself and proved to be correct. And has pushed for fair wages for her fellow women players.
She should remove her name from any consideration in the future. Don't play in their political nonsense
I disagree!!!! Hope Solo's should not remove her name in future considerations. She is a true HOF and should continue fighting against the "politics" in our soccer world. Look at what she has done as a soccer player, and how she has fought the wrongs in the system. Her attitudes and personality could have been more diplomatic, but her love for improvement in, and outside the sport, cannot be questioned. She needs to hold on and must eventually be include in the Soccer Hall of Fame.
@Thom and @Ric, yes, I would love to know how this whole process works. For Dolo, and ESPECIALLY Hope to not make it, is criminal. Frankly, her off field issues are not deal breakers. If anything, the truth of these incidents (especailly calling Ryan out) only adds to her bravada. If she were gay, these issues wouldn't be held against her, yet she'd be hailed.
I would be willing to bet that, the name recognized world wide in womens soccer is: "Hope Solo"
Give recognition where due.