PCL Announces 2014 Hall of Fame Class
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Pacific Coast League announced today that longtime and current owner David Elmore, as well as former players Lou Almada, Dave Barbee and Wally Hood will be inducted into the PCL Hall of Fame as the four members of the Class of 2014.
David Elmore, the current owner of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, has been a major influence in the growth and advancement of the Pacific Coast League since he first bought his franchise in 1981 when it was operating in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is also founder of Elmore Sports Group, a sports and entertainment company started in 1969 and, at one point comprised of seven Minor League Baseball and hockey teams, in addition to companies specializing in facility management, hospitality, special events and concessions. It is one of the largest ownership groups in Minor League Baseball, with over a million fans annually visiting their sports franchises. He has been a member of the PCL Board of Directors since 1981 and a member of the league's Executive Committee since six new franchises came into the league in 1998. Elmore has also served on the Joint PBA Committee of Minor League Baseball and on the MiLB Board of Trustees. He is an avid supporter of the United States Olympic program and was inducted into the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame in 2010 in recognition of his contributions to that city's sports history.
"Recognition beyond former players in our HOF pantheon is a rare thing, and David Elmore is a rare individual deserving this award. He has played, and continues to play, a large role in helping to shape the PCL successes of our current era," said Pacific Coast League President Branch Rickey.
Lou Alamada, born on September 7th, 1907, in El Fuerte, Sinaloa, Mexico, became the first Mexican national to play in the Pacific Coast League when he began his ten-year PCL career in 1928 with the Hollywood Stars. After his rookie campaign with the Stars, the outfielder played for the Seattle Indians (1929-1932) before finishing his career with the Mission Reds (1932-1937). Almada produced four-consecutive 200-hit seasons in the mid-1930s, including a career best 265 knocks during his 1934 All-Star season. He was appointed captain of the PCL All-Star squad in 1930 when the team played several exhibition games in Mexico. His brother, Mel Almada, was the first Mexican-born player to reach the major leagues, making his debut in 1933 with the Boston Red Sox.
Lou Almada died in Carmel, California, at the age of 98.
| PCL TOTALS | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 SEASONS (1928-37) | 1,484 | 5,583 | 1,708 | 286 | 97 | 44 | .306 |
Dave Barbee, born on May 7th, 1905, in Greensboro, North Carolina, was one of the most feared hitters in the Pacific Coast League during a four-year stretch with the Portland Beavers (1928), Seattle Indians (1928-30) and Hollywood Stars (1930-31). In his first season with the Stars, the outfielder clobbered 41 home runs and aided Hollywood to their second-straight PCL championship. Barbee led the PCL in round-trippers in back-to-back seasons, highlighted by a 47-home run campaign in 1931. That same year he finished second in the league with 403 total bases. After his final season in the PCL, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates and started 97 games in left field, the most playing time he would receive in his two-year major league career.
Dave Barbee died in Albemarle, North Carolina, at the age of 63.
| PCL TOTALS | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 SEASONS (1928-31) | 641 | 2,334 | 759 | 146 | 26 | 126 | .325 |
Wally Hood, born February 9th, 1895, in Whittier, California, played in parts of eight seasons in the Pacific Coast League with the Salt Lake City Bees (1920), Seattle Indians (1922, 1929), Los Angeles Angels (1923-25, 1928) and Sacramento Senators (1930). Hood's first season in Los Angeles he batted a team-high .340 and was named the Angels' Most Valuable Player. In 1925, the outfielder ranked in the top-ten of several PCL offensive categories, including third in triples (17) and fifth in total bases (418). The World War I veteran spent three seasons in the major leagues with the Brooklyn Robins and Pittsburgh Pirates, accumulating 19 hits and 23 runs in 67 games. After his playing career ended, Hood returned to the PCL as an umpire from 1935-43.
Wally Hood died in Hollywood, California, at the age of 70.
| PCL TOTALS | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 SEASONS (1920, 1922-25, 1928-30) | 1,041 | 3,894 | 1,241 | 269 | 61 | 102 | .319 |
About the PCL Hall of Fame
Created by the Helms Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles in 1942, the original Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame was founded to honor those players, managers or executives who contributed most to the ideals of the league. In 1952, the Hall of Fame ceased operation until in 2003, as part of the league's Centennial Celebration, it was revived and inducted a class of 20 new members. With the addition of the Class of 2014, the PCL's Hall of Fame consists of 100 members.