There will be a couple of very familiar names to local fans on the ballot when Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame Veterans Committee gazes at their ballots next month.

The pride of Chester, the late Danny Murtaugh, will be on the ballot. So will Gene Mauch.

The two men no doubt will be remembered for different reasons.

Murtaugh, a graduate of Chester High, resided in Ridley after he retired from baseball, which included four different stints as skipper of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

During that span Murtaugh’s clubs won two World Series titles, including a dramatic 1960 victory over the New York Yankees on a home run by Bill Mazeroski in the 9th inning, and four National League East crowns.

Murtaugh became synonymous with the excellence of those Pirates clubs, which included a young phenom from the Dominican Republic named Roberto Clemente.

Murtaught finished with a career .540 winning percentage, going 1,115-950 with the Bucs, and being named NL Manager of the Year in 1958, ’60 and ’70.

On the other hand, Phillies fans will always remember Mauch as “The Little General,” the baseball wizard who led the star-crossed 1964 Phils.

That, of course, is the team that blew a six and a half game lead with
12 to play. Along the way, Mauch adopted a two-man rotation with Jim Bunning and Chris Short. Didn’t work out.

The shadow of that fateful summer followed Mauch through much of his career.

The results of the voting will be announced on Dec. 7.

Here’s hoping both make it. Murtaugh should be a no-brainer. He’s a legend, whose roots are right here in Chester.

And Mauch? Maybe we can finally exorcise those demons of 1964, which for so many years branded the label of losers on Philly’s sports mentality.