To the Hall with a stopover in Harrisburg

Tim Raines during his time with the Montreal Expos

Eight years ago today, Tim Raines becomes the eighth member of Harrisburg’s long and storied baseball history to reach the Hall of Fame.

Raines, the longtime Montreal Expos basestealer and onetime hitting coach of the Class AA Senators in 2007, finally reaches the Hall on his 10th and final time on the writers’ ballot.

Raines, who receives 86 percent of the vote from the 442 electors, joins a Class of 2017 that includes onetime Houston Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell (86.2 percent) and Gold Glove catcher Ivan Rodriguez (76 percent).

A year later in 2018, the Hall of Fame adds another onetime Harrisburg great with the election of former Harrisburg wunderkind and 2004 American League MVP Vladimir Guerrero.

As for Rodriguez, he briefly has ties with Harrisburg in 2011, when he appears in three injury rehab games for the Senators.

Oh, the magnificent seven with Harrisburg connections before Raines to reach the Hall are:

-- Hughie Jennings, the longtime major league infielder and manger who plays for the Harrisburg Ponies in 1890, who is elected to the Hall in 1945.

Oscar Charleston

-- Charles Albert “Chief” Bender (1953), the Philadelphia Athletics pitcher who is playing for the Harrisburg Athletic Club when A’s manager Connie Mack first sees him in 1902.

-- Billy Hamilton (1961), the 19th century outfielder who is a player-manager for Harrisburg in 1905-06.

-- Oscar Charleston (1976), one of the top hitters in Negro League history who is the Harrisburg Giants’ center fielder from 1924-27.

-- Vic Willis (1995), the 249-game winner in the majors whose pro career starts in 1895 with the original Harrisburg Senators.

--- Frank Grant (2006), the infielder who in 1890 stars for the Harrisburg Ponies before segregation keeps him out of the majors.

-- Ben Taylor (2006), whose long and distinguished career in the Negro Leagues includes spending the summer of 1925 playing first base for the Harrisburg Giants.