Former Atlanta Braves Hurler Tim Hudson Belongs in the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame

During his 17-year major league career, right-handed hurler Tim Hudson posted a superb win-loss record of 222-133 while maintaining a steady 3.49 ERA.  Yet, despite being one of the top pitchers of his era, thus far, election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame has eluded him.  For players like Hudson, who have yet to be voted into Cooperstown, earning induction into a state or team-level Hall of Fame serves as a great way to have their achievements recognized.  In 2018, Hudson received two such honors when he was elected to both the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Braves Hall of Fame.  The former honor centered on his standout collegiate career which he split between Chattahoochee Valley Community College and Auburn University.  The latter distinction recognized his nine seasons as an integral part of the Atlanta Braves starting rotation.  With a sizable chunk of his career achievements taking place in the Peach State, Hudson would also be a worthy addition to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.  For more than five decades, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame has enshrined sports figures who have a long or significant association with the state of Georgia.

Born in Columbus, Georgia on July 14, 1975, Hudson was raised just over the state line in nearby Salem, Alabama.  Growing up about 90 minutes outside of Atlanta, Hudson dreamed of one day playing for the Braves.  After establishing himself as a frontline starting pitcher while toeing the slab for the Oakland Athletics during the initial six seasons of his major league career, Hudson got the opportunity to play for the Braves when he was dealt to the club prior to the 2005 campaign.  In his first season with Atlanta, the righty went 14-9 with a 3.52 ERA to help the team secure its 14th-straight division title.  Throughout his career, Hudson displayed a competitive spirit and dedication to his craft.  This was never more evident than in 2010 when he battled back from an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery to post a 17-9 record and 2.83 ERA.  Hudson’s gritty 2010 campaign played a key role in leading Atlanta back to the playoffs after a four-year absence.  At season’s end, Hudson was the recipient of both the NL Comeback Player of the Year and MLB Hutch Awards.  He remained a top starter and wrapped up his nine-year run with the Braves by helping the club make the playoffs in both 2012 and 2013, contributing a combined record of 24-14 for those campaigns.  During his final season with Atlanta, he reached the 200-win milestone in front of family and friends at Turner Field, earning a memorable victory over the Washington Nationals.  He aided his own cause that day by hitting a home run.  Hudson capped off his big league career by spending his final two seasons with the San Francisco Giants, winning the World Series championship with the team in 2014.

During his nine seasons with the Braves, Hudson racked up an impressive win-loss record of 113-72 while maintaining a solid 3.56 ERA.  Since the Braves’ 1966 move to Atlanta, Hudson’s 113 victories ranks fifth on the franchise leaderboard, trailing only Phil Niekro, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Greg Maddux—each of whom have been enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  In recent years, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame’s esteemed list of inductees has included seven of Hudson’s former Braves teammates:  Andruw Jones, Brian Jordan, Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, Mark Teixeira, and the aforementioned Glavine and Smoltz.

In addition to his exploits on the baseball diamond, Hudson has contributed off the field.  During his playing career, he was honored for his charity work by receiving multiple nominations for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.  In 2009, Hudson and his wife Kim co-founded their own non-profit charity organization, the Hudson Family Foundation, which remains active to this day.

The combination of Hudson’s brilliant 17-year major league career, nine seasons as a frontline pitcher for the Braves, and dedicated charity work make him a worthy addition to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.

Follow this link to nominate Tim Hudson for the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame

----by John Tuberty

Stat links to main players mentioned: Tim Hudson, Phil Niekro, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, Andruw Jones, Brian Jordan, Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, Mark Teixeira

Sources:
All statistics are drawn from Baseball Reference and Stathead

Joe Leisek, “Tim Hudson,” SABR Biography Project

Mychael Urban, Aces: The Last Season on the Mound with the Oakland A’s Big Three: Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito, (Trade Paper Press, 2005)

Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Full List of Inductees

Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Inductees

Braves Hall of Fame Members

Additional Tim Hudson Articles by Tubbs Baseball Blog:
An In-Depth Look at Hall of Fame Candidate Tim Hudson’s Career and How it Compares to Recent Cooperstown Inductees and Prominent Pitchers From His Era

Hall of Fame Candidate Tim Hudson’s Pair of Late Season Undefeated Streaks That Played Key Roles in Securing the 2000 and 2002 AL West Division Titles for the Oakland Athletics