Missing Hall of Famers leaving a void

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — A different Fab Four was performing in the Hawkeye Room that sweet summer Sunday night in 2004. Kirby Puckett, Ozzie Smith, Eddie Murray and Dave Winfield provided a soulful impression of the Temptations as a combo headlined by Mudcat Grant played. Other Hall of Famers formed a perimeter in the room adjacent to the bar in the Otesaga, the hotel headquarters for Induction Weekend, and were quite entertained.

Someone counted and quickly identified them as the Four Tops, but Puckett immediately objected. “No Tops. We’re the Temps,” he said, fully aware that the original Temptations had been a five-man unit. “We’re short one man, and we can’t sing like they did. But we have the moves, their moves. We’ve got their moves down pat. . . We’re pretty good. Aren’t we?”

Puckett was the David Ruffin of the carefully choreographed Cooperstown Temps, the one who commanded your attention whether he was on stage, at the bar or in the hotel lobby. He was sunshine on a cloudy day long before he and his brethren spontaneously joined Mudcat that night. Paul Molitor, performing solo, already had proven he could handle Springsteen’s “Glory Days” with all the appropriate nuances. But it was Puck and the boys who were show stoppers.

Whatever “it” was, Kirby Puckett had it. When he sang Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” a solo with white handkerchief in hand, folks in the adjacent room were certain Satchmo was in the building.

Puck’s mates were so smooth, and they flawlessly mimicked the Temps’ style. But Kirby was so cool, Jackie Wilson cool. He eliminated whatever inhibitions the others had brought to the bandstand.

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Puckett’s powerful, freestyle influence was shut off in 2006, eight days before his 46th birthday. And Induction Weekend has missed his glow as the Temps came to miss Ruffin’s unique vocals. His passing is one of too many losses the Hall has endured in recent years. So, when the greats of the game assemble here this weekend, the gathering will be decidedly less than what it could have been.

Several absences will be particularly conspicuous. This will be the first annual reunion that mourns Yogi, the second since Ernie Banks died, the third without Ralph Kiner, the fourth without Stan The Man and fifth without Rapid Robert Feller. Each was among the elite Hall of Famers for reasons of charm and personality as much as for on-field accomplishment.

Feller would discuss World War II at the drop of a camo boonie hat. …

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