In an unexpected piece of news for enthusiasts of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, a whopping six new players were elected today to receive plaques in the great shrine in Cooperstown. On the Golden Days Eras Committee ballot, tasked with electing players from 1950-69, four players received at least 75% of the committee vote: Minnie Minoso, Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva, and Gil Hodges were all elected to the Hall after years of disappointments. Kaat and Oliva will be the featured stars at the ceremony in 2022 as the two living Hall of Famers elected today. On the Early Baseball Eras Committee ballot, which considered players from before 1950, two new Hall of Famers were elected, former Negro League player/manager turned MLB scout Buck O’Neil and Bud Fowler, one of the pioneers of the pre-Negro Leagues in the 19th century.
Seven years ago, baseball fans around the USA groaned when the Hall of Fame Chairman of the Board Jane Forbes Clark announced that no Hall of Famers were elected on the 2015 Golden Era ballot. Dick Allen and Oliva fell one vote shy, with 11 votes each; Jim Kaat was two votes short with 10 votes in favor. A year later, the Pre-Integration ballot also failed to elect a single soul. Today, when new Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch announced that the Golden Days ballot had elected four players, I let out a whoop, and I’m sure many baseball fans around the world did as well. Oliva is the oldest living hitter to ever be elected to the Hall of Fame; Kaat is the second-oldest living pitcher (to Rube Marquand) to be so honored.
It’s extremely difficult to elect four players on one of these ballots. The committees have 16 members, each of whom is limited to voting for four out of the ten candidates. To get elected, a player needs to get at least 12 out of 16 “yes” votes. The math is tough. And yet, somehow, the committee members all focused on the same candidates and got the job done.
The Golden Days Ballot Vote Totals
Here are the vote totals for the top five candidates on the Golden Days ballot:
- Minnie Minoso (14) (87.5%)
- Jim Kaat (12) (75%)
- Tony Oliva (12) (75%)
- Gil Hodges (12) (75%)
- Dick Allen (11) (68.8%)
The Hall did not report any votes for the other five candidates (Ken Boyer, Maury Wills, Billy Pierce, Roger Maris, and Danny Murtaugh). As you can see, the committee nearly pulled an inside straight by electing five players but Dick Allen fell one vote short of Cooperstown for the second consecutive ballot appearance. The second straight near-miss is especially painful for Allen supporters (including me), who felt that he was easily the best player on the ballot. When Rawitch announced that the committee had elected four new members to the Hall, the farthest thing from my mind was that Allen was not one of the four.
Anyway, the committee’s success in electing four players was something I never expected because it’s so hard to make the math work. As you can see, the vote totals listed add up to 61 out of a possible 64 votes. To even get four players into the Hall required three of them (Kaat, Oliva, and Hodges) to hit it “on the number,” with no votes to spare.
One thing that was abundantly apparent by the vote results today. The committee members were clearly aware of the voting history of the candidates. The four inductees all had received 50% or more on multiple previous versions of the Veterans or Eras Committee ballots. I have a hard time seeing that as a coincidence.
Here is the “Cooperstown Cred” for the four Golden Days inductees as well as links to the pieces authored to assess their qualifications for Cooperstown.
Cooperstown Cred: Minnie Minoso (LF)
- New York Cubans (1946-48), Indians (1949, ’51, 1958-’59), White Sox (1951-57, 1960-61), Cardinals (1962), Senators (1963), White Sox (1964, 1976, 1980)
- Career: .299 BA, .387 OBP, .461 SLG, 195 HR, 1,093 RBI, 2,110 Hits
- Career: 130 OPS+, 53.8 WAR (Wins Above Replacement)
- Led his league in triples 4 times
- Led the American League in stolen bases 3 times
- Hit by Pitch 195 times in his career (10th most in MLB history)
- Hit over .300 11 times
- 7 years as A.L. All-Star
- 3 Gold Gloves
- Finished 4th in the A.L. MVP voting 4 times
Minoso had two close calls with the Veterans/Eras Committees before getting elected today to receive a plaque in Cooperstown. On the 2012 Golden Era ballot, he received 9 out of 16 votes (Ron Santo was elected that year with 15 votes). Then, on the infamous 2015 Golden Era shutout, Minoso got 8 out of 16 votes (putting him behind Allen, Oliva, Kaat, and Maury Wills).
The Cuban Comet’s statistical resume got a boost this year when Major League Baseball officially recognized the Negro Leagues as Major Leagues. The change boosted Minoso’s official hit total from 1,963 to 2,110. Minoso was baseball’s first dark-skinned Latino star and long-overdue addition to the Hall of Fame.
Please click here to learn more about what makes Minnie Minoso a terrific choice for the Hall of Fame.
Cooperstown Cred: Jim Kaat (SP)
- Senators (1959-60), Twins (1961-72), White Sox (1973-75), Phillies (1976-79), Yankees (1979-80), Cardinals (1980-83)
- Career: 283-237 (.544), 3.45 ERA, 108 ERA+
- Career: 50.5 bWAR (Wins Above Replacement) (including pitching and hitting)
- Career: 4,530.1 IP is the 17th most since 1901
- Won 20 or more games three times
- 3-time All-Star, won 16 Gold Glove Awards
As I detailed in this piece arguing for his induction into the Hall of Fame, Jim Kaat had some back luck in his career that kept him from winning 300 games and winning a Cy Young Award, two achievements that would have punched his ticket to Coopertown decades ago.
Kaat was the second-highest vote-getter (with 10 out of 16) on the 2012 ballot that elected Santo, and finished third (again, with 10 votes) on the 2015 ballot that elected nobody. After five consecutive Veterans/Eras Committee finishes above 50% but below 75%, it’s nice to see Kitty finally get the Hall call.
Kaat is a true gentleman and a humble man. Not once did I ever see him tooting his own horn for a spot in the Hall of Fame. I have, however, seen him advocate for his former teammates Allen and Oliva. And, when he was interviewed by the MLB Network after today’s announcement, he expressed regret that Allen didn’t get one additional vote.
Cooperstown Cred: Tony Oliva (RF)
- Minnesota Twins (1962-76)
- Career: .304 BA, .353 OBP, .476 SLG, 220 HR, 947 RBI, 1,917 Hits
- Career: 131 adjusted OPS+, 43.0 WAR (Wins Above Replacement)
- 1964 A.L. Rookie of the Year (.323 BA, 217 Hits, 109 Runs, 150 OPS+, 6.8 WAR)
- Finished 2nd in A.L. MVP voting twice (1965, 1970)
- 3-time American League batting champion (1964, 1965, 1971)
- Led the A.L. in Hits 5 times
- 8-time All-Star, won 1966 A.L. Gold Glove
- Led the A.L. right fielders in putouts six times and in assists twice
As previously noted, Tony Oliva also finished with more than 50% of the vote on five previous appearances on the Veterans/Eras Committee ballots. When he (and Allen) finished a vote shy in December 2014, he was bitterly disappointed, saying “the Hall of Fame is not fair. For some people, it’s beautiful. For a lot of people, it’s not fair.”
It was a long wait for Oliva (seven years) but he finally got the call he had waited so many decades to hear. The joy on Oliva’s face when he got the call letting him know that he was going to Cooperstown is priceless to see.
To learn more about Oliva’s career and what made him a strong Hall of Fame candidate, please click here.
As the two living inductees, Kaat and Oliva will brighten the summer day in Coopertown next year on induction day.
Cooperstown Cred: Gil Hodges (1B)
- Brooklyn Dodgers (1943, 1947-57), Los Angeles Dodgers (1958-61), New York Mets (1962-63)
- Career: .273 BA, .359 OBP, .487 SLG, 370 HR, 1,274 RBI, 1,921 Hits
- Career: 120 adjusted OPS+, 43.9 WAR (Wins Above Replacement)
- 8-time All-Star
- 3-time Gold Glove Award winner (1957-59, the first three years the award was issued)
- Won 2 World Series titles with the Dodgers (1955 & ’59)
- Career World Series: .267/.349/.412, 5 HR, 21 RBI
- First player in N.L. history to hit 14 grand slams
- Led N.L. 1st basemen in double plays turned 4 times, assists 3 times, putouts 3 times, and fielding percentage 3 times
- Managed the 1969 New York Mets to the World Series title
For supporters of Gil Hodges, his election today was a very long time coming. Hodges got over 50% but less than 75% of the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) vote 11 times in his 15 years on the ballot. Other than players who are still on the BBWAA ballot, Hodges had for a long time been the only player to get over 50% with the BBWAA without eventually getting in via the Veterans Committee. Hodges also had several close calls in his 19 previous appearances on the Veterans Committee ballot.
As a native New Yorker and New York Mets fan, it was always in my DNA that Hodges deserved to be in the Hall of Fame but, in recent years, I had been more ambivalent about his case. To me, Dick Allen was a much better candidate. But that’s not how the committee voted. I’m thrilled that the 35th time was the charm for Hodges.
For more on Hodges’ life and career, I invite you to visit this mini-bio in which I made the case for and against.
The Early Baseball Ballot Vote Totals
As for the Early Baseball ballot, here are the final vote tallies from the 16 committee members:
- Buck O’Neil (13) (81.3%)
- Bud Fowler (12) (75%)
- Vic Harris (10) (62.5%)
- John Donaldson (8) (50%)
- Allie Reynolds (6) (37.4%)
- Lefty O’Doul (5) (31.3%)
- George “Tubby” Scales (4) (25%)
Bill Dahlen, Grant “Home Run” Johnson, and Dick “Cannonball” Redding each received three votes or fewer.
Buck O’Neil, who has for decades literally been the “face” of the Negro Leagues, is a long-overdue selection. He almost made it into the Hall in 2006 but (we think) fell just one vote shy. Still, at the age of 94, he delivered a heartfelt speech on behalf of the 17 Negro League players, managers, and executives who were inducted that summer in Cooperstown.
Bud Fowler is recognized as the first professional African-American baseball player. He played in 22 different states (and in Canada) from 1878-1904, never getting the opportunity to spend too much time in any one location because of the color of his skin.
As players, O’Neil and Fowler may not have been the better on the diamond than the other Negro League candidates, but their importance in the history of baseball makes them both worthy selections.
The big surprise was that Dahlen got virtually no support. He was the only returning candidate from the 2016 ballot (on which he got 8 out of 16 votes). Additionally, Dahlen has the 7th highest WAR (75.2) for position players among players not in the Hall, behind only Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, Adrian Beltre, Pete Rose, and Mike Trout). This was clearly a committee of 16 voters who were looking for the historical significance of the candidates, not their performance on the field.
For more on O’Neil, Fowler, and the other Early Baseball candidates who fell short this year, please click here on this capsule piece in which I offer brief looks at all ten candidates.
Future Eras Committee Votes
As the Eras Committee process continues, here’s what Hall of Fame enthusiasts have to look forward to in upcoming years.
- Class of 2023: Today’s Game (1988 and beyond)
- Class of 2024: Modern Baseball (1970-87)
- Class of 2025: Today’s Game (1988 and beyond)
- Class of 2026: Modern Baseball (1970-87)
- Class of 2027: Golden Days (1950-1969)
The “Today’s Game” ballot will be an interesting one. There are four players on the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) ballot for the 10th and final time right now: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, and Sammy Sosa. The first three (Bonds, Clemens, Schilling) have all gotten over 50% of the vote several times but seem unlikely to make it this year. With Bonds, Clemens, and Sosa), it’s their links to Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs). With Schilling, it’s his controversial political views and his stated desire to no longer be considered for election by the BBWAA.
Originally, the Today’s Game Committee was supposed to meet today. The Golden Days and Early Baseball Committees were supposed to meet one year ago. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hall of Fame decided to push everything back by a year.
Before the Today’s Game vote was postponed, I had figured that this was the day that Fred McGriff and Bruce Bochy would be elected to the Hall of Fame (in the first year of eligibility for both for one of these “second-chance” ballots). I still believe that they’re the strongest candidates for the Hall’s Class of 2023 but the potential presence of Bonds, Clemens, and Schilling complicates the calculus.
In December 2023, the Modern Baseball Committee will meet. The top likely returning candidates will be Dwight Evans (who got 8 votes in December 2019), Dave Parker (7), Lou Whitaker (6), and Steve Garvey (6).
As for Dick Allen and the other candidates who didn’t make it today on the Golden Days ballot, their fans will have to wait until December 2026. And, unless the Hall of Fame changes the timelines, fans of the Early Baseball candidates who didn’t make it today will have to wait ten years, until December 2031.
Thanks for reading. Please follow Cooperstown Cred on Twitter @cooperstowncred.
So why did 3 voters leave Dick Allen off their ballot ? Or am I missing something ?
5 voters left Allen off their ballot. We’ll almost certainly never know who they were or why they preferred the others.
Without knowing for certain, I would wager that some of those 5 voters may have been inclined to elect Allen but chose not to because they felt the need to get the living borderline candidates in before they too die to death.
there are 64 possible votes. The total number submitted was 61. So only 3 votes were missing. If any one of those 3 had selected him he would be in. Yes 5 people did not vote for him. But 3 people did not use all 4 of their possible choices which was the writers point.There were no votes ouside of Allen and the 4 elected.
You mentioned Dahlen may have gotten no support because the voters chose historical significance over performance on the field. Maybe the voters don’t care about WAR. His numbers are decent but don’t scream HOF.
You obviously don’t understand early baseball. He played during the dead ball Era.Seasons were shorter,Stadiums were huge, Homeruns were rare and gloves were primitive. It is Dahlen’s 1,590 runs scored, His 584 steals,1,234 RBI, 163 Triples , 413 doubles or .358 OBP you object to.His numbers today would be substandard but in his day they were rather robust. In today’s 162 game seasons he’d have averaged 105 runs,163 hits, 27 doubles, 11 triples, 6 homers, 82 RBI, 36 Steals.. That is solid but it does not account for toays smaller parks and the live ball. He would’ve averaged 15-25 homers and 100+ RBI a season today. Making him something like a faster Xander Bogaerts today. Or a more durable Nomar Garciaparra type.Cory Seager would also be a good comparison. But when 8 homers a year made one a power hitter 6 was very good.
Unless I missed it in the article, no player elected today has over 2000 hits so that’s a first I think.
With the inclusion of the Negro National League II (NN2) as a Major League Minoso’s hit total is 2110, of which 147 hits came in the NN2. Hodges and Oliva both finished with less than 2000 hits.
Dick Allen is one of the All-Time greats. The fact that he wasn’t elected within a few years was a disgrace, and this makes it worse. He got a media-created reputation as a bad boy, which his former teammates all denied. His stats prove he was a much better player than any of the others on this list, but the voters for the hall continue to make horrible decisions, from an illogical worship of relief pitchers to first round rejections of sensational platers (Kevin Brown,
The 3 players I would have voted for were not elected (Boyer, Pierce, Maris). in that order. Maris holds the most prestigious record in Baseball (single season HR) and did so without performance enchancing drugs. What he had to endure in 61 is only surpassed by Jackie Robinson racial struggle.
Boyer a superstar that is overlooked and has comparable stats with HOF 3rd baseman. Very comparable to Santo.
Pierce was a top pitcher for years and whose manager took out of his normal rotation to pitch against the Yankees or his stats would have been even better. Lot easier to beat the A’s or Senators than the Yankees.