Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2011
Encyclopedia
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame
for 2011 proceeded according to rules most recently revised in July 2010. As in the past, the Baseball Writers Association of America
(BBWAA) voted by mail to select from a ballot of recently-retired players. A new Veterans Committee
convened to select from a ballot of long-retired players and non-playing personnel who made their greatest contributions to the sport in 1973 and after, called the "Expansion Era" by the Hall.
The induction class of 2011 consisted of players Roberto Alomar
and Bert Blyleven
and executive Pat Gillick
, who formally entered the Hall on July 24, 2011 at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York
.
For the first time, the Hall extended its induction festivities over a weekend. On the day before the main induction ceremony, the Hall hosted the first Hall of Fame Awards Presentation. Two annual awards for media excellence, the Hall's own Ford C. Frick Award
for broadcasters and the BBWAA's J. G. Taylor Spink Award for writers, were presented at this ceremony. The irregularly presented Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award
was also included in the ceremony. Previously, these awards were presented at the actual induction ceremony.
Results of the 2011 election by the BBWAA were announced on January 5. The ballot consisted of 33 players—14 candidates returning from the 2010 ballot, plus 19 first-time candidates, the most since the ballot's 24 newcomers. Voters were instructed to cast votes for up to 10 candidates; any candidate who received votes on at least 75% of the ballots would be honored with induction to the Hall. Write-in votes were not permitted.
A record 581 ballots were cast (including five ballots which supported no candidates), with 436 votes required for election. A total of 3,474 individual votes were cast, an average of 5.98 per ballot. Any candidate who received votes on at least 75% of the ballots would be inducted. Those candidates who received less than 5% of the vote will not appear on future BBWAA ballots, but may eventually be considered by the Veterans Committee.
Candidates who were eligible for the first time are indicated here with a †. The candidates who received at least 75% of the vote and were elected are indicated in bold italics; candidates who have since been selected in subsequent elections are indicated in italics. The candidates who received less than 5% of the vote, thus becoming ineligible for future BBWAA consideration, are indicated with a *.
Dave Parker
was on the ballot for the 15th and final time.
The two candidates who earned induction, Alomar and Blyleven, fell short of induction in 2010 by fewer than 10 votes—the first time in history that two candidates had done so in the same election.
The new candidates on the 2011 ballot included three MVP Award winners: Jeff Bagwell
(1994 NL), Larry Walker
(1997 NL), and Juan González (1996 and 1998 AL). Also eligible was Rafael Palmeiro
, who recorded over 3000 hits and 500 home runs, which would typically foreshadow a first-ballot election; however, his candidacy has generated controversy due to his testing positive for steroids
. Palmeiro has steadfastly maintained his innocence in the steroid controversy, stating that he must have tested positive due to a tainted B12 injection. Ongoing debate about the influence of steroids on the game in the 1990s was widely believed to have affected the vote totals for several power hitters on the ballot, including McGwire, Bagwell, Walker and Gonzalez, regardless of whether they had ever tested positive for steroid use or had even been accused of involvement with steroids; the top five vote-getters were either pitchers or middle infielders with relatively few home runs. Walker's candidacy was also affected by voters' assessment of his extreme home/away statistical splits, attributed by many to the fact that he spent slightly more than half his career with hitter's paradise Coors Field
as his home park, though he also spent several years playing in the more pitching-friendly Olympic Stadium
. Many candidates may simply have been seeking to remain on the ballot for 2012, when a generally weaker field of candidates is expected, with the most prominent new candidates including Bernie Williams
, Rubén Sierra
, Vinny Castilla
, Eric Young, Tim Salmon
, Brad Radke
and Danny Graves
.
Players who were eligible for the first time who were not included on the ballot were: Terry Adams, Wilson Alvarez
, Brian Anderson
, James Baldwin, Pat Borders
, Ricky Bottalico
, Frank Castillo
, Roger Cedeño
, Jason Christiansen
, Wil Cordero
, Midre Cummings
, Cal Eldred
, John Flaherty
, Buddy Groom
, Jeffrey Hammonds
, Dave Hansen, Félix Heredia
, Denny Hocking
, Al Levine, Luis López
, Matt Mantei
, Dave McCarty, Jim Mecir
, Ramiro Mendoza
, Mike Mordecai
, Greg Myers, C.J. Nitkowski, José Offerman
, Keith Osik
, Antonio Osuna
, Eddie Pérez, Jay Powell
, Paul Quantrill
, Steve Reed, Rey Sánchez
, Ugueth Urbina
, Ismael Valdez
, Gabe White
, Matt Whiteside
, Gerald Williams and Dan Wilson. José Lima
, who last played in the major leagues in 2006 and died on May 23, 2010, was eligible for consideration in this round of balloting – similar to the inclusion on the ballot of Darryl Kile
and Rod Beck
in 2003 and 2008 respectively – but was not placed on the ballot. Under Hall of Fame rules, an otherwise eligible player who dies before being retired 5 years becomes eligible in the first election held at least 6 months after his death.
The Historical Overview Committee comprised eleven veteran BBWAA members: Dave Van Dyck (Chicago Tribune
); Bob Elliott (Toronto Sun
); Rick Hummel
(St. Louis Post-Dispatch
); Steve Hirdt (Elias Sports Bureau
); Moss Klein (formerly Newark Star-Ledger); Bill Madden
(New York Daily News
); Ken Nigro (formerly Baltimore Sun); Jack O'Connell (BBWAA secretary/treasurer); Nick Peters
(formerly Sacramento Bee); Tracy Ringolsby
(FSN Rocky Mountain
); and Mark Whicker (Orange County Register).
The ballot was originally scheduled for release in October but was delayed until November 8. The 12 finalists were eight players, one manager, and three executives. The sole candidate who was elected is indicated in bold italics.
All except Martin and Steinbrenner were living when the ballot and results were announced. Martin and Miller were holdovers from the most recent ballots covering managers and executives (2010), and Oliver was a holdover from the most recent ballot covering post-1942 players (2009).
The voting committee appointed by the Hall's Board of Directors—officially called the "Expansion Era Committee" by the Hall, but still generally referred to by media as the "Veterans Committee"—was announced at the same time as the final ballot:
The committee convened at the 2010 winter meetings in Orlando, Florida
with the standard 75% or 12 of 16 votes required for election and summer 2011 induction. Results were announced at 10:00 am EST
on December 6.
The three nominees for the 2011 award were Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun, Bill Conlin of the Philadelphia Daily News, and Joe Giuliotti of the Boston Herald. This was the third consecutive year Elliott had been nominated and the second for Giuliotti.
Under BBWAA rules, the winner was to be announced either during the 2010 World Series
or at the 2010 winter meetings. The winner of the 2011 J. G. Taylor Spink Award, announced at the winter meetings, was Bill Conlin
, who received 188 votes from the 434. Elliott received 160 votes. Joe Giuliotti got 83 votes. Three blank ballots were among those submitted.
, honoring excellence in baseball broadcasting, has been presented at the induction ceremonies since 1978. Through 2010, it had been presented at the main induction ceremony, but is now presented the previous day. Recipients are not members of the Hall of Fame but are permanently recognized in an exhibit at the museum. To be eligible, an active or retired broadcaster must have a minimum of 10 years of continuous major league broadcast service with a ball club, a network, or a combination of the two. The honor is based on four criteria: longevity; continuity with a club; honors, including national assignments such as the World Series
and All-Star Games; and popularity with fans. The recipient was announced on December 8, 2010 at the winter meetings, following a vote by the same committee that selected seven of the finalists (below).
Ten finalists were announced in October 2010. In accord with guidelines established in 2003, seven were chosen by a committee composed of the living recipients along with broadcasting historians and columnists. Three were selected from a list of candidate by fan voting in September 2010 at the Hall's Facebook
page.
Five candidates were living when the ballot was announced—the active McCarver, Nadel, and Van Horne; and the retired Cárdenas and Doucet.
On December 8, Dave Van Horne, currently the lead play-by-play announcer for the Florida Marlins
on the team's radio network, was named as the recipient. He began his career with the Richmond Braves
in the Triple-A International League
before joining the English-language radio broadcast team for the Montreal Expos
in their inaugural year of 1969
. He remained with the Expos through 2000
before joining the Marlins in 2001
. He also called the Expos' last home game in Montreal in 2004
as a member of the visiting Marlins
broadcast team. He has also called games on The Baseball Network
, and called three World Series
and National League Championship Series
for Canadian networks, in addition to the Marlins' 2003 World Series
victory.
The Frick Award is Van Horne's second award for broadcasting excellence from a baseball hall of fame. In 1996, he received the Jack Graney Award
, given irregularly for excellence in either writing or broadcasting, from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
. Van Horne became the second Frick Award winner, after recipient Tony Kubek
, to have called games for a Canadian team, and also the second Marlins broadcaster to receive the Frick Award, after recipient Felo Ramírez
.
for the second time. The award was created in 2008 in honor of Buck O'Neil
, a Negro leagues
star who went on to become one of baseball's leading ambassadors until his death in 2006. The first award was presented posthumously to O'Neil at the 2008 induction ceremony. According to the Hall,
As with the media awards, recipients are not members of the Hall of Fame but are permanently recognized in an exhibit at the museum. The Hall accepts written nominations for the award by mail at any time; the nomination must specifically state how the nominee meets the traits exemplified by O'Neil.
Roland Hemond
received the O'Neil Award at the Awards Presentation. He first came to prominence as the assistant scouting director of the Milwaukee Braves
in the 1950s, and became the first scouting director of the Los Angeles Angels
in 1961. From there, Hemond went on to be general manager of the Chicago White Sox
and Baltimore Orioles
, winning the MLB Executive of the Year Award
three times (1972 and 1983 in Chicago, 1989 in Baltimore). He went to the newly created Arizona Diamondbacks
as Senior Executive Vice President in 1996, seeing them through their MLB debut in 1998
. Hemond returned to the White Sox as an adviser in 2001, and to the Diamondbacks in 2007 as a special assistant to the president, a position he still holds.
Outside the front office, Hemond is president of the Association of Professional Baseball Players of America, which provides financial and other assistance to individuals connected with professional baseball. He also helped found the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation, a similar organization focused on assisting veteran scouts who need special support.
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
for 2011 proceeded according to rules most recently revised in July 2010. As in the past, the Baseball Writers Association of America
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
(BBWAA) voted by mail to select from a ballot of recently-retired players. A new Veterans Committee
Veterans Committee
The Veterans Committee is the popular name of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee to Consider Managers, Umpires, Executives and Long-Retired Players, a committee of the U.S...
convened to select from a ballot of long-retired players and non-playing personnel who made their greatest contributions to the sport in 1973 and after, called the "Expansion Era" by the Hall.
The induction class of 2011 consisted of players Roberto Alomar
Roberto Alomar
Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second...
and Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to , and was best known for his curveball. Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011...
and executive Pat Gillick
Pat Gillick
Lawrence Patrick David Gillick is a retired American professional baseball executive. He was the general manager of four Major League Baseball teams, and guided two teams to three World Series championships in his career: in 1992 and 1993 titles with the Toronto Blue Jays, and a 2008 title with...
, who formally entered the Hall on July 24, 2011 at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
.
For the first time, the Hall extended its induction festivities over a weekend. On the day before the main induction ceremony, the Hall hosted the first Hall of Fame Awards Presentation. Two annual awards for media excellence, the Hall's own Ford C. Frick Award
Ford C. Frick Award
The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the United States to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball." It is named for Ford Christopher Frick, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball...
for broadcasters and the BBWAA's J. G. Taylor Spink Award for writers, were presented at this ceremony. The irregularly presented Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award
Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award
The Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award is an award presented by the National Baseball Hall of Fame every three years to honor an individual who enhances baseball's positive image on society, who broadens the game's appeal, and whose integrity and dignity are comparable to the namesake of the...
was also included in the ceremony. Previously, these awards were presented at the actual induction ceremony.
BBWAA election
The BBWAA ballot was announced on November 29, 2010. The BBWAA was again authorized to elect players active in 1991 or later, but not after 2005; the ballot included candidates from the 2009 ballot who received at least 5% of the vote but were not elected, along with selected players, chosen by a screening committee, whose last appearance was in 2005. All 10-year members of the BBWAA were eligible to vote.Results of the 2011 election by the BBWAA were announced on January 5. The ballot consisted of 33 players—14 candidates returning from the 2010 ballot, plus 19 first-time candidates, the most since the ballot's 24 newcomers. Voters were instructed to cast votes for up to 10 candidates; any candidate who received votes on at least 75% of the ballots would be honored with induction to the Hall. Write-in votes were not permitted.
A record 581 ballots were cast (including five ballots which supported no candidates), with 436 votes required for election. A total of 3,474 individual votes were cast, an average of 5.98 per ballot. Any candidate who received votes on at least 75% of the ballots would be inducted. Those candidates who received less than 5% of the vote will not appear on future BBWAA ballots, but may eventually be considered by the Veterans Committee.
Candidates who were eligible for the first time are indicated here with a †. The candidates who received at least 75% of the vote and were elected are indicated in bold italics; candidates who have since been selected in subsequent elections are indicated in italics. The candidates who received less than 5% of the vote, thus becoming ineligible for future BBWAA consideration, are indicated with a *.
Dave Parker
Dave Parker
David Gene "The Cobra" Parker is an American former player in Major League Baseball. He was the 1978 National League MVP and a two-time batting champion. Parker was the first professional athlete to earn an average of one million dollars per year, having signed a 5-year, $5 million dollar contract...
was on the ballot for the 15th and final time.
| Elected to the Hall. These individuals are also indicated in bold italics. | |
| To indicate players elected in future elections. These individuals will also be indicated in plain italics. | |
| Players who will return on the 2012 ballot. | |
| Eliminated from future BBWAA voting. These individuals remain eligible for future Veterans Committee consideration. |
| Player | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Roberto Alomar Roberto Alomar Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second... |
523 | 90.0 |
| Bert Blyleven Bert Blyleven Bert Blyleven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to , and was best known for his curveball. Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011... |
463 | 79.7 |
| Barry Larkin Barry Larkin Barry Louis Larkin is a retired Major League Baseball player. Larkin played shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds from 1986 to 2004 and was one of the pivotal players on the 1990 Reds' World Series championship team... |
361 | 62.1 |
| Jack Morris Jack Morris John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career... |
311 | 53.5 |
| Lee Smith Lee Smith (baseball) Lee Arthur Smith is an American right-handed former baseball pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball for eight teams. Pitching primarily for the Chicago Cubs, with whom he spent his first eight seasons, Lee served mostly as a relief pitcher during his career... |
263 | 45.3 |
| Jeff Bagwell Jeff Bagwell Jeffrey Robert Bagwell , is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire fifteen-year Major League Baseball career as a first baseman for the Houston Astros and was a four-time All-Star... † |
242 | 41.7 |
| Tim Raines Tim Raines Timothy Raines , nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos... |
218 | 37.5 |
| Edgar Martinez Edgar Martinez Edgar Martínez , nicknamed "Gar" and "Papi", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and designated hitter. He spent his entire 18-year Major League career with the Seattle Mariners. He is the cousin of Carmelo Martínez.-Seattle Mariners:On December 19, 1982, the Seattle Mariners signed... |
191 | 32.9 |
| Alan Trammell Alan Trammell Alan Stuart Trammell is a retired American baseball shortstop of the Detroit Tigers from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series championship in and an American League East division championship in . Although his arm was not... |
141 | 24.3 |
| Larry Walker Larry Walker Larry Kenneth Robert Walker is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 2005, Walker played for the Montreal Expos , Colorado Rockies , and St. Louis Cardinals... † |
118 | 20.3 |
| Mark McGwire Mark McGwire Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St... |
115 | 19.8 |
| Fred McGriff Fred McGriff Frederick Stanley McGriff is a left-handed former Major League Baseball player who starred for several teams from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s. A power-hitting first baseman with a tall, lanky build, the five-time All-Star became, in , the first player since the dead-ball era to lead both... |
104 | 17.9 |
| Dave Parker Dave Parker David Gene "The Cobra" Parker is an American former player in Major League Baseball. He was the 1978 National League MVP and a two-time batting champion. Parker was the first professional athlete to earn an average of one million dollars per year, having signed a 5-year, $5 million dollar contract... |
89 | 15.3 |
| Don Mattingly Don Mattingly Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees... |
79 | 13.6 |
| Dale Murphy Dale Murphy Dale Bryan Murphy is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman. During an 18-year baseball career, 1976–1993, he played for three different teams, but is noted for his time with the Atlanta Braves... |
73 | 12.6 |
| Rafael Palmeiro Rafael Palmeiro Rafael Palmeiro Corrales is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985... † |
64 | 11.0 |
| Juan González† | 30 | 5.2 |
| Harold Baines Harold Baines Harold Douglas Baines is a former right fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for five American League teams from 1980 to 2001. He is best known for his three stints with the Chicago White Sox, the team on which he now serves as coach... |
28 | 4.8 |
| John Franco† | 27 | 4.6 |
| Kevin Brown† | 12 | 2.1 |
| Tino Martinez Tino Martinez Constantino "Tino" Martinez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman.Martinez was the first round draft pick for the Seattle Mariners in out of the University of Tampa where he starred during his time on campus. He began his Major League career in and has played for the Mariners, New... † |
6 | 1.0 |
| Marquis Grissom Marquis Grissom Marquis Deon Grissom is a former Major League Baseball player. He excelled in baseball at Lakeshore High School, under the tutelage of baseball coach Mike Juenger. He currently resides in College Park, Georgia... † |
4 | 0.7 |
| Al Leiter Al Leiter Alois Terry "Al" Leiter is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is now a studio analyst for MLB Network, and a color commentator for the YES Network.-Early career :Leiter attended Central Regional High School.... † |
4 | 0.7 |
| John Olerud John Olerud John Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox .... † |
4 | 0.7 |
| B. J. Surhoff† | 2 | 0.3 |
| Bret Boone Bret Boone Bret Robert Boone is a former Major League Baseball second baseman.-Personal life:Boone was born in El Cajon, California to Susan G. Roel and Bob Boone. He is a graduate of El Dorado High School and the University of Southern California. He is the grandson of former major leaguer Ray Boone and... † |
1 | 0.2 |
| Benito Santiago Benito Santiago Benito Santiago Rivera is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. He played for twenty seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to , most notably for the San Diego Padres... † |
1 | 0.2 |
| Carlos Baerga Carlos Baerga Carlos Obed Baerga Ortiz is a former Major League Baseball player. After spending most of his career as a second baseman, he was used at various positions late in his career.-Cleveland Indians:... † |
0 | 0.0 |
| Lenny Harris Lenny Harris Leonard Anthony Harris is a former Major League Baseball utility infielder who is currently the hitting instructor for the Great Lakes Loons. He is best known for holding the record for the most pinch hits in a major league career... † |
0 | 0.0 |
| Bobby Higginson Bobby Higginson Robert Leigh Higginson is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Detroit Tigers. He has a career batting average of .272. He attended Frankford High School and Temple University.... † |
0 | 0.0 |
| Charles Johnson† | 0 | 0.0 |
| Raúl Mondesí Raúl Mondesí Raúl Ramón Mondesí Avelino is a former Major League Baseball player and the current mayor of San Cristóbal Province in the Dominican Republic. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1994 as a right fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers... † |
0 | 0.0 |
| Kirk Rueter Kirk Rueter Kirk Wesley Rueter is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, and is the winningest left-hander in San Francisco Giants history. Rueter played for the Montreal Expos and the Giants and made most of his career appearances as a starter. Rueter attended and played for Murray State... † |
0 | 0.0 |
The two candidates who earned induction, Alomar and Blyleven, fell short of induction in 2010 by fewer than 10 votes—the first time in history that two candidates had done so in the same election.
The new candidates on the 2011 ballot included three MVP Award winners: Jeff Bagwell
Jeff Bagwell
Jeffrey Robert Bagwell , is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire fifteen-year Major League Baseball career as a first baseman for the Houston Astros and was a four-time All-Star...
(1994 NL), Larry Walker
Larry Walker
Larry Kenneth Robert Walker is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 2005, Walker played for the Montreal Expos , Colorado Rockies , and St. Louis Cardinals...
(1997 NL), and Juan González (1996 and 1998 AL). Also eligible was Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro Corrales is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985...
, who recorded over 3000 hits and 500 home runs, which would typically foreshadow a first-ballot election; however, his candidacy has generated controversy due to his testing positive for steroids
Ergogenic use of anabolic steroids
Since their discovery, anabolic steroids have been widely used as an ergogenic aid to improve performance in sports, to improve one's physical appearance, as self-medication to recover from injury, and as an anti-aging aid....
. Palmeiro has steadfastly maintained his innocence in the steroid controversy, stating that he must have tested positive due to a tainted B12 injection. Ongoing debate about the influence of steroids on the game in the 1990s was widely believed to have affected the vote totals for several power hitters on the ballot, including McGwire, Bagwell, Walker and Gonzalez, regardless of whether they had ever tested positive for steroid use or had even been accused of involvement with steroids; the top five vote-getters were either pitchers or middle infielders with relatively few home runs. Walker's candidacy was also affected by voters' assessment of his extreme home/away statistical splits, attributed by many to the fact that he spent slightly more than half his career with hitter's paradise Coors Field
Coors Field
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
as his home park, though he also spent several years playing in the more pitching-friendly Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
. Many candidates may simply have been seeking to remain on the ballot for 2012, when a generally weaker field of candidates is expected, with the most prominent new candidates including Bernie Williams
Bernie Williams
Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and Puerto Rican musician.-Early life:...
, Rubén Sierra
Rubén Sierra
Rubén Angel Sierra García is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Sierra also goes by the nicknames El Caballo and El Indio....
, Vinny Castilla
Vinny Castilla
Vinicio "Vinny" Castilla Soria is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who played his best years with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves...
, Eric Young, Tim Salmon
Tim Salmon
Timothy James Salmon is a former Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter who played his entire career with the California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels...
, Brad Radke
Brad Radke
Brad William Radke is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played his entire 12 season career with the Minnesota Twins. Radke won 148 career games and was one of the most consistent pitchers in the Twins organization during the late 90's...
and Danny Graves
Danny Graves
Daniel Peter Graves is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Born to an American serviceman father and a Vietnamese mother, he is the only Vietnam-born player in the history of the major leagues, and one of the few Vietnamese-American players...
.
Players who were eligible for the first time who were not included on the ballot were: Terry Adams, Wilson Alvarez
Wilson Alvarez
Wilson Eduardo Álvarez Fuenmayor is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher...
, Brian Anderson
Brian Anderson (pitcher)
Brian James Anderson is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher, who played 13 season for five teams, as well as a sports broadcaster and coach. Currently, Anderson is the color commentator on the Rays TV crew on Sun Sports....
, James Baldwin, Pat Borders
Pat Borders
Patrick Lance Borders is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who is best remembered for being the Most Valuable Player in the 1992 World Series. Borders also won an Olympic Games gold medal with the United States' baseball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney...
, Ricky Bottalico
Ricky Bottalico
Ricky Paul Bottalico is a former right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. In high school, he played for South Catholic High School in Hartford, Connecticut under coach Tom DiFiore. He compiled a career earned run average of 3.99 over twelve major league seasons, during which he...
, Frank Castillo
Frank Castillo
Frank Anthony Castillo is a retired Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Castillo has played for the Chicago Cubs , Colorado Rockies , Detroit Tigers , Toronto Blue Jays , Boston Red Sox , and Florida Marlins , In his 13-year career, he has had 82 wins and 104 losses, 1101 strike outs, and a...
, Roger Cedeño
Roger Cedeño
Roger Leandro Cedeño , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and switch-hitting batter who had an 11-year career playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, and St. Louis Cardinals.Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an undrafted amateur free agent in...
, Jason Christiansen
Jason Christiansen
Jason Samuel Christiansen is a former Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher. He is an alumnus of Cameron University....
, Wil Cordero
Wil Cordero
Wilfredo Cordero Nieva is a former first baseman/outfielder in Major League Baseball. He was best known as a member of the Montreal Expos . Cordero made his Major League Baseball debut in 1992 and last played in...
, Midre Cummings
Midre Cummings
Midre Almeric Cummings is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Cummings played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Philadelphia Phillies , Boston Red Sox , Minnesota Twins , Arizona Diamondbacks , Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Baltimore Orioles .Cummings was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st...
, Cal Eldred
Cal Eldred
Calvin John Eldred is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for 14 seasons from to ....
, John Flaherty
John Flaherty
John Timothy Flaherty is a television baseball broadcaster and a retired Major League Baseball player. Flaherty was a catcher, and last played in the major leagues for the New York Yankees.-Early life:...
, Buddy Groom
Buddy Groom
Wedsel Gary "Buddy" Groom Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed middle relief pitcher. He attended the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the amateur draft....
, Jeffrey Hammonds
Jeffrey Hammonds
Jeffrey Bryan Hammonds is a former Major League Baseball player. He attended Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in Scotch Plains, New Jersey and Stanford University in California before playing pro ball...
, Dave Hansen, Félix Heredia
Félix Heredia
Félix Heredia Pérez is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who currently plays for Dorados de Chihuahua of the Mexican League. On October 18, 2005, he became the 11th MLB player to be suspended for testing positive for steroids...
, Denny Hocking
Denny Hocking
Dennis Lee "Denny" Hocking is a former Major League Baseball utility player. After playing at El Camino College in California, he was drafted in the 52nd round of the 1989 Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins and made his major league debut in...
, Al Levine, Luis López
Luis López (infielder)
Luis Manuel López Santos is a former Major League Baseball utility infielder. He is currently the hitting coach for the Greenville Drive, a Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox....
, Matt Mantei
Matt Mantei
Matthew Bruce Mantei [MAN-tie] is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. In his career, Mantei played with the Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox. He batted and threw right-handed.-Career:...
, Dave McCarty, Jim Mecir
Jim Mecir
James Jason Mecir is an American former baseball player. He played for five teams in an 11-year career, and retired from the Florida Marlins in . He was a right-handed pitcher....
, Ramiro Mendoza
Ramiro Mendoza
Ramiro Mendoza , nicknamed "El Brujo" , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Mendoza played with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed. Although Mendoza made 62 starts in his major league career, he was primarily known as a middle relief pitcher...
, Mike Mordecai
Mike Mordecai
Michael Howard Mordecai is a right-handed hitting/throwing infielder in Major League Baseball who most recently played for the Florida Marlins.-School and minor leagues:...
, Greg Myers, C.J. Nitkowski, José Offerman
José Offerman
José Antonio Offerman Dono is a former professional baseball player who played professional baseball for nearly 20 years...
, Keith Osik
Keith Osik
Keith Richard Osik , is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played in the major leagues from -. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, and Washington Nationals. He was drafted in the 24th round of the MLB Draft. His brother was also a professional...
, Antonio Osuna
Antonio Osuna
Antonio Pedro Osuna is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He bats and throws right-handed.Osuna signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in , and made his major league debut with them in , appearing in 39 games for them that year. Going into 1995, he had been the Dodgers #2 prospect and #15...
, Eddie Pérez, Jay Powell
Jay Powell
James Willard "Jay" Powell , is a former American baseball pitcher, who last played for the Atlanta Braves. He graduated from West Lauderdale Knights in 1990Mississippi State University....
, Paul Quantrill
Paul Quantrill
Paul John Quantrill is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He earned a reputation for being very durable and having impeccable control. He regularly appeared in 80 or more games a season and did not walk more than 25 batters in a season since...
, Steve Reed, Rey Sánchez
Rey Sánchez
Rey Francisco Sánchez Guadalupe is a former Major League Baseball infielder. He attended high school in California and was drafted in the 13th round of the amateur baseball draft by the Texas Rangers. He played in their minor league system until , when he was traded to the Chicago Cubs for minor...
, Ugueth Urbina
Ugueth Urbina
Ugueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. A two-time All-Star, Urbina led the National League in saves with 41 in the 1999 season and helped the Florida Marlins win the 2003 World Series...
, Ismael Valdez
Ismael Valdez
Ismael Valdez Alvarez is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. His professional baseball career began at age 17 when he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league organization. After a three year climb through the Dodgers farm system, Valdez made his major league debut at the age of 20...
, Gabe White
Gabe White
Gabriel Allen White is a former Major League Baseball player who pitched in the major leagues from -. He gave up Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn's final hit of his career, on October 6, 2001, while playing for the Colorado Rockies.-External links:...
, Matt Whiteside
Matt Whiteside
Matthew Christopher Whiteside is a former baseball pitcher. He graduated from Charleston High School in Charleston, Missouri, lettering in baseball, football, and basketball, in 1986, and then he attended Arkansas State University, graduating with a degree in physical education...
, Gerald Williams and Dan Wilson. José Lima
José Lima
José Desiderio Rodriguez Lima was a Dominican right-handed pitcher who spent thirteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Detroit Tigers , Houston Astros , Kansas City Royals , Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets...
, who last played in the major leagues in 2006 and died on May 23, 2010, was eligible for consideration in this round of balloting – similar to the inclusion on the ballot of Darryl Kile
Darryl Kile
Darryl Andrew Kile was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1991-2002 for three different teams in his career. In his first season for the Cardinals, he won 20 games in 2000 as the team reached the postseason for the first time in four years. They advanced to the...
and Rod Beck
Rod Beck
Rodney Roy "Rod" Beck nicknamed "Shooter", was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres...
in 2003 and 2008 respectively – but was not placed on the ballot. Under Hall of Fame rules, an otherwise eligible player who dies before being retired 5 years becomes eligible in the first election held at least 6 months after his death.
Veterans Committee
In keeping with the new Veterans Committee voting procedure, the existing Historical Overview Committee nominated 12 candidates who were judged to have made their greatest contributions after 1972. Along with the post-1972 era, these criteria defined the consideration set:- Players who were active for at least 10 seasons, are not on baseball's ineligible list (e.g., Pete RosePete RosePeter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
), and were last active in 1989 or earlier. - Managers and umpires who have served for at least 10 years and are either (a) retired for at least 5 years or (b) at least 65 years old and retired for at least 6 months.
- Executives who have been retired for 5 years, or are at least 65 years old.
The Historical Overview Committee comprised eleven veteran BBWAA members: Dave Van Dyck (Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
); Bob Elliott (Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
); Rick Hummel
Rick Hummel
Rick Hummel is a St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist. He received the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for baseball writing in 2007. He was formerly married to Connie Karr, who was subsequently killed in the Kirkwood City Council shooting. They have a daughter, Lauren.-External links:*...
(St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
); Steve Hirdt (Elias Sports Bureau
Elias Sports Bureau
The Elias Sports Bureau is an American company that provides historical research and statistical services in the field of professional sports.In 1913, Al Munro Elias and his brother Walter established the Al Munro Elias Bureau in New York City...
); Moss Klein (formerly Newark Star-Ledger); Bill Madden
Bill Madden (sportswriter)
Bill Madden is an American sportswriter for the New York Daily News. A member of the Baseball Writers Association of America, he has served on the Historical Overview Committee of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, 2007 and 2008, helping to select candidates for the final ballots presented to the...
(New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
); Ken Nigro (formerly Baltimore Sun); Jack O'Connell (BBWAA secretary/treasurer); Nick Peters
Nick Peters
Nick Peters, is a former baseball writer, who mostly covered San Francisco Giants games in his career, one that spanned 47 seasons ....
(formerly Sacramento Bee); Tracy Ringolsby
Tracy Ringolsby
Tracy Ringolsby is a columnist with Baseball America and foxsports.com, who also handles pre-game and post-game shows for Root Sports telecasts of the Colorado Rockies, and is an occasional analyst on MLB Network. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colorado, until its closure during...
(FSN Rocky Mountain
FSN Rocky Mountain
Root Sports Rocky Mountain is a regional sports network based in Denver, Colorado. The network is part of the DirecTV Sports Networks and is an affiliate of Fox Sports Net...
); and Mark Whicker (Orange County Register).
The ballot was originally scheduled for release in October but was delayed until November 8. The 12 finalists were eight players, one manager, and three executives. The sole candidate who was elected is indicated in bold italics.
| Candidate | Category | Votes | Percent | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pat Gillick Pat Gillick Lawrence Patrick David Gillick is a retired American professional baseball executive. He was the general manager of four Major League Baseball teams, and guided two teams to three World Series championships in his career: in 1992 and 1993 titles with the Toronto Blue Jays, and a 2008 title with... |
Executive | 13 | 81.3% | |
| Marvin Miller Marvin Miller Marvin Julian Miller is a former executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association , from 1966 to 1982. Under Miller's direction, the players' union was transformed into one of the strongest unions in the United States... |
Executive | 11 | 68.8% | |
| Dave Concepción Dave Concepción David Ismael Concepción Benitez , better known as Dave Concepción, is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball. He was born in Ocumare de la Costa, Aragua State, Venezuela... |
Player | 8 | 50% | |
| Vida Blue Vida Blue Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 17-year career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Francisco Giants , and Kansas City Royals He won the American League Cy Young award and Most Valuable Player Award in 1971... |
Player | < 8 | < 50% | |
| Steve Garvey Steve Garvey Steven Patrick Garvey , nicknamed "Mr. Clean" because of the squeaky clean image he held throughout his career in baseball, is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current Southern California businessman... |
Player | < 8 | < 50% | |
| Ron Guidry Ron Guidry Ronald Ames Guidry , nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees... |
Player | < 8 | < 50% | |
| Tommy John Tommy John Thomas Edward John Jr. is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball whose 288 career victories rank as the seventh highest total among left-handers in major league history... |
Player | < 8 | < 50% | |
| Billy Martin Billy Martin Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times... |
Manager | < 8 | < 50% | |
| Al Oliver Al Oliver Albert Oliver, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. Over the course of his 18-year career, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Texas Rangers , Montreal Expos , San Francisco Giants , Philadelphia Phillies , Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays... |
Player | < 8 | < 50% | |
| Ted Simmons Ted Simmons Ted Lyle Simmons is an American former professional baseball player and coach. A switch-hitter, Simmons was a catcher for most of his Major League Baseball career with the St. Louis Cardinals , the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves... |
Player | < 8 | < 50% | |
| Rusty Staub Rusty Staub Daniel Joseph "Rusty" Staub is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman. He enjoyed a 23-year baseball career with 5 different teams... |
Player | < 8 | < 50% | |
| George Steinbrenner George Steinbrenner George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series... |
Executive | < 8 | < 50% |
All except Martin and Steinbrenner were living when the ballot and results were announced. Martin and Miller were holdovers from the most recent ballots covering managers and executives (2010), and Oliver was a holdover from the most recent ballot covering post-1942 players (2009).
The voting committee appointed by the Hall's Board of Directors—officially called the "Expansion Era Committee" by the Hall, but still generally referred to by media as the "Veterans Committee"—was announced at the same time as the final ballot:
- Hall of Famers: Johnny BenchJohnny BenchJohnny Lee Bench is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame...
, Whitey HerzogWhitey HerzogDorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog is a former Major League Baseball manager. Born in New Athens, Illinois, he made his debut as a player in 1956 with the Washington Senators. After his playing career ended in 1963, Herzog went on to perform a variety of roles in Major League Baseball, including...
, Eddie MurrayEddie MurrayEddie Clarence Murray , nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He was known as one of the most reliable and productive hitters of his era. Murray is regarded as one of the best switch hitters ever to play the game...
, Jim PalmerJim PalmerJames Alvin "Jim" Palmer , nicknamed "Cakes", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .As of 2008, Palmer and his wife Susan have homes in Palm Beach, Florida, and...
, Tony PérezTony PérezAtanasio Pérez Rigal , more commonly known as Tony Pérez, is a former Major League Baseball player. He was also known by the nickname "Big Dog," "Big Doggie," and "Doggie."...
, Frank RobinsonFrank RobinsonFrank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
, Ryne SandbergRyne SandbergRyne Dee Sandberg , nicknamed "Ryno" is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren, and is recognized as one of the best...
, Ozzie SmithOzzie SmithOsborne Earl "Ozzie" Smith is an American former baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals from 1978 to 1996... - Executives: Bill GilesBill Giles (baseball)William Yale Giles is the chairman and part owner of Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies.-Personal:He is the son of former National League president Warren Giles...
, David Glass, Andy MacPhailAndy MacPhailAndy MacPhail is the former president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles. He was the president/CEO of the National League Chicago Cubs from September 9, 1994 until October 1, 2006...
, Jerry ReinsdorfJerry ReinsdorfJerry M. Reinsdorf is a CPA, lawyer and an owner of the MLB's Chicago White Sox and the NBA's Chicago Bulls. He started his professional life as a tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service. He has been the head of the White Sox and Bulls for over 20 years.He made his initial fortune in real... - Media: Bob Elliott, Tim KurkjianTim KurkjianTim Kurkjian is a Major League Baseball analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight and SportsCenter. He is also a contributor to ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. He guests on Mike and Mike in the Morning on Thursdays at 7:44 AM, discussing the latest in happenings in Major League Baseball...
, Ross NewhanRoss NewhanRoss Newhan is a former columnist for the Long Beach Press-Telegram and the Los Angeles Times before retiring in 2004. He has garnered the 1997 Associated Press Sports Editors Award for his story on the sale of the Dodgers and was given the 2000 J. G...
, Tom VerducciTom VerducciTom Verducci is an American sportswriter who is currently writing for Sports Illustrated and its online magazine SI.com. He writes primarily about baseball. He is also a field reporter for the MLB postseason on TBS...
The committee convened at the 2010 winter meetings in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
with the standard 75% or 12 of 16 votes required for election and summer 2011 induction. Results were announced at 10:00 am EST
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on December 6.
J. G. Taylor Spink Award
The J. G. Taylor Spink Award has been presented by the BBWAA at the annual summer induction ceremonies since 1962. Through 2010, it was awarded during the main induction ceremony, but is now awarded the previous day. It recognizes a sportswriter "for meritorious contributions to baseball writing". The recipients are not members of the Hall of the Fame but are featured in a permanent exhibit at the National Baseball Museum.The three nominees for the 2011 award were Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun, Bill Conlin of the Philadelphia Daily News, and Joe Giuliotti of the Boston Herald. This was the third consecutive year Elliott had been nominated and the second for Giuliotti.
Under BBWAA rules, the winner was to be announced either during the 2010 World Series
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
or at the 2010 winter meetings. The winner of the 2011 J. G. Taylor Spink Award, announced at the winter meetings, was Bill Conlin
Bill Conlin
William "Bill" T. Conlin is an American sportswriter and long-time columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News. Prior to joining the Daily News, he wrote for the Philadelphia Bulletin. He is a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America and a voter for the Baseball Hall of Fame.Conlin won...
, who received 188 votes from the 434. Elliott received 160 votes. Joe Giuliotti got 83 votes. Three blank ballots were among those submitted.
Ford C. Frick Award
The Ford C. Frick AwardFord C. Frick Award
The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the United States to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball." It is named for Ford Christopher Frick, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball...
, honoring excellence in baseball broadcasting, has been presented at the induction ceremonies since 1978. Through 2010, it had been presented at the main induction ceremony, but is now presented the previous day. Recipients are not members of the Hall of Fame but are permanently recognized in an exhibit at the museum. To be eligible, an active or retired broadcaster must have a minimum of 10 years of continuous major league broadcast service with a ball club, a network, or a combination of the two. The honor is based on four criteria: longevity; continuity with a club; honors, including national assignments such as the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
and All-Star Games; and popularity with fans. The recipient was announced on December 8, 2010 at the winter meetings, following a vote by the same committee that selected seven of the finalists (below).
Ten finalists were announced in October 2010. In accord with guidelines established in 2003, seven were chosen by a committee composed of the living recipients along with broadcasting historians and columnists. Three were selected from a list of candidate by fan voting in September 2010 at the Hall's Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page.
- Committee selections:
- René Cárdenas
- Dizzy DeanDizzy DeanJay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953....
- Ned MartinNed MartinEdwin Martin was an American sportscaster, known primarily as a play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox from to...
- Tim McCarverTim McCarverJames Timothy "Tim" McCarver is an American former Major League Baseball catcher, and a current sportscaster in residence for Fox Sports.-Playing career:...
- Graham McNameeGraham McNameeGraham McNamee was a pioneering broadcaster in American radio, the medium's most recognized national personality in its first international decade....
- Eric NadelEric NadelEric Nadel is a sports announcer on radio broadcasts for the Texas Rangers baseball organization.-Biography:He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, as a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and decided at a young age that he wanted to be a sports broadcaster...
- Dave Van HorneDave Van HorneDave Van Horne, a native of Easton, Pennsylvania, is a Major League Baseball announcer. He is the lead radio play-by-play announcer for the Miami Marlins on the Marlins Radio Network...
- Fan selections:
- Tom CheekTom CheekThomas F. Cheek was an American sportscaster.Best known as the "Voice of the Blue Jays", Tom announced Major League Baseball games for the Toronto Blue Jays on radio from the team's establishment in 1977 until his retirement in 2004, in which he had a 27-year consecutive game streak of 4,306...
- Jacques Doucet
- Bill KingBill King* For the British author and games designer see, William King * For the British naval officer, yachtsman and author, see Commander Bill King*For the Australian rugby league footballer, see Bill King ...
- Tom Cheek
Five candidates were living when the ballot was announced—the active McCarver, Nadel, and Van Horne; and the retired Cárdenas and Doucet.
On December 8, Dave Van Horne, currently the lead play-by-play announcer for the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
on the team's radio network, was named as the recipient. He began his career with the Richmond Braves
Richmond Braves
The Richmond Braves were the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League. Colloquially referred to as the R-Braves, they were based in Richmond, Virginia, where they played from 1966, when the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta where their AAA team, the Crackers,...
in the Triple-A International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
before joining the English-language radio broadcast team for the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in their inaugural year of 1969
1969 Montreal Expos season
The Montreal Expos participated in their first season in Major League Baseball in . Even though the Expos, as typical for first-year expansion teams, finished in the cellar of the National League East Division with a 52-110 record, 48 games behind the eventual World Series Champion New York Mets,...
. He remained with the Expos through 2000
2000 Montreal Expos season
-Offseason:*February 4, 2000: Charlie O’Brien was signed as a Free Agent with the Montreal Expos.*March 17, 2000: Ted Lilly was Sent by the Montreal Expos to the New York Yankees to complete an earlier deal made on December 22, 1999. The Montreal Expos sent players to be named later and Jake...
before joining the Marlins in 2001
2001 Florida Marlins season
The 2001 Florida Marlins season started off with the team trying to improve on their season from 2000. Their managers were John Boles and Tony Perez. They played home games at Pro Player Stadium...
. He also called the Expos' last home game in Montreal in 2004
2004 Montreal Expos season
In 2004, the Montreal Expos played their 36th and final season in Montreal. The team finished in fifth and last place in the National League East at 67-95, 29 games behind the Atlanta Braves...
as a member of the visiting Marlins
2004 Florida Marlins season
The Florida Marlins' 2004 season started off with the team trying to improve on their season from 2003. Their manager was Jack McKeon. They played most of their home games at Pro Player Stadium.They played two against the Montreal Expos at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field due to Hurricane Ivan...
broadcast team. He has also called games on The Baseball Network
The Baseball Network
The Baseball Network was a short-lived television broadcasting joint venture between ABC, NBC, and Major League Baseball. Under the arrangement, beginning in the 1994 season, the league produced its own in-house telecasts of games, which were then brokered to air on ABC and NBC...
, and called three World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
and National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
for Canadian networks, in addition to the Marlins' 2003 World Series
2003 World Series
The 2003 World Series marked the 99th baseball World Series event. The Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games, 4–2.-Background:...
victory.
The Frick Award is Van Horne's second award for broadcasting excellence from a baseball hall of fame. In 1996, he received the Jack Graney Award
Jack Graney Award
The Jack Graney Award is an award presented by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum to a member of the Canadian media for their contributions to the game of baseball in Canada...
, given irregularly for excellence in either writing or broadcasting, from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum is a museum located in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada. The museums commemorates great players, teams, and accomplishments of baseball in Canada.-History:...
. Van Horne became the second Frick Award winner, after recipient Tony Kubek
Tony Kubek
Anthony Christopher "Tony" Kubek is a retired American professional baseball player and television broadcaster....
, to have called games for a Canadian team, and also the second Marlins broadcaster to receive the Frick Award, after recipient Felo Ramírez
Felo Ramírez
Rafael Ramírez is the Cuban-American Spanish language radio voice of the Miami Marlins. Ramirez is also a boxing expert, having broadcast fights for Latin American radio and television audiences since 1948 .Ramírez was born in Bayamo, Cuba, and is commonly known as "El Orgullo de...
.
Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award
The Hall presented its Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement AwardBuck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award
The Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award is an award presented by the National Baseball Hall of Fame every three years to honor an individual who enhances baseball's positive image on society, who broadens the game's appeal, and whose integrity and dignity are comparable to the namesake of the...
for the second time. The award was created in 2008 in honor of Buck O'Neil
Buck O'Neil
John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil was a first baseman and manager in the Negro American League, mostly with the Kansas City Monarchs. After his playing days, he worked as a scout, and became the first African American coach in Major League Baseball...
, a Negro leagues
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
star who went on to become one of baseball's leading ambassadors until his death in 2006. The first award was presented posthumously to O'Neil at the 2008 induction ceremony. According to the Hall,
As with the media awards, recipients are not members of the Hall of Fame but are permanently recognized in an exhibit at the museum. The Hall accepts written nominations for the award by mail at any time; the nomination must specifically state how the nominee meets the traits exemplified by O'Neil.
Roland Hemond
Roland Hemond
Roland Hemond is a longtime executive in Major League Baseball who in 2007 returned to the Arizona Diamondbacks as Special Assistant to the President, Derrick Hall...
received the O'Neil Award at the Awards Presentation. He first came to prominence as the assistant scouting director of the Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in the 1950s, and became the first scouting director of the Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in 1961. From there, Hemond went on to be general manager of the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, winning the MLB Executive of the Year Award
The Sporting News Executive of the Year Award
The Sporting News Executive of the Year Award was established in 1936 by The Sporting News and is given annually to one executive — including general managers — in Major League Baseball....
three times (1972 and 1983 in Chicago, 1989 in Baltimore). He went to the newly created Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
as Senior Executive Vice President in 1996, seeing them through their MLB debut in 1998
1998 Arizona Diamondbacks season
The 1998 Arizona Diamondbacks season was the Diamondbacks' inaugural season. They looked to contend in what was a strong National League Western Division. They finished the season with a record of 65-97, last in the division...
. Hemond returned to the White Sox as an adviser in 2001, and to the Diamondbacks in 2007 as a special assistant to the president, a position he still holds.
Outside the front office, Hemond is president of the Association of Professional Baseball Players of America, which provides financial and other assistance to individuals connected with professional baseball. He also helped found the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation, a similar organization focused on assisting veteran scouts who need special support.
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