By Mike Harrington
Just as many web sites speculated, and just like we told you here this morning, no one got elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today.
So for the first time since 1996, the Baseball Writers' Association of America pitched a shutout as no one got 75 percent of the vote. And for the first time since 1960, no living person will be elected to the Hall this summer.
You can see the complete rundown of the balloting at this link. Craig Biggio led the way with 68.2 percent of the vote followed by Jack Morris at 67.7 and Jeff Bagwell at 59.6. Morris has just one more chance (you're removed from the ballot after 15 years).
For the record, Roger Clemens finished eighth at 37.6 and Barry Bonds ninth at 36.2. Interesting numbers for guys who would have been shoo-in guys on the first ballot were it not for PED issues.
Here's MLB.com's official story on the election, or lack thereof.
Biggio got 388 votes, 39 shy of election. Pretty wild to think a 3,000-hit guy didn't get in on the first try. Especially one with no PED suspicion. There were five blank ballots, which didn't cost anyone this year. Still, I think those are absurd. Vote or don't vote. Don't influence the results.
From the BBWAA Web site, Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson said, “The standards for earning election to the Hall of Fame have been very high ever since the rules were created in 1936. We realize the challenges voters are faced with in this era. The Hall of Fame has always entrusted the exclusive voting privilege to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. We remain pleased with their role in evaluating candidates based on the criteria we provide.”
Writers have the option of providing their ballot to the BBWAA for public consumption and you can go to this link to see dozens of them.
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Bisons/Blue Jays
