SPORTS

'Hard to crack': No baseball Hall of Fame candidates elected, again

Howie Rumberg The Associated Press
Published Monday, December 7, 2015 12:42PM EST Last Updated Monday, December 7, 2015 1:09PM EST

A Wilson baseball glove and a Louisville Slugger bat sit on the field prior to a spring training baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants on Monday, March 23, 2015, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP / Ben Margot)

Text:

NASHVILLE -- For the second straight year, a baseball veterans committee failed to elect to the Hall of Fame any of the 10 candidates up for consideration.

The Pre-Integration Era Committee weighed the merits of six players, three executives and one of the game's pioneers, all of whom made their mark before Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier in 1947. None of those eligible received the 12 of 16 votes (75 per cent) necessary for induction.

The committee announced its decision Monday at the winter meetings.

Doc Adams, who has been credited with creating what would become the shortstop position and helped establish the nine-inning game and 90-foot basepaths, came closest with 10 votes. Nineteenth century players Bill Dahlen and Harry Stovey each got eight votes. Sam Breadon, Wes Ferrell, August "Garry" Herrmann, Marty Marion, Frank McCormick, Chris von der Ahe and Bucky Walters received three or fewer votes each.

"It's an association that's hard to crack," Hall of Fame manager and committee member Bobby Cox said. "They were fully vetted."

Last year, the Golden Era committee failed to elect any of its candidates. The Expansion Era committee (1973 and later) votes again at the 2016 winter meetings in Washington, D.C.

This was the second time the Pre-Integration Committee has met. Former New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, umpire Hank O'Day and barehanded catcher Deacon White were elected in 2012.

The 16-member Pre-Integration Era Committee met Sunday and Monday in Nashville, Tennessee, and was comprised of Hall of Famers Bert Blyleven, Cox, Pat Gillick and Phil Niekro; major league executives Chuck Armstrong, Bill DeWitt, Gary Hughes and Tal Smith and media members Steve Hirdt, Peter Morris, Jack O'Connell, Claire Smith, Tim Sullivan, T.R. Sullivan, Gary Thorne and Tim Wendel.

Induction ceremonies will be held July 24 in Cooperstown, New York, for any players elected by the BBWAA on Jan. 6. Ken Griffey Jr. and Trevor Hoffman are the top new candidates. Mike Piazza, Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines were the top vote-getters to fall short of the 75 per cent threshold last year. Steroid-tainted holdovers Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are still on the ballot.