Baseball Hall of Fame Players by Year of Eligibility

January 7, 2010 by TheUmpire

The following tables show the “year of eligibility” when a Major League baseball player was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The columns are:  ordinal year of eligibility, player name, election year, total number of ballots, the minimum number of votes needed, the number voted for, the number not voted for, and the percentage of “yes” votes.

Apart from the inaugural group of five players from 1936, 39 of 102 (or ~38%) baseball players have been first-ballot Hall of Famers.  44 of 107 (~41%), if you count the inaugural class.

Players inducted due to special elections (e.g., Lou Gehrig and Roberto Clemente) are not included.  Committee on Baseball Veterans selections are also excluded.

Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
0 Ty Cobb 1936 226 170 222 4 98.23
0 Walter Johnson 1936 226 170 189 37 83.63
0 Christy Mathewson 1936 226 170 205 21 90.71
0 Babe Ruth 1936 226 170 215 11 95.13
0 Honus Wagner 1936 226 170 215 11 95.13
Inaugural class: 5
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
1 Hank Aaron 1982 415 311 406 9 97.83
1 Ernie Banks 1977 383 287 321 62 83.81
1 Johnny Bench 1989 447 335 431 16 96.42
1 Wade Boggs 2005 516 387 474 42 91.86
1 George Brett 1999 497 373 488 9 98.19
1 Lou Brock 1985 395 296 315 80 79.75
1 Rod Carew 1991 443 332 401 42 90.52
1 Steve Carlton 1994 455 341 436 19 95.82
1 Dennis Eckersley 2004 506 380 421 85 83.20
1 Bob Feller 1962 160 120 150 10 93.75
1 Bob Gibson 1981 401 301 337 64 84.04
1 Tony Gwynn 2007 545 409 532 13 97.61
1 Rickey Henderson 2009 539 404 511 28 94.81
1 Reggie Jackson 1993 423 317 396 27 93.62
1 Al Kaline 1980 385 289 340 45 88.31
1 Sandy Koufax 1972 396 297 344 52 86.87
1 Mickey Mantle 1974 365 274 322 43 88.22
1 Willie Mays 1979 432 324 409 23 94.68
1 Willie McCovey 1986 425 319 346 79 81.41
1 Paul Molitor 2004 506 380 431 75 85.18
1 Joe Morgan 1990 444 333 363 81 81.76
1 Eddie Murray 2003 496 372 423 73 85.28
1 Stan Musial 1969 340 255 317 23 93.24
1 Jim Palmer 1990 444 333 411 33 92.57
1 Kirby Puckett 2001 515 386 423 92 82.14
1 Cal Ripken, Jr. 2007 545 409 537 8 98.53
1 Brooks Robinson 1983 374 281 344 30 91.98
1 Frank Robinson 1982 415 311 370 45 89.16
1 Jackie Robinson 1962 160 120 124 36 77.50
1 Red Ruffing 1967 306 230 266 40 86.93
1 Nolan Ryan 1999 497 373 491 6 98.79
1 Mike Schmidt 1995 460 345 444 16 96.52
1 Tom Seaver 1992 430 323 425 5 98.84
1 Ozzie Smith 2002 472 354 433 39 91.74
1 Willie Stargell 1988 427 320 352 75 82.44
1 Ted Williams 1966 302 227 282 20 93.38
1 Dave Winfield 2001 515 386 435 80 84.47
1 Carl Yastrzemski 1989 447 335 423 24 94.63
1 Robin Yount 1999 497 373 385 112 77.46
1st year of eligibility: 39
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
2 Yogi Berra 1972 396 297 339 57 85.61
2 Rollie Fingers 1992 430 323 349 81 81.16
2 Carlton Fisk 2000 499 374 397 102 79.56
2 Whitey Ford 1974 365 274 284 81 77.81
2 Nap Lajoie 1937 201 151 168 33 83.58
2 Warren Spahn 1973 380 285 315 65 82.89
2 Tris Speaker 1937 201 151 165 36 82.09
2 Cy Young 1937 201 151 153 48 76.12
2nd year of eligibility: 8
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
3 Grover Cleveland Alexander 1938 262 197 212 50 80.92
3 Joe DiMaggio 1955 251 188 223 28 88.84
3 Carl Hubbell 1947 161 121 140 21 86.96
3 Catfish Hunter 1987 413 310 315 98 76.27
3 Fergie Jenkins 1991 443 332 334 109 75.40
3 Juan Marichal 1983 374 281 313 61 83.69
3 Mel Ott 1951 226 170 197 29 87.17
3 Gaylord Perry 1991 443 332 342 101 77.20
3 Ryne Sandberg 2005 516 387 393 123 76.16
3rd year of eligibility: 9
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
4 Eddie Collins 1939 274 206 213 61 77.74
4 Lefty Grove 1947 161 121 123 38 76.40
4 Willie Keeler 1939 274 206 207 67 75.55
4 Harmon Killebrew 1984 403 302 335 68 83.13
4 Robin Roberts 1976 388 291 337 51 86.86
4 George Sisler 1939 274 206 235 39 85.77
4 Early Wynn 1972 396 297 301 95 76.01
4th year of eligibility: 7
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
5 Roy Campanella 1969 340 255 270 70 79.41
5 Charlie Gehringer 1949 187 140 159 28 85.03
5 Rogers Hornsby 1942 233 175 182 51 78.11
5 Eddie Mathews 1978 379 284 301 78 79.42
5 Phil Niekro 1997 473 355 380 93 80.34
5 Don Sutton 1998 473 355 386 87 81.61
5th year of eligibility: 6
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
6 Luis Aparicio 1984 403 302 341 62 84.62
6 Gary Carter 2003 496 372 387 109 78.02
6 Mickey Cochrane 1947 161 121 128 33 79.50
6 Frankie Frisch 1947 161 121 136 25 84.47
6 Paul Waner 1952 234 176 195 39 83.33
6 Billy Williams 1987 413 310 354 59 85.71
6th year of eligibility: 6
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
7 Luke Appling 1964 225 169 189 36 84.00
7 Jimmie Foxx 1951 226 170 179 47 79.20
7th year of eligibility: 2
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
8 Herb Pennock 1948 121 91 94 27 77.69
8 Pie Traynor 1948 121 91 93 28 76.86
8 Hoyt Wilhelm 1985 395 296 331 64 83.80
8th year of eligibility: 3
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
9 Andre awson 2010 539 404 420 119 77.92
9 Dizzy Dean 1953 264 198 209 55 79.17
9 Bill Dickey 1954 252 189 202 50 80.16
9 Rich Gossage 2008 543 407 466 77 85.82
9 Hank Greenberg 1956 193 145 164 29 84.97
9 Joe Medwick 1968 283 212 240 43 84.81
9 Tony Perez 2000 499 374 385 114 77.15
9 Al Simmons 1953 264 198 199 65 75.38
9th year of eligibility: 8
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
10 Lou Boudreau 1970 300 225 232 68 77.33
10 Joe Cronin 1956 193 145 152 41 78.76
10 Don Drysdale 1984 403 302 316 87 78.41
10 Ted Lyons 1955 251 188 217 34 86.45
10th year of eligibility: 4
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
11 Gabby Hartnett 1955 251 188 195 56 77.69
11 Duke Snider 1980 385 289 333 52 86.49
11th year of eligibility: 2
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
12 Harry Heilmann 1952 234 176 203 31 86.75
12 Ralph Kiner 1975 362 272 273 89 75.41
12 Bob Lemon 1976 388 291 305 83 78.61
12 Dazzy Vance 1955 251 188 205 46 81.67
12th year of eligibility: 4
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
13 Bruce Sutter 2006 520 390 400 120 76.92
13th year of eligibility: 1
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
14 Rabbit Maranville 1954 252 189 209 43 82.94
14 Bill Terry 1954 252 189 195 57 77.38
14th year of eligibility: 2
Elig Name Year Voters Min Yes No %
15 Jim Rice 2009 539 404 412 127 76.44
15th year of eligibility: 1
* * * * * * * * *

  1. This is amazing. Thanks for posting it. It puts all the BBWAA asshats in proper perspective. Too many anomalies to even talk about…so let me just list some by first name only, that didn’t get in on the first ballot:
    Joe D?
    Yogi?
    Roy?
    Warren?
    Cy?
    Harmon?
    Rogers?
    Dizzy?

    Every player now should just STFU about not getting in when they see above names. And the writers need to do something about the slights. Jeebus.

    Comment by Tommy T — Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 3:10 PM

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