The Baseball Hall of Fame

The National Baseball Hall of Fame is a treasured institution by baseball fans throughout history. It is not just a baseball museum, as its Hallowed Halls contain historic artifacts, shrines to the best players, and fascinating exhibits. To be included in the National Baseball Hall of Fame is the highest honor a player can receive. In the history of the MLB, less than 1% of all players get the node. 

There is a lot to consider when it comes to the Hall of Fame. Keep reading to learn about the BBWAA, the guardians of baseball history, and the process that elevates players to immortal status.

The voting process for the Baseball Hall of Fame can be complicated at first glance, but it is designed to include people of various backgrounds and expertise. The actual voting is conducted by the BBWAA (Baseball Writers’ Association of America), an independent organization separate from the Hall of Fame. To be eligible to vote, you must be an active member of the BBWAA for at least 10 years. 

The BBWAA appoints a Screening Committee of six members who prepare a ballot of all eligible candidates. This ballot then goes out to all eligible voting members who get to vote for no more than 10 candidates. Voting is based on a player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to his teams. When all these votes are tallied, any candidate receiving votes on 75% of the ballots cast shall be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

For a player to be voted into the Hall of Fame, they must meet a few requirements. For a first-time candidate, the player must have played in the MLB for at least 10 years and have been retired for five seasons. Next, they cannot be listed on MLB’s “ineligible list.” This is commonly called the “Pete Rose Rule.” Any player meeting these requirements is eligible for election into the Hall of Fame. 

If a player does not get elected on their first time on the ballot, they remain eligible the next year as long as they received at least 5% of the vote that year. A player can remain on the ballot for 10 years. They will be removed from the ballot if they are not elected within this period.

Currently, there are 347 people included in the Hall of Fame, including 273 former MLB players. In addition, there are 40 executives/baseball pioneers, 24 managers, and 10 umpires. By position, there are 84 pitchers, 20 catchers, 27 first basemen, 20 second basemen, 19 third basemen, 26 shortstops, 23 left fielders, 24 center fielders, 27 right fielders, and 3 designated hitters. 

The Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring baseball’s heritage, greatest moments, and most impactful players. If you are looking for the highest quality equipment for your baseball journey, we invite you to check out our selection of equipment, footwear, game wear, and apparel from all the top brands.