I think that for the most part the writers have done an excellent job in electing players. It is the Veterans Committee that has muddied up the works. Almost every player you think does not belong in the Hall is a Veterans Committee pick.
I must agree that the notion of a first ballot Hall of Famer is silly. A player either is or is not a HOFer no matter when he is elected and no greater honor should be conferred to a first ballot HOFer.
That being said, I would like to see a system where a player is voted on once and that is all. Either he makes it or he doesn't. Of course, that would kill the candidate pool pretty quickly and you would end up having one big class and years of no inductions. So I know that plan will never see the light of day, but a 15 year voting period seems like too long. Sometimes it comes down to who is on the ballot that is the main determining factor on who is elected. A player should not be enshrined just because he is the best player on the ballot.
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