[Archive]

Posted By: Paul

It has definitely become easier over the years to get high vote totals. This is probably due to the fact that the definition of "greatness" has become a little clearer. When Ruth was first elected, it may not have been clearer to voters whether or not 10 more guys would hit 700 home runs in the next few decades. The home run hitter was a new phenom (similar to the closer today). Now, everyone knows what the major milestones of greatness are (except for saves where the stat is still developing).

Incidentally, Seaver was essentially a unanimous inductee. Four people voted against him. Two were protesting Pete Rose's exclusion from the ballot and said that they would have voted for him otherwise. One was in the hospital on sedatives and said he marked the wrong name. One said he believed Seaver belonged but never voted for anyone on the first ballot as a matter of principle.