2024 Classic HOF election

[Mike D.]

Originally Posted by molenick

The fact that there are only two era committees and the early one covers anyone before 1980 will make it very difficult for any specific player we mention to get in. Essentially they are considering everyone from Jim Creighton to Dick Allen (about 120 years of baseball). First you have to get on the ballot, then you need 3/4 of the votes. As mentioned, the ballot consists of eight names, and I have a feeling many of of us could think of eight players (or managers, executives, umpires, pioneers, etc.) deserving of consideration in any of five distinct categories: 19th century, dead ball era, live ball era pre-integration, post-integration before 1980, Negro League and pre-Negro Leagues...let alone eight people from the entire period.

To whittle 120 years of candidates down to eight will be a tough task...and then you need to get 75% of the final vote. So, I imagine someone will get in...but who that will be seems like a crap shoot.

Yes, this. There are SO many directions the committee could go, it's almost impossible to speculate. Maybe this is the discussion of "who could/should be on the ballot".

But 8 players from 120 years of baseball is tough. I'm sure you could come up with a good list of 8 pre-war, 8 50's-60's, 8 70's, and 8 negro league stars and all those lists would be defensible. Probably a list of managers, execs, pioneers, etc. that you could add to the tally.

It'll be really interesting to see who ends up on the ballot. The only sure thing is that there will be SOME deserving candiates on the list, but that none of us will agree with the entire list.