Mark McGwire Not Elected To Hall of Fame in 2007

The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced the results of this years balloting. Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken were both named on well over the required 75% of ballots cast by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

This years results were of particular significance because it was the first year players widely associated with steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs were eligible. McGwire, thought to be a shoe in for the Hall before Jose Canseco’s book and his congressional testimony, appeared on 128 of a record 545 (23.5%) ballots falling way short of the 409 needed to be inducted.

McGwire’s lack of support raises questions about whether or not he will ever get elected. McGwire will remain on the ballot as long as he gets 5% or more each year for a maximum of fifteen years, so we’ll see over the years whether opinions and attitudes will change. This vote also has great significance for Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi and others’ chances of getting elected in the future.

Again opinions could very well change significantly in the coming years for a variety of reasons. Leading up to this year’s vote, some writers suggested they might not vote for any steroid suspects during only the player’s first year of eligibility, as a form of protest, and later vote for whomever they deem worthy. Two candidates cast blank ballots this year, but will they do this every year? More information will come out, perceptions will change as we learn more and put the era in perspective. But at the same time baseball is historically stubborn, just ask baseball’s best players not in the Hall of Fame, Pete Rose and Joe Jackson.

As expected, Jose Canseco and Ken Caminiti did not receive the required 5% of votes requires to even stay on the ballot next year. Next year we’ll see Brady Anderson and Chuck Finley on the ballot, though surely neither player would receive serious consideration with or without steroid accusations.