It’s Hall of Fame weekend, but many deserving players are still unrecognized. For some it is too late.

Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant has the unfortunate record for the most Hall of fame ballots without election at 15 BBWA ballots and 7 Veteran and Era Committee ballots. Luis Tiant died in 2024 without receiving this honor.

Many players have died before they are elected to the Hall of Fame.  While posthumous election is a remarkable tribute, is it not better to get recognition within one’s lifetime?

Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown annually welcomes new members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, who are elected in the previous December and January. New members are generally enshrined by a vote of the Baseball Writers of America (BBWA) who vote on players after they have been retired for 5 years.

Players become Hall of Famers if they are on 75% or more of the ballots. Failing that, they can remain on the ballot for up to 10 years as long as they appear on 5% or more of the ballots. This was changed from 15 years in 2015 to the current 10 year maximum limit.

Once those 10 years are up, players may be elected by the Era Committees of baseball, formerly the Veterans Committee.  Approximately 52% (184 of 354) of the Hall of Fame have been elected by this second means after their eligibility with the BBWA expires. This is also the only means by which executives, umpires, and managers can be elected.

Often there is a long wait for the Eras Committee (formerly the Veterans Committee) to elect players, and many players have died well before they are ever enshrined. The player committees are comprised of two:  Contemporary (from 1980) and the Classic Era (before 1980 including the Negro leagues)  meet once every three years alternating along with the managers/executives/umpires committees. This year, Dick Allen, who died in 2020, was elected to the Hall of Fame on his 22nd ballot now leaving Luis Tiant alone with 22 ballots with no election.

Many of the classic players from the 1970’s and 1980’s and now in their 70’s and 80’s, and many will pass before they enter Cooperstown’s hallowed hall. The current process for electing players is too infrequent and limited in the ability for voters to elect worthy candidates.

With the excitement of new members being elected each year, I propose the following to bring help get recognition before it’s too late.

1. Increase the frequency  Rather than every three years, the committees meet every year to consider players, managers, executives, umpires.
2. Expand the voting franchise by one or more of the following:
   1. All living Hall of Fame members
   2. Baseball scholars who meet certain standards of research and/or publication
   3. Baseball Writers of America Emeritus members

The best way to recognize worthy players is to expand the voter base to include more of their peers, scholars, and writers who know their impact and history. Increasing the size of the era committee, the size of the ballot, and its frequency to annually.

The BBWA has already waived eligibility rules in the case of players dying early. Roberto Clemente, Thurman Munson, Darryl Kile, and Roy Halladay notably were placed on the BBWA ballot immediately after their deaths. For many of the Era committee eligible players, they are now waiting and with the current frequency and difficulty of entry may die before they receive their recognition.

Luis Tiant is the latest to die before recognition. Dick Allen, who had as many ballot appearances as Tiant, was elected this year. For others, like Minnie Minoso, Nellie Fox, their honors came posthumously.

Let’s honor some of these deserving players like Dwight Evans, Lou Whitaker, Gary Sheffield, Tommy John, Dale Murphy, Steve Garvey, Curt Schilling, Bill Freehan, Don Mattingly, Hal McRae while they are still alive or at least relieve them of the uncertainty.