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By BEN WALKER AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) - Not since the election of the Babe himself has
Cooperstown seen a rookie class quite like this. Nolan Ryan - greatest power pitcher ever. George Brett - hard-nosed, big-game player. Robin Yount - clutch hitter, two-time MVP. In one of the most eagerly awaited Hall of Fame elections, Ryan,
Brett and Yount all were voted into the baseball shrine Tuesday on
their first try. ``I think it's the final chapter of my career,'' said Ryan, who
came within one vote of receiving the highest percentage in
history. ``From an individual standpoint for a player, it's the
highest honor.'' And a rare one for rookie candidates. Since Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb,
Walter Johnson, Honus Wagner and Christy Mathewson were selected in
the original election of 1936, only 29 players have been taken in
their first year of eligibility, and never more than two at once -
until now. But coming off one of the most thrilling seasons in baseball
memory, that pattern changed. Ryan, a member of the 300-win club,
along with Brett and Yount, part of the 3,000-hit crew, are headed
to the Hall. ``To be in this class, it's very difficult to imagine being in
the same breath as those people,'' Yount said. Famed for a fastball that led to 5,714 strikeouts and seven
no-hitters in 27 seasons, the Ryan Express once again almost
clocked 100. Ryan was named on 98.79 percent of the ballots - nearly beating
former teammate Tom Seaver's 98.84 in 1992 for the highest total in
history. ``It's certainly an honor that I was thought of on that level,''
Ryan said. ``Tom was obviously one of the best pitchers I ever saw
throw the baseball.'' Brett, 13th on the career hits list with 3,154, made it with
98.19 percent, the fourth-highest total. Yount, with 3,142 hits and
two AL MVP awards, was elected with 77.46 percent. ``I was flabbergasted. It just knocked me on the floor,'' Brett
said of his vote total. ``Obviously, I was very, very pleased. But
in all honesty, I was just as pleased for Robin.'' ``Of all the guys I played against,'' he said on a conference
call, his voice cracking, ``probably Robin is the guy I enjoyed
playing against the most.'' Said Yount: ``If there was one player I ever wanted to be like,
it was George Brett.'' To gain election, players had to be placed on 75 percent of the
ballots cast by 10-year members of the Baseball Writers'
Association of America. There were a record 497 ballots cast - Ryan
was named on a record 491, Brett 488 and Yount 385. Carlton Fisk, another first-time candidate, fell 43 votes shy of
the required 373 with 66.40 percent. Tony Perez missed in his
eighth try with 302 (60.76 percent). Induction ceremonies at Cooperstown are scheduled for July 25.
The Hall of Fame exhibition will be the next day, and it seems
fitting that Ryan's Texas Rangers will take on Brett's Kansas City
Royals. The Hall's membership of 240 probably will increase again on
March 2 when the Veterans Committee votes in Tampa, Fla. Former
manager Dick Williams, Bill Mazeroski, Orlando Cepeda and Dom
DiMaggio figure to draw support. The last time two first-timers were taken was 1990 when Jim
Palmer and Joe Morgan made it. Mike Schmidt was the previous rookie
candidate picked in 1995. Joe DiMaggio, Roy Campanella and Harmon Killebrew were among the
players who did not get elected on the first try. The last time the BBWAA voted in three players overall was 1991
- Rod Carew, Ferguson Jenkins and Gaylord Perry. Overall, the BBWAA
had voted in only a total of three players in the last four years. Ryan held or shared 53 major league records when he retired in
1993. Ryan went 324-292 for the New York Mets, California, Houston and
Texas, tying him with Don Sutton for 12th in victories. He said his
Hall plaque would likely depict him in a Rangers hat. Though he never won a Cy Young Award, and despite his .526
winning percentage ranking the lowest among all 300-game winners,
Ryan's sheer domination landed him a place. Brett, whose pine-tar bat already is in the Hall, was a 13-time
All-Star. The third baseman hit .305 in a 21-year career spent
entirely with the Royals, and batted .337 in the postseason. Yount played his whole 20-year career with Milwaukee and won MVP
awards at shortstop and center field. He was a three-time All-Star
and batted .285. Not since that 1936 election has a player with 3,000 hits failed
to be elected in his first year of eligibility. Neither Brett nor Yount, however, piled up big numbers when
batting against Ryan. Brett was 29-for-101 (.287) with no home runs
and 18 strikeouts; Yount was 16-for-69 (.232) with two homers and
16 strikeouts. ``It was always a challenge to pitch to them,'' Ryan said. Fisk (376 HRs) holds baseball's record for most home runs by a
catcher. In 24 seasons, his most memorable homer was the one that
won Game 6 of the 1975 World Series at Fenway Park. Perez, who got 68 percent last year, had 1,652 RBIs, most among
eligible players not already in the Hall. Dale Murphy, another first-timer, received 96 votes. The
seven-time All-Star hit 398 home runs and was a two-time MVP. Other players falling short included Gary Carter (168 votes),
Steve Garvey (150), Jim Rice (146), Bruce Sutter (121) and Jim Kaat
(100). Mickey Lolich, 217-191 and MVP of the 1968 World Series, and
Minnie Minoso, a .298 career hitter, missed in their 15th and final
time on the ballot. Minoso got 73 votes and Lolich got 26. Dwight Evans (385 home runs, eight Gold Gloves) received 18
votes. He was one of seven players who did not receive the required
5 percent (25 votes) to remain on the ballot. Pete Rose, still off on the Hall ballot because of his ban from
baseball, got 16 write-in votes.
[Career Statistics]
[The New York Mets Years]
[The California Angels Years]
[The Houston Astros Years]
[The Texas Rangers Years]
[7 Career No-Hitters]
[5,714 Career Strikeouts]
[Records]
[Achievements]
[Cooperstown Class Of 1999]
[Nolan Ryan Baseball Cards]
[Quotes]
[The Nolan Ryan Story]
[Miscellaneous Features]
[Books, Videos, & Collectibles]
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