For baseball players, getting inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame is the ultimate dream. Few players, however, make it to the Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Most must wait at least 10 years on the ballot before they can be inducted. So, what happens after 10 years on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot?
The Hall of Fame Eligibility Process
Before a player can even be considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame, he must meet several requirements. To be eligible, a player must have played at least 10 years in the major leagues and must have been retired for at least five years. He must also have played in at least one Major League Baseball game in the last 10 years.
Once a player meets the eligibility requirements, he is placed on the Hall of Fame ballot. The ballots are sent out in December of each year and feature anywhere from 30 to 40 players. The ballots are then sent to members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, who vote on which players they believe should be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The 10-Year Waiting Period
Players who are placed on the Hall of Fame ballot remain eligible for induction for 10 years. If they are not inducted after 10 years, they are removed from the ballot and must wait another five years before they can be eligible again.
During this 10-year period, players can be voted in at any time. If a player receives 75% of the vote in any given year, he is inducted into the Hall of Fame. Otherwise, he must wait until the 10-year period is up before he can be considered again.
What Happens After 10 Years?
After 10 years on the ballot, a player is removed from the ballot and must wait another five years before he can be eligible again. However, this does not mean that the player is completely ineligible for the Hall of Fame.
The Veterans Committee
When a player is removed from the ballot after 10 years, he is still eligible for consideration by the Veterans Committee. The Veterans Committee is a group of Hall of Fame members, baseball executives, and other baseball historians who review players who are no longer on the ballot. They can vote to induct a player into the Hall of Fame even if he has been off the ballot for 10 years or more.
The Modern Era Committee
In addition to the Veterans Committee, there is also a Modern Era Committee. This committee is made up of Hall of Fame members, baseball executives, and other baseball historians who review players who were active between 1970 and 1987. Like the Veterans Committee, they can vote to induct a player into the Hall of Fame even if he has been off the ballot for 10 years or more.
The Today’s Game Committee
Finally, there is the Today’s Game Committee. This committee is made up of Hall of Fame members, baseball executives, and other baseball historians who review players who were active between 1988 and the present. Like the other committees, they can vote to induct a player into the Hall of Fame even if he has been off the ballot for 10 years or more.
Conclusion
Getting inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame is the ultimate dream for any baseball player. However, most players must wait at least 10 years on the ballot before they can be inducted. After 10 years on the ballot, a player is removed from the ballot and must wait another five years before he can be eligible again. However, this does not mean that the player is completely ineligible for the Hall of Fame. He is still eligible for consideration by the Veterans Committee, the Modern Era Committee, and the Today’s Game Committee.