The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Baseball Hall of Fame Committee on Veterans

Rules for Election of Players whose careers began in 1943 or later

1. Name: The Committee shall be a part of the NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME COMMITTEE ON BASEBALL VETERANS (the "Committee").

2. Membership: The Players committee shall consist of all living National Baseball Hall of Fame members. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. shall act as the non-voting chairman of the committee and shall act as non-voting Secretary of the Committee.

3. Method of Appointment: The Hall of Fame's Board of Directors shall appoint the committee.

4. Term: Each appointee is to serve for a renewable one-year term.

5. Time and Place of Election: Beginning in 2008, elections shall be held every other year, by paper ballot, by mail, for consideration for the following year's Hall of Fame class. Results will be announced at that Major League Baseball Winter Meetings.

6. Eligible Candidates:

1. Eligible candidates must be selected from Major League players whose careers began in 1943 or later; competed in any portion of at least ten (10) championship seasons, and; who have been retired as players for at least twenty-one (21) years. In addition, players whose service in the Negro Baseball Leagues prior to 1946 and the Major Leagues thereafter total at least ten years or portions thereof are defined as eligible candidates.
2. Those whose careers entailed involvement as both players and managers/executives/umpires will be considered for their overall contribution to the game of Baseball; however, the specific category in which such individuals shall be considered will be determined by the role in which they were most prominent. In those instances when a candidate is prominent as both a player and as a manager, executive or umpire, the BBWAA Screening Committee shall determine that individual's candidacy as either a player (Players Ballot), or as a manager, umpires, executive or pioneer (Managers/Umpires Ballot, or Executives/Pioneers Ballot). Candidates may only appear on one ballot per election. Those designated as players must fulfill the requirements of 6 (A).
3. Any person designated by the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball as ineligible shall not be an eligible candidate.

7. Historical Overview Committees: The BBWAA-appointed Historical Overview Committee shall serve as the initial Screening Committee and consist of 10-12 representatives. The Committee shall identify 20 candidates whose careers began in 1943 or later. In addition, the Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. shall appoint a Hall of Fame Screening Committee consisting of six members of the Baseball Hall of Fame who will independently identify five candidates for the Players Ballot.

8. Screening Committee: The living members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame will screen the ballot of 20-25 candidates, to 10. Each member will submit a ballot with 10 of the 25 names rank ordered. Those candidates to earn the most support will be placed on the final ballot. The tiebreaking method will consider rankings on the ballot.

9. Ballot Size: The final Players Ballot shall consist of 10 candidates.

10. Voting: The Committee shall consider all eligible candidates and voting shall be based upon the individual's record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contribution to the game. Electors may vote for as few as zero (0) and as many as four (4) eligible candidates deemed worthy of election. Write-in votes are not permitted.

11. Number to be Elected: All candidates receiving votes on at least 75% of ballots cast will earn election.

12. Minutes/Certification: The Committee shall keep minutes of its meetings, one copy of which is to be placed on file at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. The results of the election shall be certified by the Secretary of the Committee.

13. Amendments: The Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. reserves the right to revoke, alter or amend these rules at any time.

Timetable for Next Players Ballot Election

Spring 2008
Players list narrowed to 20 by BBWAA-appointed Historical Overview Committee.

The Elias Sports Bureau, official statistician for Major League Baseball since the 1920s, will provide to the Hall of Fame a list of all players with 10 or more years of experience, whose careers began in 1943 or later, who are not on Major League Baseball's ineligible list, and who are not being considered by the BBWAA.

Spring 2008
Five players selected for consideration, by HOF Sub-Committee, independent of Historical Overview Committee. Final list of 20-25 players released.

July 2008
Discussion of slate of 20-25 at Hall of Fame Weekend by all Hall of Fame members.

August/September 2008
Screening Committee narrows slate from 20-25 candidates to a final ballot of 10, by Hall of Famers through paper ballot. Final 10 candidates announced in October.

November 2008
Hall of Famers cast paper ballots, voting for zero to four candidates on a 10-name ballot.

December 2008
Hall of Fame Veterans Committee Results Announced at Winter Meetings.

Veterans Committee Members for Players Ballot (63)