 |
Business | Industries | Finance | Tax |
| Index: > A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
|
|||||
| First Prev [ 1 2 ] Next Last |
The Hall of Fame was dedicated on June 12, 1939 by the Clark Foundation, a private organization based in Cooperstown that traces its money to the original Singer Sewing Machine Company. The Foundation sought to bring tourists to Cooperstown, which had been doubly damaged by the Great Depression, which decimated the local tourist trade, and Prohibition, which was devastating to the local hops industry. A legend that U.S. Civil War hero Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown was instrumental in the early marketing of the Hall, though in fact the story is completely false.
The major leagues, seeing the marketing opportunity, soon began cooperating with the Hall of Fame in marketing it and acquiring artifacts for display there. Today the Hall of Fame features many exhibits on the game's history. An extensive collection of memorabilia is on display to the public as well, including historic home run balls, scorecards, and bats, caps, and uniforms used by the game's greatest players. The Hall of Fame also includes an art collection and a substantial research library with online search capabilities. The town of Cooperstown also includes Doubleday Field, where the "Hall of Fame Game" featuring two major league teams is held every year on the same weekend as the annual induction ceremony.
Among baseball fans, "Hall of Fame" means not only the museum and facility in Cooperstown, but also the pantheon of players, managers, umpiresGary Darling signals that the last pitch was a strike In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and me and builders who have been named to enshrinement there. The first five men elected were superstars Ty CobbTyrus Raymond Cobb ( December 18, 1886 in Narrows, Georgia July 17, 1961 in Atlanta, Georgia), usually known as Ty Cobb and nicknamed "The Georgia Peach", was an American baseball player considered to be the greatest player of the "Deadball Era" (1900-192, Babe RuthGeorge Herman Ruth ( February 6, 1895 August 16, 1948), better known as Babe Ruth and also commonly known by the nicknames The Bambino and The Sultan of Swat was an American baseball player and United States national icon. He was one of the first five pla, Honus WagnerJohn Peter "Honus" Wagner ( February 24, 1874 December 6, 1955) is considered by many to have been the greatest shortstop ever to play major league baseball. He was born in Mansfield (now Carnegie), Pennsylvania. In a career that spanned 21 seasons ( 1897, Christy MathewsonNew York Giants at the West Side Grounds. Christopher Mathewson born August 12, 1880 in Factoryville, Pennsylvania, United States died October 7, 1925 in Saranac Lake, New York, was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Born into a wealthy family, Mathewson at and Walter JohnsonAmerican Tobacco Company baseball card (White Borders (T206)). Walter Perry Johnson ( November 6, 1887- December 10, 1946), American professional baseball pitcher. Born in Humboldt, Kansas, he was a farm boy who grew up to become one of Major League Baseb, named in 1936. As of 2004, 258 men had been elected or appointed to the Hall of Fame, including 210 players, 17 managers (many of whom also played), eight umpires, and 23 builders, executives, and organizers. Twenty-six men have also been awarded the Ford C. Frick AwardThe Ford C. Frick Award is an award bestowed annually by the Baseball Hall of Fame in the United States to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball. It is named for Ford Christopher Frick, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Before his for excellence in broadcasting, while 55 have received the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for excellence in baseball writing.
Players are inducted into the Hall of Fame through election by either the Baseball Writers Association of AmericaFounded in 1908 as the Baseball Writers Association of America the BBWAA is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers and magazines. The BBWAA was founded to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early (or BBWAA), or the Veterans Committee, which is composed mainly of former players (specifically, Hall of Famers). Five years after retirement, any player with 10 years of major league experience, who passes a screening committee (which removes from consideration players of clearly lesser qualification) is eligible to be elected by BBWAA members with 10 years' membership or more. From a final ballot typically including 30-50 candidates, each writer may vote for up to 10 players; until the late 1950s, voters were advised to cast votes for the maximum 10 candidates. Any player named on 75% or more of all ballots cast is elected. A player who is named on fewer than 5% of ballots is dropped from future elections. In some instances, the screening committee had restored their names to later ballots, but in the mid-1990s, dropped players were made permanently ineligible for Hall of Fame consideration, even by the Veterans Committee. A 2001 change in the election procedures restored the eligibility of these dropped players; while their names will not appear on future BBWAA ballots, they may be considered by the Veterans Committee.
Under special circumstances, certain players may be deemed eligible for induction even though they have not met all requirements. This has resulted in only two inductions, when Lou Gehrig was specially elected shortly after his retirement in 1939, and when Addie Joss was elected in 1978 despite only playing in nine seasons. Additionally, if an otherwise eligible player dies before their fifth year of retirement, then that player may be placed on the ballot at the first election six months after death. Roberto Clemente, who died in a plane crash in 1972, is the only player elected to the Hall through this rule.
If a player fails to be elected by the BBWAA within 20 years of their retirement from active play, he may be selected by the Veterans Committee, which votes every two years. The Veterans Committee also votes on candidates from among managers, umpires, builders, or Negro Leagues players.
Predictably, the selection process catalyzes endless debate among baseball fans over the merits of various candidates. Even players already elected remain for years the subjects of discussions as to whether their elections were deserved or in error.
| Politics | Business | Finance |
 |
 |
 |
|