Cakes
02-27-2006, 02:07 PM
2006 Negro Leagues
Election Results
Inductee
Ray Brown
Willard Brown
Andy Cooper
Biz Mackey
Mule Suttles
Cristobal Torriente
Jud Wilson
Frank Grant
Pete Hill
José Méndez
Louis Santop
Ben Taylor
Effa Manley
Alex Pompez
Cum Posey
J.L. Wilkinson
Sol White
Negro Leaguers, first woman enter Hall
02/27/2006 2:00 PM ET
By Justice B. Hill / MLB.com
TAMPA -- In the culmination of a five-year process supported by a $250,000 grant from Major League Baseball, a special panel of 12 historians and Negro League experts selected 17 electees, including the first woman, to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday.
The electees include seven Negro League players, four Negro League executives, five pre-Negro League players and one pre-Negro League executive.
The Negro League electees are Ray Brown, Willard Brown, Andy Cooper, Biz Mackey, Mule Suttles, Cristobal Torriente and Jud Wilson. The Negro League executives are Effa Manley, Alex Pompez, Cum Posey and J.L. Wilkinson. The pre-Negro League electees are players Frank Grant, Pete Hill, Jose Mendez, Louis Santop and Ben Taylor and executive Sol White.
Manley, an owner in the Negro Leagues, becomes the first woman elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The electees join Bruce Sutter -- who was elected to the Hall of Fame in January -- in the Class of 2006, which will be inducted on July 30 in Cooperstown.
"On behalf of Major League Baseball, I applaud the National Baseball Hall of Fame for conducting this special election of former Negro League stars, and I heartily congratulate those who were elected," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig. "I look forward to being in Cooperstown on July 30 to witness their enshrinement into the Hall of Fame.
"Eighteen Negro League stars had been elected prior to today's vote, but previous committees had overlooked many who were deserving. Major League Baseball is proud to have played a part in a process that has corrected some of those omissions."
Each of the 17 received the necessary 75 percent of the 12-member voting committee to earn election. The committee reviewed the careers of 39 Negro and pre-Negro League candidates over a two-day meeting in Tampa. The list of 39 was pared from a roster of 94 candidates, narrowed by a five-member screening committee in November.
The voting and screening committees were chaired by Fay Vincent, Major League Baseball's eighth commissioner and an honorary director of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Vincent, the non-voting chairman, led discussions with committee members. The committee also received counsel from Hall of Famer Frank Robinson.
"The Board of Directors is extremely pleased with how this project has evolved over the last five years, culminating in today's vote," said Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. "Over the last two days, this committee has held discussions in great detail, utilizing the research and statistics now available to determine who deserves baseball's highest honor -- a plaque in the Hall of Fame Gallery in Cooperstown."
The electees join 18 players already in the Hall who built their careers in black baseball: Cool Papa Bell, Oscar Charleston, Ray Dandridge, Leon Day, Martin Dihigo, Bill Foster, Rube Foster, Josh Gibson, Monte Irvin, Judy Johnson, Buck Leonard, Pop Lloyd, Satchel Paige, Joe Rogan, Hilton Smith, Turkey Stearnes, Willie Wells and Smokey Joe Williams.
The study that the Hall commissioned proved what historians who had chronicled the game had been saying for decades: more Negro League players were worthy of a plaque in Cooperstown.
That's a sentiment that even current players share.
"I think it's great for these worthy gentlemen to get their due in Cooperstown," Eric Young said. "They paved the way for all of us, and we owe them a debt."
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Election Results
Inductee
Ray Brown
Willard Brown
Andy Cooper
Biz Mackey
Mule Suttles
Cristobal Torriente
Jud Wilson
Frank Grant
Pete Hill
José Méndez
Louis Santop
Ben Taylor
Effa Manley
Alex Pompez
Cum Posey
J.L. Wilkinson
Sol White
Negro Leaguers, first woman enter Hall
02/27/2006 2:00 PM ET
By Justice B. Hill / MLB.com
TAMPA -- In the culmination of a five-year process supported by a $250,000 grant from Major League Baseball, a special panel of 12 historians and Negro League experts selected 17 electees, including the first woman, to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday.
The electees include seven Negro League players, four Negro League executives, five pre-Negro League players and one pre-Negro League executive.
The Negro League electees are Ray Brown, Willard Brown, Andy Cooper, Biz Mackey, Mule Suttles, Cristobal Torriente and Jud Wilson. The Negro League executives are Effa Manley, Alex Pompez, Cum Posey and J.L. Wilkinson. The pre-Negro League electees are players Frank Grant, Pete Hill, Jose Mendez, Louis Santop and Ben Taylor and executive Sol White.
Manley, an owner in the Negro Leagues, becomes the first woman elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The electees join Bruce Sutter -- who was elected to the Hall of Fame in January -- in the Class of 2006, which will be inducted on July 30 in Cooperstown.
"On behalf of Major League Baseball, I applaud the National Baseball Hall of Fame for conducting this special election of former Negro League stars, and I heartily congratulate those who were elected," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig. "I look forward to being in Cooperstown on July 30 to witness their enshrinement into the Hall of Fame.
"Eighteen Negro League stars had been elected prior to today's vote, but previous committees had overlooked many who were deserving. Major League Baseball is proud to have played a part in a process that has corrected some of those omissions."
Each of the 17 received the necessary 75 percent of the 12-member voting committee to earn election. The committee reviewed the careers of 39 Negro and pre-Negro League candidates over a two-day meeting in Tampa. The list of 39 was pared from a roster of 94 candidates, narrowed by a five-member screening committee in November.
The voting and screening committees were chaired by Fay Vincent, Major League Baseball's eighth commissioner and an honorary director of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Vincent, the non-voting chairman, led discussions with committee members. The committee also received counsel from Hall of Famer Frank Robinson.
"The Board of Directors is extremely pleased with how this project has evolved over the last five years, culminating in today's vote," said Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. "Over the last two days, this committee has held discussions in great detail, utilizing the research and statistics now available to determine who deserves baseball's highest honor -- a plaque in the Hall of Fame Gallery in Cooperstown."
The electees join 18 players already in the Hall who built their careers in black baseball: Cool Papa Bell, Oscar Charleston, Ray Dandridge, Leon Day, Martin Dihigo, Bill Foster, Rube Foster, Josh Gibson, Monte Irvin, Judy Johnson, Buck Leonard, Pop Lloyd, Satchel Paige, Joe Rogan, Hilton Smith, Turkey Stearnes, Willie Wells and Smokey Joe Williams.
The study that the Hall commissioned proved what historians who had chronicled the game had been saying for decades: more Negro League players were worthy of a plaque in Cooperstown.
That's a sentiment that even current players share.
"I think it's great for these worthy gentlemen to get their due in Cooperstown," Eric Young said. "They paved the way for all of us, and we owe them a debt."
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.