Randy Johnson – Big Unit scored on 97 percent of HOF ballots.
The Baseball Writers Association of America’s (BBWAA) Hall of Fame Ballots are in – and so are Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio. Johnson, named on 97.27 percent of the ballots, joined some elite company. His percentage was the eighth-highest ever in the official BBWAA balloting – and he became one of only 14 players to receive at least 95 percent support since the first election back in 1936. No player – not even the likes of Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron or Christy Mathewson – has ever received unanimous support. (Cy Young, with his record 511 mound wins, was elected in 1937 with 76.12 percent of the vote.) The all-high in balloting is 98.84 percent, achieved by Tom Seaver. (We’ll take a quick look at “resumes” of the fourteen members of the 95 percent club later in this post.)
Over the years, 118 players have been elected to the HOF through the regular balloting; with just 11.86 percent of those reaching the 95 percent support threshold. Ten of those fourteen have come since 1989, three (Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner) were in the first-ever HOF class, and just one honoree achieved 95 percent support between 1936 and 1989 (Hank Aaron, 1982).
Here’s a breakdown of “95-percenters” in ten-year increments:
1936-45 3
1946-55 0
1956-65 0
1966-75 0
1976-85 1
1986-95 3
1996-2005 3
2006-15 4
Now, a look at the Hall of Fame’s all-time top vote getters.
1. Tom Seaver (RHP) – 98.84% – 1992 Nickname – Tom Terrific
Tom Seaver won 311 games (205 losses) in a 20-year MLB career (1967-86). He won 20 or more games in five seasons; leading his league in victories three times, ERA three times and strikeouts five times. Seaver finished his career with a 2.86 ERA and 3,640 strikeouts. He was the National League Rookie of the Year with the Mets in 1967, a 12-time All Star, and won the Cy Young Award three times (1969, 1973, 1975). He threw one no-hitter. Seaver pitched for the Mets (1967-77, 1983); Reds (1977-82); White Sox (1984-86); and Red Sox (1986).
Tom Seaver fact: On April 22, 1970, in beating the Padres 2-1 at Shea Stadium, Seaver set the MLB record for consecutive strikeouts in a game – fanning the last ten hitters of the contest (five looking/five swinging). In the complete game win, Seaver allowed one run on two hits, walked two and fanned 19.
2. Nolan Ryan (RHP) – 98.79% – 1999 Nickname – The Ryan Express
Nolan Ryan won 324 games in 27 MLB seasons (292 losses, a 3.19 ERA) and holds the All Time MLB strikeout record (5,714). Ryan was an eight-time All Star and a two-time twenty-game winner. He led his league in strikeouts eleven times (topping 300 whiffs in a season six times) and recorded a league-low ERA twice. He also threw an MLB-record seven no-hitters. Ryan pitched for the Mets (1966, 1968-71); Angels (1972-79); Astros (1980-88); and Rangers (1989-93).
Nolan Ryan fact: Despite his Hall of Fame career, Nolan Ryan never won a Cy Young Award.
3. Cal Ripken Jr. (SS/3B) – 98.53% – 2007 Nickname – Iron Man
Cal Ripken will likely be most remembered for his all-time MLB record of 2,632 consecutive games played. He will also be remembered for playing them well. In a 21-season MLB career, Ripken was an All Star 19 times. He was also the AL Rookie of the Year in 1982 and twice was the league’s Most Valuable Player (1983, 1991). He collected 3,184 hits (.276 lifetime average), 431 home runs, 1,695 RBI and 1,647 runs scored. He won eight Silver Slugger Awards (as the best offensive player at his position) and two Gold Gloves (as the best defensive player at his position). Ripken played his entire career (1981-2001) with the Orioles.
Cal Ripken fact: In 1991, Cal Ripken Jr. won the All Star Game Home Run Derby (and was the AS Game MVP).
4. Ty Cobb (OF) – 98.23% – 1936 Nickname – The Georgia Peach
A member of the HOF’s inaugural class, Ty Cobb holds MLB’s highest career batting average (among qualified players) at .366, is second all-time in hits (4,189) and runs scored (2,246). Cobb won an MLB-record 12 batting titles (including nine in a row from 1907 to 1915). He hit over .400 three times (1911, 1912, 1922). In addition to his batting titles, Cobb led the league in hits eight times, runs five times, doubles three times, triples four times, home runs once, RBI four times and stolen bases six times. Cobb played for the Tigers (1905-26) and the Athletics (1927-28).
Ty Cobb fact: Ty Cobb stole home an MLB-record 54 times.
5. George Brett (3B) – 98.18% – 1999 Nickname – Mullet
A .305 lifetime hitter (21 seasons), George Brett collected 3,105 hits and three batting crowns – including a high of .390 in 1980. Brett was a thirteen-time All Star and the 1980 AL Most Valuable Player. In addition to his three batting titles, Brett led the league in hits three times, doubles twice, triples three times. He finished with 317 home runs, 1,596 RBI and 1,583 runs scored. Brett played his entire MLB career (1973-93) for the Royals.
George Brett fact: George Brett is the only MLBer to win a batting title in three different decades (1976, 1980, 1990).
6. Hank Aaron (OF) – 97.83% – 1982 Nickname(s) – The Hammer, Hamerin’ Hank
Hank Aaron stands number-two on the all-time home run list with 755 round trippers, and number-one in RBI (2,297), extra base hits (1,477) and total bases (6,856). He was an All Star in 21 of his 23 seasons and the 1957 NL Most Valuable Player. Aaron led his league in batting average twice, home runs four times, RBI four times, doubles four times, hits twice, runs scored three times and total bases eight times. He also earned three Gold Glove Awards. Aaron is one of only two players with 500 home runs (755), 3,000 hits (3,771) and a .300 batting average (.305). (The other is Willie Mays.) Aaron played for the Braves (1954-74) and Brewers (1975-76).
Hank Aaron fact: Hank Aaron and fellow Brave and HOFer Eddie Mathews hit more home runs while teammates (863) than any other duo – edging out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (859).
7. Tony Gwynn (OF) – 97.61% – 2007 Nickname(s) – Mr. Padre, Captain Video
Tony Gwynn was fifteen-time All Star in his 20-season career. A lifetime .338 hitter, Gwynn was an eight-time batting champion, as well as a five-time Gold Glover. He led the NL in hits seven times (topping 200 in five seasons) and runs once. He hit 135 home runs, scored 1,383 runs and drove in 1,138. He collected 3,141 hits – all for the Padres (1982-2001).
Tony Gwynn fact: Tony Gwynn put the bat on the ball, striking out only 434 times in 20 seasons (10,232 plate appearances). In his career, he only struck out more than once in a game 34 times.
8. Randy Johnson (LHP) – 97.26% – 2015 Nickname – The Big Unit
The 6’ 10” Randy Johnson won 303 games (166 losses), with a 3.29 ERA, over 22 seasons. He finished his career second all-time in strikeouts (4,875) and led his league in whiffs nine times (topping 300 in a season six times). He was a 20-game winner twice, leading the NL with 24 wins in 2002. Johnson won the Cy Young Award five times, including four consecutive seasons (1999-2002). He also led his league in winning percentage four times, ERA four times, complete games five times and shutouts twice. The ten-time All Star threw two no-hitters (one a perfect game). Johnson pitched for the Expos (1988-99); Mariners (1989-98); Astros (1998); Diamondbacks (1999-2004, 2007-08); Yankees (2005-06); and Giants (2009).
Randy Johnson fact: Randy Johnson is one of only three pitchers to win the Cy Young Award in both the American and National League (Pedro Martinez and Gaylord Perry are the others).
9. Greg Maddux (RHP) – 97.20% – 2014 Nickname(s) – Mad Dog, The Professor
Greg Maddux won 355 games (227) losses, with a 3.16 ERA over 23 MLB seasons. He was an eight-time All Star and won four consecutive Cy Young Awards (1992-95). He also won more Gold Glove Awards than any other player in MLB history (18). He led his league in wins three times, winning percentage twice, ERA four times, games started seven times, complete games three times and shutouts five times. Maddux pitched for the Cubs (1986-92, 2004-2006); Braves (1993-2003); Dodgers 2006, 2008); and Padres (2008).
Greg Maddux fact: While Maddux finished with 3,371 regular season strikeouts, he only reached 200 whiffs in a season once.
10. Mike Schmidt (3B) – 96.52% – 1995 Nickname – Schmitty
Mike Schmidt pounded out 548 home runs in 18 big league seasons – and also earned ten Gold Gloves at third base. The twelve-time All Star was the NL Most Valuable Player three times (1980, 1981, 1986). He led the NL in home runs eight times and RBI four times. A career .267 hitter, Schmidt finished with 548 home runs, 1,595 RBI and 1,506 runs scored. Schmidt played his entire MLB career (1972-89) for the Phillies.
Mike Schmidt fact: On April 17, 1976, Schmidt tied an MLB record by hitting four home runs in a single game – driving in eight runs as the Phillies topped the Cubs 18-16 in ten innings at Wrigley Field.
11. Johnny Bench (C) – 96.42% – 1989 Nickname – Little General
In his 17-season MLB career, Johnny Bench was an All Star 14 times, was twice the NL MVP (1970, 1972) and was the World Series MVP in 1976. He was also the NL rookie of the Year in 1968, when (as a 20-year old), he hit .275, with 15 home runs and 82 RBI – while also earning a Gold Glove at catcher. Bench went on to hit 389 home runs (leading the NL twice) and earn a total of ten Gold Gloves. He finished his career with a .267 average, 1,091 runs scored and 1,376 RBI (leading the league in that category three times). Bench played his entire career (1967-83) with the Reds.
Johnny Bench fact: Johnny Bench was the first catcher to win a Rookie of the Year Award and the first rookie catcher to win a Gold Glove.
12. Steve Carlton (LHP) – 95.82% – 1994 Nickname – Lefty
Steve Carlton won 329 games (244 losses), with a 3.22 ERA over a 24-year MLB career. He was a ten-time All Star and won a total of four Cy Young Awards (1972, 1977, 1980, 1982). Carlton led the NL in wins four times, winning percentage once, ERA once, complete games three times and strikeouts five times (a high of 310 in 1972). He is one of only four pitchers to surpass 4,000 strike outs (4,136). Carlton pitched for the Cardinals (1965-71); Phillies (1972-86); Giants (1986); White Sox (1986); Indians (1987); and Twins (1987-88).
Steve Carlton fact: In 1972, Steve Carlton won an MLB-record 46 percent of his team’s games – going 27-10, 1.97 for a last-place Phillies’ team that finished at 59-97. That season, Carlton led the NL in wins, ERA, games started (41), complete games (30), innings pitched (346 1/3), and strikeouts (310).
13. Babe Ruth (OF/P) – 95.13% – 1936 Nickname(s) – Babe, The Bambino, The sultan of Swat
Babe Ruth made his mark first as a pitcher and then as the game’s first true power hitter. As a pitcher, Ruth went 94-46, with a 2.28 ERA in 163 games (147 starts) – including two twenty-plus victory seasons (23-12 in 1916 and 24-13 in 1917 for the Red Sox). In 1916, he led the AL in ERA (1.75), games started (40) and shutouts (9) – with 23 complete games and 323 2/3 innings pitched. He threw 300+ innings again the following season (326 1/3) and led the league in complete games (35). He also ran up a 3-0 post season (World Series) record, giving up just three runs in 31 post-seasons innings (1.06 ERA.)
At the plate, converting to the outfield full-time, Ruth proved even more powerful than he was on the mound. In a twenty-two season MLB career, Ruth hit .342, with 714 home runs, 2,214 RBI and 2,174 runs scored. Ruth led the AL in home runs twelve times, runs scored eight times, RBI six times and batting average once. In 41 World Series games, he hit .326, with 15 home runs and 33 RBI. Ruth played for the Red Sox (1914-19); Yankees (1920-34); and Braves (1935).
Babe Ruth fact: Among pitchers with at least twenty decisions against the Yankees, Babe Ruth has the top winning percentage at .773 (17-5) – all while with the Red Sox.
14. Honus Wagner (SS) – 95.13% – 1936 Nickname – The Flying Dutchman
In his 21-season MLB career, Honus Wagner captured eight batting titles (tied for the most in the NL with Tony Gwynn). He also led the NL in RBI five times, runs scored twice, hits twice, stolen bases five times, doubles seven times, triples three times and total bases six times. Overall, Wagner collected 3,320 hits (a .328 career average), 101 home runs, 1,733 RBI, 1,739 runs scored, 643 doubles, 252 triples and 722 (or 723 depending on the source) stolen bases. Wagner played for the Louisville Colonels (1897-99) and Pirates (1900-17).
Honus Wagner fact: While primarily a shortstop, Honus Wagner – a gifted and versatile athlete – played every position except catcher during his career.
So, there’s a look at the Hall of Fames “95-percenters.” Now, if you are into the rounding of percentages, there are three more players who would have made the cut – all outfielders and all elected in a year ending in “nine”: Ricky Henderson (94.81 percent, 2009); Willie Mays (94.68%, 1979); and Carl Yastrzemski (94.67 percent 1989).
A side note: BBRT’s HOF predictions (made by in early December – see the BBRT Hall of Fame Post here.) were pretty close. BBRT predicted Johnson, Martinez, Biggio and Smoltz would be elected by the writers – and that they would finish 1-2-3-4 as listed. The quartet was elected, but they finished 1-2-4-3. BBRT also projected Mike Piazza would gain some traction, but finish fifth in the voting and fall short of election (with 66-68 percent of the votes.) Piazza finished fifth at 69.9 percent.
