Derek Jeter and Larry Walker Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

Derek Jeter and Larry Walker have been elected for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown on July 26th. Voting was done by the Baseball Writers Association of America Jeter played his entire career with the New York Yankees.  Walker played with the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals.

Jeter garnered 396 out of a possible 397 votes.  There was much anticipation about Jeter getting in with a unanimous vote but fell one shy.  Jeter's teammate Mariano Rivera who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last summer is the only inductee to be named on every ballot. The long-time Yankees'captain finished his career with 3,465 hits, sixth on the Major League's all-time hit list.  A 14-time All-Star Jeter helped the Yankees win five World Series Championships.

Walker earned 76.6 percent of the votes, six votes over the needed number required for entry. For selection the nominee must receive at least 75 percent of the votes. He was in his tenth and final year of eligibility. The standout  right fielder was the 1997 National League Most Valuable Player and becomes just the second Canadian-born inductee.  Ferguson Jenkins was the first. Walker played 17 seasons in the Major Leagues and finished with a .313 batting average. He hit 383 home runs and was a five-time all-Star.

Jeter and Walker will be joined by eight-time All-Star catcher Ted Simmons and union leader Marvin Miller who were selected by the Modern Era committee last month.  Falling short was pitcher Curt Schilling who received 70 percent of the voting.  Pitcher Roger Clemens received 61 percent of the submitted ballots while Barry Bonds appeared on 60.7 percent of the balloting.