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Getting a chance Ozzie, Dawson among baseball Hall candidatesPosted: Thursday November 29, 2001 3:04 PMUpdated: Thursday November 29, 2001 4:43 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Ozzie Smith, Andre Dawson and Frank Viola were among 11 first-time candidates on the Hall of Fame ballot mailed to voters Thursday by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The other newcomers were pitchers Mike Henneman, Jeff Russell and Scott Sanderson; infielders Alan Trammell, Robby Thompson and Tim Wallach; and outfielders Lenny Dykstra and Mike Greenwell. Gary Carter and Jim Rice head the group of 17 holdovers from last year's ballot, when Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield were elected. Carter was selected on 64.8 percent of the ballots, which are sent to 10-year members of the BBWAA, and Rice was on 57.8 percent. Players must be on 75 percent of the ballots to be elected. Smith was a 15-time All-Star known for his superb defense and finished with 2,460 hits and 1,072 walks in 19 seasons.
Dawson, the 1977 NL Rookie of the Year and the 1988 NL Most Valuable Player, hit 438 homers in a 21-season career. He had 1,591 RBIs and won eight Gold Gloves. Viola was the 1987 World Series MVP and 1988 AL Cy Young Award winner, going 176-150 with a 3.73 ERA in 15 seasons. Players with 10 or more seasons who have been retired for five years become eligible for the Hall. Unless elected, a player remains of the ballot for 15 years unless he is picked on less than 5 percent of the votes. Voting runs through Dec. 31 and results are announced Jan. 8. The date for the induction ceremonies has not been set because major league baseball has no schedule for next year while owners, judges and politicians battle over commissioner Bud Selig's plan to eliminate two teams.
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