Cal Ripken, Jr. & Tony Gwynn in Hall of Fame

[Jim Colyer]

Cal Ripken, Jr. & Tony Gwynn were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Ripken got 98.53% of the 545 ballots; Gwynn got 97.6%. Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's streak by playing in 2,632 consecutive games. Gwynn won 8 batting titles. Both got over 3,000 hits. The disappointment was Mark McGwire. McGwire hit 70 home runs in 1998 and finished with 583 but only got 23.5% of the votes because of suspected steroid use and his reluctance to talk before Congress. The Baseball Writers of America do the voting. 75% of their votes are required for election. McGwire did get enough to remain on the ballot. A candidate may stay on the ballot up to 15 years. Ripken & Gwynn will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, on July 29.