January 26, 2022:
“Big Papi” is headed to Cooperstown.
Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame his first time on the ballot. Home run king Barry Bonds and all-time great pitcher Roger Clemens were denied entry during their last year of eligibility.
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Ortiz, who was named on 77.9% of ballots on Tuesday night, played 20 seasons in the majors, was a 10-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion. Ortiz batted .286 with 541 career home runs during his time with the Red Sox and Minnesota Twins.
Ortiz had 23 game-ending hits in his career, three of which came during the 2004 postseason when the Red Sox ended their 86-year World Series drought.
He is the fourth designated hitter to be voted into the Hall of Fame – Edgar Martinez, Frank Thomas, and Harold Baines are the other members of the Hall of Fame. Ortiz is also the fourth player born in the Dominican Republic to make it to the Hall of Fame, joining Juan Marichal, Pedro Martinez, and Vladimir Guerrero.
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Ortiz will be enshrined in Cooperstown, New York, on July 24 along with era committee selections Buck O’Neil, Minnie Miñoso, Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, and Bud Fowler.
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Bonds, Clemens, and Curt Schilling were all denied in their 10th and final year on the ballot. Bonds is Major League Baseball’s home run leader, and Clemens won a record seven Cy Young Awards during his career. Bonds got 66% of the vote and Clemens was at 65.2%. Schilling, who asked the Hall of Fame to remove him from this year’s voting, was named on 58.6% of ballots.
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Bonds, Clemens, and Schilling are done on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot, but they will be considered again next year by the Today’s Game era committee. The 16-person committee of Hall members, executives, and veteran media members will convene next December to consider players who played between 1988-2016 who are no longer eligible for BBWAA selection.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.