Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2004 proceeded in keeping with rules enacted in 2001. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) held an election to select from recent players; Dennis Eckersley and Paul Molitor gained induction to the Hall.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2002 proceeded in keeping with rules enacted in 2001. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) held an election to select from among recent players; Ozzie Smith was elected.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1996 followed the system in use since 1995. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players but no one tallied the necessary 75% support.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1992 followed the system in place since 1978. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players and elected two, Rollie Fingers and Tom Seaver. The Veterans Committee met in closed sessions to consider older major league players as well as managers, umpires, executives, and figures from the Negro Leagues. It selected two, Bill McGowan and Hal Newhouser. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on August 2, 1992.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2009 proceeded according to revised rules enacted in 2001 and further revamped in 2007. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) held an election to select from among recent players, and elected Jim Rice and Rickey Henderson.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1951 followed the same rules as 1950. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted once by mail to select from major league players retired less than 25 years. It elected two, Jimmie Foxx and Mel Ott. Meanwhile, the Old-Timers Committee, with jurisdiction over earlier players and other figures, did not meet. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on July 23, 1951, with National League president Ford Frick in attendance.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1984 followed the system in place since 1978. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players and elected three: Luis Aparicio, Don Drysdale, and Harmon Killebrew. The Veterans Committee met in closed sessions to consider older major league players as well as managers, umpires, executives, and figures from the Negro Leagues. It selected two players, Rick Ferrell and Pee Wee Reese. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on August 12, 1984.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1952 followed the same rules as 1951. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted once by mail to select from major league players retired less than 25 year and elected two, Harry Heilmann and Paul Waner. Meanwhile, the Old-Timers Committee, with jurisdiction over earlier players and other figures, did not meet. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on July 21, 1952, with Commissioner of Baseball Ford Frick and National League president Warren Giles in attendance.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1953 followed a radically new procedure. The institution appointed its Committee on Baseball Veterans, the famous "Veterans Committee", to meet in person and consider pioneers and executives, managers, umpires, and earlier major league players. Committees in the 1930s and 1940s had chosen several pioneers and executives, but this was the first direction of anyone's attention to field personnel other than players, the managers and umpires.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1975 followed the system in place since 1971. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players and elected Ralph Kiner. The Veterans Committee met in closed sessions to consider executives, managers, umpires, and earlier major league players. It selected three people: Earl Averill, Bucky Harris, and Billy Herman. The Negro Leagues Committee also met in person and selected Judy Johnson. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on August 18, 1975, with Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn presiding.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1974 followed the system in place since 1971. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players and elected two, Whitey Ford and Mickey Mantle. The Veterans Committee met in closed sessions to consider executives, managers, umpires, and earlier major league players. It selected three people: Jim Bottomley, Jocko Conlan, and Sam Thompson. The Negro Leagues Committee also met in person and selected Cool Papa Bell. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on August 12, 1974, with Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn presiding.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1973 followed the system in place since 1971, plus the special election of Roberto Clemente, who had died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players and elected Warren Spahn. The Veterans Committee met in closed sessions to consider executives, managers, umpires, and earlier major league players. It selected three people: Billy Evans, George Kelly, and Mickey Welch. The Negro Leagues Committee also met in person and selected Monte Irvin. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on August 6, 1973, with Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn presiding.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1972 followed the system established one year earlier. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players and elected three: Yogi Berra, Sandy Koufax, and Early Wynn. The Veterans Committee met in closed sessions to consider executives, managers, umpires, and earlier major league players. It also selected three people: Lefty Gomez, Will Harridge, and Ross Youngs. The Negro Leagues Committee met for the second time and selected Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on August 7, 1972, with Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn presiding.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1970 followed the system of annual elections in place since 1968. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players and elected Lou Boudreau. The Veterans Committee met in closed sessions to consider executives, managers, umpires, and earlier major league players. It selected three people: Earle Combs, Ford Frick, and Jesse Haines. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on July 27, 1970, with Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn presiding.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1969 followed the system reintroduced in 1968. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted once by mail to select from recent major league players and elected two, Roy Campanella and Stan Musial. The Veterans Committee met in closed sessions to consider executives, managers, umpires, and earlier major league players. It selected two players, Stan Coveleski and Waite Hoyt. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on July 28, 1969, with Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn presiding.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1968 followed rules revised in June 1967, which returned the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) to annual elections without any provision for a runoff. In the event, the BBWAA voted once by mail to select from recent major league players, and elected Joe Medwick. The Veterans Committee met in closed sessions to consider executives, managers, umpires, and earlier major league players. It selected two players, Kiki Cuyler and Goose Goslin. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on July 22, 1968, with Commissioner of Baseball William Eckert presiding.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1964 followed the system introduced for even-number years in 1962. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players with provision for a second, "runoff" election in the event of no player receiving enough votes for induction. The runoff was necessary this year, with Luke Appling the winner. Further, the eligibility of retired players was reduced from having retired 30 years prior to election to 20 years prior.
Elections to Baseball Hall of Fame for 1960 followed a system established after the 1956 election. The Veterans Committee was meeting only in odd-numbered years. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players, and as had been the case in 1958, it elected no one. For the third time, the induction ceremonies in Cooperstown, New York, were canceled because there was no one to induct. It was also the last time until 2013 that there were no living inductees.
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1955 followed a system established for odd-number years in 1953. The eligibility of retired players was extended; previously, a player could not be on the BBWAA ballot if he had retired more than 25 years prior. The ballot could now include those who had been retired for up to 30 years.
Elections to the National Baseball Hall of Fame for 2011 proceeded according to the rules revised in July 2010. As in the past, the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from a ballot of recently retired players. The new Expansion Era Committee, which replaced the Veterans Committee, convened in December 2010 to select from an Expansion Era ballot of long-retired players and non-playing personnel who made their greatest contributions to the sport from 1973 to the present time, called the "Expansion Era" by the Hall of Fame.
