A year ago, Barry Larkin, the former Cincinnati Reds shortstop, a 12-time All-Star and NL MVP in 1995, came in third in the Baseball Writers' Association of America's balloting for entry into the Hall of Fame.
Larkin, the first shortstop to join the 30-30 club when he hit 33 homers and stole 36 bases in 1996 - he has 198 career home runs - received 361 votes (62.1%). Roberto Alomar (523 votes, 90.0%) and Bert Blyleven (463, 79.7%) were elected in 2011.
Larkin will find out Monday, Jan. 9 if he is joining the game's best. That's when the results of the 69th BBWAA Hall of Fame election will be revealed at 3 p.m. ET. MLB Network will carry the announcement live as National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum President Jeff Idelson delivers the results. The announcement will also be simulcast on MLB.com and at baseballhall.org.
The 2012 BBWAA ballot features 27 players, including 13 new candidates and 14 returnees. Among the first-time candidates are Bernie Williams and Bill Mueller. Balloting took place in December.
To make the trip to Cooperstown a candidate needs at least 75 percent of all ballots cast to join Golden Era Committee electee Ron Santo as a member of the Class of 2012, which will be enshrined July 22 as part of the July 20-23 Induction Weekend. For more information, visit www.baseballhall.org.
Among the players who will be eligible in future elections are: 2013: Craig Biggio, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa; 2014: Tom Glavine, Jeff Kent, Greg Maddux, Mike Mussina, Hideo Nomo, Frank Thomas; 2015: Nomar Garciaparra, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz; 2016: Ken Griffey Jr., Trevor Hoffman, Andy Pettitte, Billy Wagner. Baseball's so-called "Steroid Era" will come to the forefront again in next year's elections, especially with Bonds' name on the ballot. Bonds' 762 career home runs and 73 in 2001 leads baseball. In December 2011 he received a 30-day sentence to be served at home for misleading grand jurors during an investigation of doping in sports. He is appealing his obstruction of justice conviction.
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In Philadelphia baseball news, two Phillies players are being added to the The Phillies Mural, according to a team press release.
Catcher Carlos Ruiz and former left fielder Greg “The Bull” Luzinski have been selected by nearly 10,000 fans who cast their vote on phillies.com to be included in The Phillies Mural, an eight-story mural created by artist David McShane and the Mural Arts Program that celebrates the history of the Philadelphia Phillies.
The duo was selected out of six Phillies greats who were in the running to be on the mural, thanks to thousands of write-in suggestions by fans on phillies.com. The other top candidates submitted by fans included Johnny Callison, Del Ennis, John Kruk and Jim Thome.
“With an overwhelming 10,000 votes cast – and the final Phillies Mural great too close to call – we consulted with the artist and collectively decided to include the two top selections as made by our fans,” said Michael Harris, director, Marketing and Special Projects for the Phillies, in the press release. “Carlos Ruiz and Greg Luzinski are both wonderful additions to this incredibly special and unique mural.”
The final images now featured in The Phillies Mural, which is set to be unveiled next summer, include (listed in order of appearance, from top left to right: Brad Lidge, Charlie Manuel, Mitch Williams, Cole Hamels, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Larry Bowa, Darren Daulton, Dallas Green, Tug McGraw, Ed Delahanty, Mike Schmidt, Ryan Howard, Chuck Klein, Tony Taylor, Dick Allen, Shibe Park, Jim Bunning, Veterans Stadium, Roy Halladay, Citizens Bank Park, Robin Roberts, Harry Kalas, Richie Ashburn, Steve Carlton, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Greg Luzinski, the Phillie Phanatic and Carlos Ruiz.
In September 2011, the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and the Phillies unveiled the design of a brand new Center City mural celebrating the history of the Philadelphia Phillies – the oldest, continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in professional sports.
Set to be completed this summer, The Phillies Mural will tower eight stories high and face the Schuylkill River and I-76 Schuylkill Expressway, and be located on a 24th & Walnut Street building.
For more details, including information, visit phillies.com/mural or muralarts.org.
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