Baseball Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made significant contributions to baseball . Members include players, managers, executives, and umpires. The full name of the institution is the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. It is in Cooperstown , New York, the traditional birthplace of baseball in 1839.
Members are elected to the Hall of Fame by two committees. Recently retired players are elected to the Hall of Fame each year by ten-year members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. To be eligible, ballplayers must have spent at least 10 seasons in the majors and been retired for 5 years, though exceptions are made in the case of severe injury or sudden death (see Clemente, Roberto). Eligible players remain on the Hall of Fame ballot for 10 years, after which they can gain entry only through the Eras Committees (formerly the Veterans Committee). The Eras Committees, which also elect nonplayers to the Hall of Fame, are made up of former executives, managers, media members, players, and umpires. To be elected, a Hall of Fame candidate must receive votes on 75 percent of the ballots cast. Members are inducted into the Hall of Fame the year after they are elected.
The museum features displays on baseball history, including the World Series, women’s baseball, and the game’s greatest moments. The Hall of Fame Gallery honors members with individual plaques. A theater presents multimedia shows.
The Hall of Fame was founded in 1936. In that year, a special committee appointed by the commissioner of baseball selected five players— Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson. The facility in Cooperstown was established in 1939.
