Johnson, Martinez, Smoltz, Biggio Elected To Baseball Hall

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Published on January 7 2015 2:38 am
Last Updated on January 7 2015 2:38 am
Written by Millie Lange

(New York, NY) -- Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio are the newest members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Those four make up the 2015 class elected to Cooperstown, with Johnson, Martinez and Smoltz getting in on the first ballot

It's the first time four players have been elected in the same year since 1955. Johnson received 97.3-percent of the vote from the Baseball Writers' Association, Martinez got 91.1-percent, Smoltz 82.9-percent and Biggio 82.7-percent. Players need at least 75-percent of the vote for election. This year's class will be inducted on July 26th.

Johnson was a five-time Cy Young Award winner who won 303 games over 22 seasons and ranks second on the all-time strikeout list behind only Nolan Ryan.  Martinez was a three-time Cy Young winner with 219 career victories over 18 seasons. His .687 career winning percentage is the sixth-best in major league history. Smoltz won 213 games while also recording 154 saves in 21 seasons, all but one with the Atlanta Braves. Biggio got in on his third try after falling just two votes shy of election last year. He was a seven-time All-Star with 3,060 career hits in 20 seasons, all with the Houston Astros.


Former Cardinals McGwire, Smith, Walker Denied Hall Entry Again

(New York, NY) --  Former Cardinals Mark McGwire, Lee Smith and Larry Walker are still on the outside of the Hall of Fame looking in. All three again fell well short of the 75-percent of the vote needed for election. McGwire got just 10-percent, with Walker getting 11.8-percent and Smith 30.2-percent.