January 9, 1936 - Hall of Fame now a reality

For years, whenever a player achieved a noteworthy feat, be it over the season or just a good performance in one game, such as a no-hitter, it was said that they had entered baseball's "Hall of Fame". Now, there will be an actual Hall, reserved for only the game's very best.

The idea of formalizing a Hall had been discussed for years, and many details needed to be worked out. For instance, what were the qualifications for admission? Who would determine the entrants? Would there be certain criteria that conferred automatic entry? And, most importantly, where would the physical Hall be built?

Now, the answers can be revealed. The Hall of Fame is a honor reserved for players who performed at a sustained high level for many years. No "one season wonders" or "flashes in the pan" need apply. Indeed, active players are not eligible for enshrinement, but they may be considered once they have retired. In addition, a player must have played in a recognised major league for at least ten years to be eligible for consideration.

As for the criteria, it was decided that certain milestones would not trigger induction into the Hall. Rather, a panel of sportswriters, those who quite possibly have seen more Major League games than any man alive, would vote on those players worthy of the honor. While no single statistic is a factor, the keepers of the Hall have decided that character does count - not good news for those members of the "Black Sox" or others who, despite high individual achievement, have brought the game into disrepute.

Finally, the home of the Hall; sadly, this has yet to be determined. A few cities have been nominated for the honor, but the front-runner is Hoboken, N.J. - the site of the first recognised baseball game with the formalized rules we know today. Advantages, of course, is Hoboken's location in the greater New York area - the recognised center of baseball, with five Major League teams nearby. Other potential sites include Baltimore, Chicago, Brooklyn, and Cooperstown, N.Y., a village in the Finger Lakes region.

Regardless of the site, we now know the identity of the first five members of the Hall of Fame. These five, who have reached the pinnacle of the sport, are perhaps the finest players in the history of the game, and a worthy first class. They are pitchers Denton "Cy" Young and Christy Mathewson, shortstop John "Honus" Wagner, outfielder Ty Cobb and second baseman Napoleon Lajoie. As soon as a site has been selected, these five men will take their rightful place as Baseball's Immortals.