12/08/25 04:21:00
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12/08 16:20 CST Hall of Fame chair thinks Bonds, Clemens denied entry by
committee for same views held by writers
Hall of Fame chair thinks Bonds, Clemens denied entry by committee for same
views held by writers
By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) --- With Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens facing only one more
chance under the current rules to get into baseball's Hall of Fame, the Hall
chairman thinks they were turned down because contemporary era committee
members evaluate the Steroids Era in the same manner as baseball writers.
Bonds and Clemens each received fewer than five votes Sunday from the committee
that elected Jeff Kent.
"I'm not surprised because I think there's overlap and obviously discussions
among the writers and we have writers represented on that committee," Hall
chairman Jane Forbes Clark said Monday following a news conference with Kent at
the winter meetings.
Under a change announced by the Hall last March, candidates who received fewer
than five votes from the 16-person panel are not eligible for that committee's
ballot during the next three-year cycle. A candidate who is dropped, later
reappears on a ballot and again receives fewer than five votes would be barred
from future ballot appearances.
That means if Bonds and Clemens reappear on the contemporary era ballot in 2031
and fail to get five votes, they would be barred from future appearances unless
the rules are changed.
"What's lovely about it is it's going to open up spots on the ballot so that
more people can be reviewed," Clark said. "They certainly can come back in six
years, in ?31, but between now and then some other people will have a chance
because I think that's really important."
Under the Hall's committee format, contemporary era players from 1980 on
alternates over three years with the classic era and contemporary era managers,
executives and umpires.
A seven-time NL MVP and 14-time All-Star outfielder, Bonds set the career home
run record with 762 and the season record with 73 in 2001. A seven-time Cy
Young Award winner, Clemens went 354-184 with a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts,
third behind Nolan Ryan (5,714) and Randy Johnson (4,875).
Bonds has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs and Clemens
maintains he never used PEDs.
Bonds and Clemens fell short in 2022 in their 10th and final appearances on the
BBWAA ballot, when Bonds received 260 of 394 votes (66%) and Clemens 257
(65.2%).
In their first appearance on the contemporary era committee ballot, Bonds and
Clemens each received fewer than four votes in December 2022 as Fred McGriff
was elected.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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