Derek Jeter, Larry Walker elected to baseball Hall of Fame

NEW YORK (AP) — Derek Jeter came within one vote of being a unanimous pick for the Hall of Fame while Larry Walker also earned baseball's highest honor on Tuesday.

The longtime New York Yankees captain appeared on 396 of 397 ballots cast by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, falling just shy of the standard set when longtime Yankees teammate Mariano Rivera became the first unanimous selection last year. Jeter's 99.7% moved above Ken Griffey Jr. (99.3%) for the second-highest.

“I was speechless when I got the call,” Jeter said. “Quite frankly, I was pretty nervous, and when I got it I really didn't know what to say.”

It was not immediately known which voter didn't choose Jeter, who was listed on all 219 ballots made public before the announcement. The BBWAA will release additional ballots on Feb. 4 of writers who chose a public listing.

“I don't like to jinx anything,” Jeter said. “No one assumes they're going to go to the Hall of Fame.”

Walker appeared on 304 ballots, six above the 75% needed, up from 54.6% last year. He was making his 10th and final appearance on the BBWAA ballot and tweeted earlier in the day “I believe I’m going to come up a little short today.”

Pitcher Curt Schilling was third with 278 votes (70%) in his eighth ballot appearance, an increase from 60.9% but still 20 votes shy. The steroids-tainted pair of Roger Clemens (61%) and Barry Bonds (60.7%) both showed slight increases. Bonds rose from 59.1% last year and Clemens from 59.5%.

Jeter and Walker will be inducted on July 26 at the Hall in Cooperstown along with catcher Ted Simmons and former players’ association head Marvin Miller, who were voted in last month by the Hall’s Modern Era Committee.

A five-time World Series champion, Jeter became a face of...

source https://www.chron.com/news/article/Derek-Jeter-Larry-Walker-elected-to-baseball-14993301.php