Two players have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame - one on his first year on the ballot and the other on his final year on the ballot.
New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter received a near unanimous selection earning all but one vote (99.7%). Larry Walker, who played 17 seasons with the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies and the St. Louis Cardinals, finally reached Cooperstown with 76.6% of the vote. Walker becomes the second Canadian enshrined into the Hall. Ferguson Jenkins was the first nearly 30 years ago in 1991.
Jeter's credentials are well known - five World Series rings, five Gold Gloves, 14 time AL All-Star and 3,465 hits. For those who begrudge Jeter not getting 100% like Mariano Rivera let's remember Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle didn't get 100% of the vote while Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra didn't get in on the first ballot.
For his part, Walker jokingly said he felt like a B-side of a record when asked about being inducted with Jeter. But Walker's career is music to anyone's ear - a NL MVP, 3 NL batting titles and 7 Gold Gloves.
Jeter and Walker will join Ted Simmons, the late MLBPA Executive Director Marvin Miller, former Chicago White Sox broadcaster Ken Harrelson and the late Boston Red Sox beat writer Nick Cafardo on July 27th.
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