European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 9, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Hall welcomes 2 Seaver sets vote record at 98.8% fingers also in the stars and stripes Orts january 9,1992 b Page 24 i per previous High was set in 1936 by Tycobb with 98.23 percent in a a by Jim Donaghy new York apr Tom Seaver set the record tuesday night that everyone once thought would belong to Pete Rose. Seaver who turned the new York mets from a lovable loser into a formidable Force was elected to the Hall of Fame in a record vote along with Rollie fingers while the banned Rose received 41 write in ballots that did no to count. Seaver 311-205 lifetime was named on 425 of the 430 ballots for a record 98.8 percent of the vote. The Lingl the first year of balloting. Fingers the career saves Leader with 341, was named on 349 ballots for 81.1 percent. A total of 323 votes were required for the 75 percent needed for election in balloting by the baseball writers association of America. A you never know what a going to happen a said fingers the first Pitcher to make the Hall of Fame with a losing record at 114-118. A last year people kept saying a i was in. I was in. I was  and then i Wasny to. In a glad its Over with to Tell you the truth.�?�. Orlando Cepeda Fin Rollie fingers shed third with 246 votes followed by Tony Perez 215bill Mazeroski 182tony Oliva 175 and Ron Santo 136. It was Mazeroski a last time on the ballot. Three voters Bob Hertzel of the Pittsburgh press free Lance writer Bob Hunter and Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia daily news returned Blank ballots. Two writers Deane Mcgowen and Bud Tucker did not vote for Seaver. A i just ordinarily done to vote for Guys on the first year of eligibility a said Mcgowen who retired from the new York times 10 years ago. A i know seavers going to get in and he deserves it. A that was my Way to emphasize that Rose should be on there a said Hunter who also wrote in roses name. A otherwise i would have had Seaver on  Seaver is the 23rd player elected in the first year of eligibility not including the inaugural class of 1936. When Seaver and Rose retired following the 1986 season fans looked ahead to what promised to be one of the biggest Days Ever at Cooperstown with the two superstars walking in together. They even talked about the Prospect As teammates with the Cincinnati reds. But All that was dashed when Rose was banned from baseball for gambling by then commissioner Bart Gia Matti on aug. 23, 1989. The Board of directors of the Hall of Fame then decided to erase roses name from their ballot even though his uniform and bats still hang in their Hall. The Hall of Fame voting is conducted by 10-year members of the a Baa and several writers were upset that the Board of directors of the Hall voted last year to bar roses name from the ballot because he is on the permanent ineligible list. Roses plan is to eventually ask commissioner Fay Vincent to be reinstated. If he is he would be eligible to be placed on the Hall of Fame ballot. Seaver won three by Young awards for the mets pitched 61 shutouts and struck out 3,640, third on the career list behind Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton. From 1967 to 1977, Seaver won 25 percent of the Metsy games. He is the career mets Leader in games 401starts 395complete games 171wins 198innings pitched 3,045.1era 2.57strikeouts 2,541 and shutouts 44. Seavers greatest single game feat came april 22, 1970, when the right hander set a major league record with 10 consecutive strikeouts against san Diego and Hall of Fame voting statistics on Page 19 finished with 19 in the game. Some of his greatest moments however did no to even come in a mets uniform. He pitched his Only no hitter on june 16, 1978, against St. Louis while pitching for Cincinnati. On april 18, 1981, he became the fifth Pitcher in major league history to strike out 3,000 batters again while pitching for the reds and on aug. 4,1985, while pitching for the Chicago White sox at Yankee stadium he won his 300th game. But seavers Best night on the Mound might have been july 9, 1969, when he came close to perfection against the Chicago cubs. A if i had to i _. _ together As perfectly As i could have wanted it was the lad to pick one game where everything came near perfect game against the cubs that Jimmy Qualls broke up with one out in the ninth inning a Seaver said. Seaver is the first Home grown met to make the Hall of Fame although there Are others a such As Willie Mays and Warren Spahn a who have worn mets uniforms and Are in the Hall. After a contract disagreement in 1977, Seaver requested a Trade and was dealt to the reds on july 15. The reds sent Seaver Back to the mets on dec. 16, 1982, and he went 9-14 with a 3.55 Era in 1983. Fingers was known not Only for twisting pitches but also for his twisting Handlebar Mustache. He was a sub-.500 Pitcher As a starter before he found his Niche. Fingers finished in 1985 with a career record of 114-118 and a 2.90 Era pitching nine seasons for Oakland four for san Diego and four for Milwaukee. He has 14 saves More than his closest bullpen rival Jeff Reardon. Fingers joins Hoyt Wilhelm As the Only Relief pitchers in Cooperstown. Tom Seaver collected 425 of 430 Hall of Fame  s Day of Fame passes him by new York a this was the Day Pete Rose waited 24 years for. The career Leader in hits once said �?o4,256 hits 2,200 runs. That Sall i did. In a a Hall of  no he Isnit. On a Day Tom Seaver entered the Hall of Fame with a record 98.8 percent of the vote 425.of 430 and Rollie fingers was elected too Rose was locked out. Rose got 41 write in votes but they did no to count. A i would like to congratulate Tom Seaver and Rollie fingers on their election to baseball a flail of Fame a Rose said in a statement issued by his business manager Cal Levy. A a in a disappointed that my Good Friend and former teammate Tony Perez was not elected this year. I Hope that his election will come in the not too Distant  the doors of Cooperstown slammed shut on Rose last year when the Halls directors voted 12-0 to bar the banned Star from its ballot. Rose would have been on ballot for the first time in 1992, right there with Seaver and fingers. A was to reports of write in votes on my behalf 1 have expressed in the past my Hope that members of the baseball writers association would not use the voting process in a Way that would Hurt anyone a chances of being elected a Rose said. A selection to the Hall of Fame is the ultimate Honor a baseball player can receive. 1 am hopeful that i will someday be in a position to be  while the Rule adopted does not specifically mention Rose the former Cincinnati reds player and manager is the Only living person on the permanently ineligible list. Rose can become eligible for the Hall ballot Only if the baseball commissioner reinstates him by december 2005. None of the previous 14 individuals banned from baseball were reinstated. A the directors Felt that it would be incongruous to have a person who has been declared ineligible by baseball to be eligible for baseball a highest Honor a Hall of Fame president de stack said. A it follows that if such individual is reinstated by baseball then such individual would be a candidate for  Rose was placed on baseball a ineligible list on aug. 23, 1989, by the late commissioner a. Bartlett Giamatti. The commissioner concluded after a six month investigation that Rose bet on baseball games including those involving the reds. Rose a three time National league batting Champion and its most valuable player in 1973, had been considered an Odds on favorite for first year election until the investigation that led to his banishment. However former Al president Lee Macphail and current president Bobby inside sports baseball a free agent signings a Page 19 Ben Abrams prep Pickle a so Page 21 blazers coach unhappy with Victory a Page 22 Gallego leaves a a for Yankees a Page 23 Brown proposed the Rule to keep Rose off the ballot. No write in votes Are permitted under the rules of election but some writers did so As a protest Over Rose being removed without their approval