The names of the new members elected to the baseball Hall of Fame has been announced. Making it were Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smolz, all star pitchers who at one time were dominant and key figures for the sport.
Craig Biggio also made it to the 2015 class, his third try after falling short last year.
Johnson was a favorite to make it, being a five-time Cy Young awardee. He amassed 534 of 549 ballots from the members of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Johnson has been into photography ever since he retired from baseball.
Martinez, another favorite to make the elite cast, is a three-time Cy Young winner, becoming only the second player from the Dominican Republic to be named after Juan Marichal back in 1983.
Smoltz got 455 ballots and will now join his Atlanta teammates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine in the Hall of Fame. Both got in last summer. Smolts won the Cy Young in 1996. He also helped the Atlanta reach the World Series five times and won a championship in 1995.
Biggio, the fourth inductee, had 454 ballots, a whole lot better compared to the ones he received last year. To his credit, Biggio amassed 3060 hits in 20 seasons when he suited up for the Houston Astros.
The four will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on July 26. This will mark a rare induction of four players in a single year since it was done 60 years ago. At that time, Joe DiMaggio, Gabby Hartnett, Ted Lyons and Dazzy Vance got the nod.
Many had expected five people to be named but unfortunately only four got the nod. Left out Mike Piazza who came just 28 votes short. The former Mets catcher will have to wait for next year to get his turn.
