Other Crap

Why didn't Joe DiMaggio get into the HOF in his first year of eligibility?

Historical Hall of Fame eligibility is one of the most widely misreported areas of information.

Point one: the five-year waiting period was not in effect for the first 18 years of the Hall's existence. The Hall of Fame had no waiting period at all from 1936-1946. Active players could and did receive votes, although the practice was discouraged after the first election in 1936. From 1946-1954, the Hall of Fame had a one-year waiting period. It was not until 1954 (affecting the 1955 election) that the modern five year rule was instituted.

Point two: in those days a player who hung up his spikes found himself competing against many all-time greats who were still backlogged for induction.

DiMaggio retired after the 1951 season, so was not eligible for the 1952 election. He first became eligible in 1953, and was competing against Dizzy Dean, Al Simmons, Bill Terry, Bill Dickey and other beloved old-timers. The writers placed the Clipper respectfully high on the queue, but those other guys had been waiting for many years, so DiMaggio had to bide his time. He finished eighth in 1953 and moved up to fourth in 1954 when he was mentioned on 69% of the ballots, just short of the 75% necessary for induction.

DiMaggio was a lock for election in 1955 since there was nobody new to compete with, but there was a snag. The modern five year rule was instituted in 1954, which would have made DiMaggio technically ineligible in the 1955 election, even though he had just missed in 1954!! The Hall therefore made an exception for DiMaggio because he had already been eligible under the old rules, and he was elected overwhelmingly in 1955, four years after retirement. I believe that he is one of only four players who have been selected in a period less than five years after retirement. (Ruth was elected by the normal procedure, but got in one year after retirement when there was no waiting period. Gehrig and Clemente were selected in special elections.)

DiMaggio is not only in that elite group, but he is also the last active player to have received a ballot. He got one vote in 1945, the year before the one-year rule was instituted.

SIDEBAR: It is often written that the five-year waiting period was waived to allow Lou Gehrig's election. This is incorrect in two ways. First, there was no five year waiting period at that time. Second, Gehrig was never elected by the normal process at all, but was a very special case. At the 1939 Winter Meetings in Cincinnati, the BBWAA held a special election, specifically to elect Gehrig. Nobody else was on that ballot, and the numerical results have never been made public. No regular elections were held in 1940 or 1941, so the special election allowed Gehrig to enter the hall while still alive.