It doesn’t happen often, but with so many players on the ballot who had “off-the-field” issues, the Baseball Hall Of Fame voters denied entry to all, including Home Run King Barry Bonds, former Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa, and former pitcher Roger Clemens, all of whom have that “cloud of suspicion” over their heads due to accusations of steroid use.
To enter the HOF, a player needs to get 75% of the vote. No one did better than the 37% given to Clemens, while Bonds only garnered 36% of the vote. Craig Biggio, a great former second-baseman, didn’t make the cut either, but led the way in the voting with 68% of the vote from the Baseball Writers of America. While the “None of the Above” vote is rare, it’s not unexpected when you read the names involved and recall their “off-the-field” legacy.
Whether those issues should be a part of the voter’s decision is debatable, but it’s pretty obvious that it swayed their votes. The last time no one was voted into the Baseball Hall Of Fame was in 1996, and had only happened six times previously.
