2025 Classic Baseball Era Committee Results

Dick Allen, about to give a baseball a ride.

Dave Parker, with a hat full of stars.

Yesterday, Dave Parker and Dick Allen were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Classic Baseball Era Committee. 12 votes were needed for election, Parker received 14, and Allen received 13. Tommy John got 7 votes, and the other candidates, Ken Boyer, John Donaldson, Steve Garvey, Vic Harris, and Luis Tiant all received fewer than 5 votes. I’m disappointed that Tommy John didn’t get in, but I’m very happy about Parker and Allen being elected, and that my prediction was half correct.  

Allen and Parker were two of the best baseball players not in the Hall of Fame, and I think they make worthy additions to Cooperstown. Allen had come heartbreakingly close to induction, falling just one vote short of induction on two previous Veterans’ Committee ballots. Unfortunately, Allen passed away in December of 2020. Dave Parker is still with us, fortunately, and I’m so glad that he gets to enjoy the thrill of being a Hall of Famer.  

There have been various Veterans’ Committees in the history of the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Veterans’ Committee justly gets a bad rap for the many borderline candidates they elected during the 1960’s and 1970’s, and even into the 1980’s—Travis Jackson, George Kell, and Rick Ferrell, I’m looking at you! Since 2018, the Eras Committees have elected a number of outstanding players that the baseball writers totally whiffed on: Alan Trammell, Lee Smith, Ted Simmons, Gil Hodges, Minnie Minoso, Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva, Fred McGriff, and now Dick Allen and Dave Parker. You can quibble with Jack Morris and Harold Baines if you want to, but I think they’re worthy additions as well. This is proof that the Veterans’ Committee/Eras Committee is working the way it should: adding deserving players to the Hall of Fame that were overlooked by the writers.  

Now I need to write up my thoughts on the 2025 BBWAA ballot. I have a sneaking suspicion that Allen and Parker will be joined by at least one other inductee next July. (Spoiler alert: it’s Ichiro!)