The AP reports that the MLB Veterans Committee has approved four new members of the MLB Hall of Fame.
Former commissioner Bowie Kuhn was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the revamped Veterans Committee on Monday while his longtime adversary, players' union boss Marvin Miller, was left out for the second time this year.
Former Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley, managers Dick Williams and Billy Southworth and ex-Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss also were elected.
Manager Whitey Herzog and umpire Doug Harvey each missed induction by a single vote. Miller did not come close.
The Vets panel was changed after failing to elect anyone in three tries and replaced by one with a majority from baseball management - the same group Miller once fought against for player benefits like free agency and salary arbitration.
"I think it was rigged, but not to keep me out. It was rigged to bring some of these in," Miller said by telephone after being informed of the results by The Associated Press. "It's not a pretty picture."
Whether you like Marvin Miller or player unions in general is not the point. The point is that Miller's impact on the game is unquestionable. Average player salary during his tenure rose from around $20,000 to over $200,000. The reconstructed committee is heavily weighed in management's favor. The current format will never elect a man that made a career fighting (and winning) against management.
The Veterans Committee has long been a problem that seemed disjointed and couldn't find a consensus to elect anyone to the Hall. So, the system was scrapped and rebuilt.
MLB.com explains it this way:
During elections held by the re-constituted Veterans Committee in 2003, 2005 and earlier this year, no one was elected, prompting the changes in the committee setup.
The committee assembled to elect managers/umpires included 16 people: 10 Hall of Fame players, three current and former Major League executives, and three veteran media members. The Hall of Famers were Hank Aaron, Jim Bunning, Bob Gibson, Fergie Jenkins, Al Kaline, Tommy Lasorda, Phil Niekro, Tony Perez, Earl Weaver and Billy Williams.
The committee now assembled to elect executives was made up of 12 members: Two Hall of Fame players, seven former or current Major League executives and three veteran media members. Monte Irvin and Harmon Killebrew were the Hall of Fame players.
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