Yesterday, it was announced that the following nine former players and one executive will be given consideration for the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Golden Era Veterans Committee. The Golden Era is defined as the period between 1947 and 1972:

Gil Hodges

Jim Kaat

Minnie Minoso

Tony Oliva

Ken Boyer

Luis Tiant

Billy Pierce

Maury Wills

Dick Allen

Bob Howsam

Pierce, Wills, Allen and Howsam are new additions to the ballot while the rest are holdovers. Howsam, who constructed the Big Red Machine in Cincinnati, is the only non-player on the ballot. Candidates require the votes of 12 out of 16 members (75%) of the Golden Era Committee. In 2011, the Committee elected Chicago Cubs legend Ron Santo. It was something of a bittersweet selection as Santo had died the previous year. Kaat was two votes shy of getting in while Hodges and Minoso were three votes shy and Oliva was four votes short.

I guess Kaat has the best chance of getting in. I mean if Eppa Rixey belongs in Cooperstown, then Kaat surely does too. Aside from Greg Maddux, Kaat is the best fielding pitcher the game has ever known.

If I was only allowed one selection I’d probably vote for Hodges, but just barely over Oliva.

I have a feeling that no one from this group will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next summer.

The announcement will be made on December 8th during MLB’s Winter Meetings in San Diego.