First Ballot Hall of Famer

A First Ballot Hall of Famer is a player who is elected to the Hall of Fame on his first appearance on the BBWAA ballot. The term has become known as a way to symbolize certain Hall of Famers and active players as above the rest. As for voting patterns, the movement for first ballot Hall of Famers did not really begin until the late 1980s. From 1989 to 1995 and from 2014 to 2020 there was at least one first ballot Hall of Famer elected every year. Many of the highest voting percentages have come to first ballot players.

Just as noticeable are the players who are not on the list.Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Cy Young, Tris Speaker, Nap Lajoie, Mel Ott, Eddie Mathews, Roy Campanella and Harmon Killebrew all had to wait until at least their second ballot to be elected.

Player	Year	PCT of Vote
Adrián Beltré	2024	95.1
Joe Mauer	2024	76.1
David Ortiz	2022	77.9
Derek Jeter	2020	99.7
Mariano Rivera	2019	100.0
Roy Halladay	2019	85.4
Chipper Jones	2018	97.2
Jim Thome	2018	89.8
Ivan Rodriguez	2017	76.0
Ken Griffey, Jr.	2016	99.3
Randy Johnson	2015	97.3
Pedro Martinez	2015	91.1
John Smoltz	2015	82.9
Greg Maddux	2014	97.2
Tom Glavine	2014	91.9
Frank Thomas	2014	83.7
Rickey Henderson	2009	94.8
Cal Ripken	2007	98.5
Tony Gwynn	2007	97.6
Wade Boggs	2005	91.9
Paul Molitor	2004	85.2
Dennis Eckersley	2004	83.2
Eddie Murray	2003	85.3
Ozzie Smith	2002	91.7
Dave Winfield	2001	84.5
Kirby Puckett	2001	82.1
Nolan Ryan	1999	98.8
George Brett	1999	98.2
Robin Yount	1999	77.5
Mike Schmidt	1995	96.5
Steve Carlton	1994	95.6
Reggie Jackson	1993	93.6
Tom Seaver	1992	98.8
Rod Carew	1991	90.5
Jim Palmer	1990	92.6
Joe Morgan	1990	81.8
Carl Yastrzemski	1989	94.6
Johnny Bench	1989	96.4
Willie Stargell	1988	82.4
Willie McCovey	1986	81.4
Lou Brock	1985	79.8
Brooks Robinson	1983	92
Hank Aaron	1982	97.8
Frank Robinson	1982	89.2
Bob Gibson	1981	84
Al Kaline	1980	88.3
Willie Mays	1979	94.7
Ernie Banks	1977	83.8
Mickey Mantle	1974	88.2
Warren Spahn	1973	83.2
Roberto Clemente*	1973	93.6
Sandy Koufax	1972	86.9
Stan Musial	1969	93.2
Ted Williams	1966	93.4
Jackie Robinson	1962	77.5
Bob Feller	1962	93.8
Ty Cobb	1936	98.2
Babe Ruth	1936	95.1
Honus Wagner	1936	95.1
Christy Mathewson	1936	90.7
Walter Johnson	1936	83.6

* - Special election, but still first year eligible thanks to waiving of waiting period

Further Reading

• David Adler: "Wait, what? 10 Hall of Famers not in on 1st ballot", mlb.com, January 22, 2020. [1]
• Daniel Kramer, Chad Thornburg and Do-Hyoung Park: "Every first-ballot Hall of Famer in MLB history", mlb.com, November 19, 2018. [2]