1980 - 1989
The decade featured at least one BBWAA electee in every year and a Veterans Committee selection in every year except 1988, when Willie Stargell was the lone member of the Hall of Fame Class that year. Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson comprised one of the most memorable BBWAA election classes in 1982, and the Class of 1989 – featuring Johnny Bench, Carl Yastrzemski, Red Schoendienst and Al Barlick – helped the Museum set an all-time attendance record that year with more than 400,000 visitors.
1980
1980 Induction Ceremony
On August 3, 1980, the BBWAA inducted Al Kaline and Duke Snider, while the Veterans Committee selected Chuck Klein and former Boston Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey for induction in front of 25 of the 47 living Hall of Famers. The J.G. Taylor Spink award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing was shared by Bob Broeg, sports editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and New York-based writer Tommy Holmes. Russ Hodges was posthumously honored with the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence.
Hall of Famers in Attendance
Earl Averill, Cool Papa Bell, Roy Campanella, Jocko Conlan, Joe Cronin, Bill Dickey, Bob Feller, Whitey Ford, Charlie Gehringer, Burleigh Grimes, Billy Herman, Monte Irvin, Judy Johnson, Al Kaline, Ralph Kiner, Sandy Koufax, Bob Lemon, Al Lopez, Stan Musial, Robin Roberts, Joe Sewell, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Ted Williams
1981
1981 Induction Ceremony
Rube Foster, Bob Gibson and Johnny Mize were enshrined on August 2, 1981 in front of 21 of the living Hall of Famers and 3,000 fans on the steps of the Hall of Fame Library. The Detroit Tigers’ Ernie Harwell received the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence and Milton Richman of United Press International was given the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.
Hall of Famers in Attendance
Earl Averill, Cool Papa Bell, Jocko Conlan, Joe Cronin, Bill Dickey, Bob Feller, Charlie Gehringer, Bob Gibson, Burleigh Grimes, Billy Herman, Monte Irvin, Judy Johnson, Al Kaline,
Ralph Kiner, Buck Leonard, Fred Lindstrom, Al Lopez, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Robin Roberts, Joe Sewell, Warren Spahn, Early Wynn
1982
1982 Induction Ceremony
The BBWAA inducted a pair of first year eligible players with over 1,300 home runs between them on August 1, 1982. Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson were enshrined along with Veterans Committee selections Happy Chandler and Travis Jackson in front of 24 returning Hall of Famers. The J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing was shared by the late Bob Addie of the Washington Post and Allen Lewis of the Philadelphia Enquirer. Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully received the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence.
Hall of Famers in Attendance
Hank Aaron, Luke Appling, Earl Averill, Ernie Banks, Roy Campanella, Happy Chandler, Jocko Conlan, Joe Cronin, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, Charlie Gehringer, Burleigh Grimes, Billy Herman, Monte Irvin, Travis Jackson, Judy Johnson, Ralph Kiner, Sandy Koufax, Buck Leonard, Al Lopez, Eddie Mathews, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Robin Roberts, Frank Robinson, Joe Sewell, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Bill Terry
1983
1983 Induction Ceremony
In front of the largest crowd to attend an induction ceremony since 1939, Juan Marichal, Brooks Robinson, Walter Alston and George Kell were enshrined. Twenty-five previously elected Hall of Famers returned to see the July 31st ceremony. The J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing went to Si Burick of the Dayton Daily News and Jack Brickhouse, who called both Cubs and White Sox games in Chicago, won the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence.
Hall of Famers in Attendance
Earl Averill, Luke Appling, Cool Papa Bell, Roy Campanella, Happy Chandler, Jocko Conlan, Joe Cronin, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, Charlie Gehringer, Burleigh Grimes, Billy Herman, Monte Irvin, Judy Johnson, Al Kaline, George Kell, Ralph Kiner, Sandy Koufax, Buck Leonard, Al Lopez, Juan Marichal, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Joe Sewell, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Bill Terry
1984
1984 Induction Ceremony
In Commissioner Bowie Kuhn’s final induction, 28 previously Hall of Famers along with approximately 5,000 fans turned out on August 12, 1984. The BBWAA selected Luis Aparicio, Don Drysdale and Harmon Killebrew while the Veterans Committee voted in Rick Ferrell and Pee Wee Reese. Ken Smith, the Hall of Fame’s former public relations director, received the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing and former Boston Red Sox broadcaster Curt Gowdy received the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence.
Hall of Famers in Attendance
Luis Aparicio, Ernie Banks, Lou Boudreau, Roy Campanella, Happy Chandler, Jocko Conlan, Don Drysdale, Rick Ferrell, Charlie Gehringer, Lefty Gomez, Burleigh Grimes, Billy Herman, Monte Irvin, Judy Johnson, Al Kaline, George Kell, Harmon Killebrew, Ralph Kiner, Sandy Koufax, Buck Leonard, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Pee Wee Reese, Robin Roberts, Joe Sewell, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Bill Terry, Early Wynn
1985
1985 Induction Ceremony
Commissioner Peter Ueberroth participated in his first induction on July 28, 1985 amid the threat of a strike that never happened. The BBWAA selections were Lou Brock and Hoyt Wilhelm and the Veterans Committee inducted Enos “Country” Slaughter and posthumously Arky Vaughan. Patricia Johnson spoke for Vaughan, her father. The J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing was accepted by Joe McGuff of the Kansas City Star and the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence was accepted by Mary Canel, the widow of the first Spanish language broadcaster to receive the award, Buck Canel.
Hall of Famers in Attendance
Ernie Banks, Cool Papa Bell, Yogi Berra, Lou Brock, Roy Campanella, Happy Chandler, Jocko Conlan, Rick Ferrell, Charlie Gehringer, Billy Herman, Monte Irvin, Judy Johnson, Ralph Kiner, Bob Lemon, Al Lopez, Willie McCovey, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Pee Wee Reese, Robin Roberts, Joe Sewell, Enos Slaughter, Bill Terry, Hoyt Wilhelm, Ted Williams
1986
1986 Induction Ceremony
The only BBWAA inductee on August 3, 1986 was Willie McCovey, who was enshrined along with Veterans Committee selections Bobby Doerr and the late Ernie Lombardi. Twenty-one of the 50 living Hall of Famers returned for the 50th anniversary of the first Hall of Fame class. Bob Prince of the Pittsburgh earned the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence and Earl Lawson first of the Cincinnati Times-Star and then the Cincinnati Post received the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.
Hall of Famers in Attendance
Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Cool Papa Bell, Roy Campanella, Happy Chandler, Jocko Conlan, Bobby Doerr, Charlie Gehringer, Lefty Gomez, Billy Herman, Monte Irvin, Judy Johnson, Ralph Kiner, Bob Lemon, Al Lopez, Willie McCovey, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Pee Wee Reese, Robin Roberts, Joe Sewell, Enos Slaughter, Ted Williams
1987
1987 Induction Ceremony
Twenty-five Hall of Famers returned to Cooperstown for the induction of BBWAA selections Catfish Hunter and Billy Williams, and Veterans Committee selection Ray Dandridge. The July 26, 1987 induction also saw St. Louis Cardinals announcer Jack Buck receive the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence and New York based writer Jack Lang win the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.
Hall of Famers in Attendance
Ernie Banks, Cool Papa Bell, Lou Boudreau, Roy Campanella, Happy Chandler, Jocko Conlan, Ray Dandridge, Bill Dickey, Bobby Doerr, Rick Ferrell, Charlie Gehringer, Lefty Gomez, Catfish Hunter, Monte Irvin, Judy Johnson, Ralph Kiner, Bob Lemon, Al Lopez, Willie Mays, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Pee Wee Reese, Joe Sewell, Enos Slaughter, Warren Spahn, Robin Roberts, Billy Williams, Ted Williams
1988
1988 Induction Ceremony
Willie Stargell became the 200th member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and just the 17th player elected in his first year of eligibility on July 31, 1988. Twenty-five Hall of Famers returned for the first induction since 1956 in which the Veterans Committee failed to induct anybody. Former New York Mets broadcaster Lindsey Nelson received the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence and the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing went to then Los Angeles Times columnist Jim Murray.
Hall of Famers in Attendance
Ernie Banks, Cool Papa Bell, Roy Campanella, Happy Chandler, Charlie Gehringer, Billy Herman, Monte Irvin, Ralph Kiner, Bob Lemon, Buck Leonard, Willie McCovey, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Pee Wee Reese, Robin Roberts, Enos Slaughter, Warren Spahn, Willie Stargell, Bill Terry, Ted Williams
1989
1989 Induction Ceremony
Twenty-five thousand fans shut down Main Street on July 23, 1989 to see the 50th induction class in Hall of Fame history. Along with the fans, 26 living Hall of Famers returned to see BBWAA selections Johnny Bench and Carl Yastrzemski and Veterans Committee picks Al Barlick and Red Schoendienst. Chicago Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray was a favorite at the induction ceremony as the winner of the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence. Los Angeles based writer Bob Hunter and Philadelphia’s Ray Kelly shared the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.
Hall of Famers in Attendance
Ernie Banks, Al Barlick, Cool Papa Bell, Johnny Bench, Roy Campanella, Bobby Doerr, Bob Feller, Rick Ferrell, Charlie Gehringer, Billy Herman, Monte Irvin, Harmon Killebrew, Ralph Kiner, Bob Lemon, Al Lopez, Willie McCovey, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Pee Wee Reese, Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Red Schoendienst, Joe Sewell, Enos Slaughter, Warren Spahn, Willie Stargell, Billy Williams, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski
