New inductees | 7 |
---|---|
via BBWAA | 1 |
via Veterans Committee | 6 |
Total inductees | 101 |
Induction date | July 27, 1964 |
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1964 followed the system introduced for even-number years in 1962. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players with provision for a second, "runoff" election in the event of no player receiving enough votes for induction. The runoff was necessary this year, with Luke Appling the winner.[1] Further, the eligibility of retired players was reduced from having retired 30 years prior to election to 20 years prior.[2]
Meanwhile, the Veterans Committee was meeting annually to consider executives, managers, umpires, and earlier major league players. It selected six people: Red Faber, Burleigh Grimes, Miller Huggins, Tim Keefe, Heinie Manush, and John Montgomery Ward. A formal induction ceremony was held in Cooperstown, New York, on July 27, 1964, with Commissioner of Baseball Ford Frick presiding.[3]