 Rice's delay in being elected to the Hall of Fame stemmed in part from more current statistical analysis of player performance.This analysis suggested that Rice's HOF credentials might have been more questionable than they were considered during his career.The delay may also have been related to his often difficult relationship with the media during his playing career, many of whom are still voting members of the BBWAA, and his career fading relatively early – he last played in the major leagues at the age of 36.