| Share

The Question:

Could you please give me the names of the two people enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame who are not players, coaches, owners, managers, or mascots and who have absolutely nothing to do with baseball whatsoever?

Also — could you provide me with the name of the baseball player who played the most years in the major leagues but who never played in a post season game?

The Answer:

Who tried stumping you with that phony baloney question? It's a popular but not very accurate trivia question, according to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The two people you are probably searching for are Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Although their classic comedy routine "Who's on First" is a permanent fixture at the Hall, the duo has never been officially "enshrined."

As far as your other question, researchers at the Hall of Fame say three 20th century baseball players played 21 seasons without an appearance in the postseason: Hall of Famers Ted Lyons (P), Nap Lajoie (2B) and non Hall of Famer Lindy McDaniel (P). Check out our Baseball Through the Years section for lots of great baseball history.

Question: What are the requirements a player must meet to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame?

Answer: A player’s career must have lasted at least ten years, and the player must have been retired for at least five years. If both of these conditions are met, the player is placed on the Hall of Fame ballot and voted on by members of the Baseball Writers of America. The player must receive a vote on at least 75% of the ballots cast be elected. On rare occasions, a player can also be elected to the Hall of Fame by a group known as the Committee on Baseball Veterans, which is made up of Hall of Fame members as well as previous winners of baseball writer’s awards.

Question: Which players were included in the first Hall of Fame class?

Answer: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson were all induced in the class of 1936.

—The Editors

24 X 7

Private Tutor

Click Here for Details
24 x 7 Tutor Availability
Unlimited Online Tutoring
1-on-1 Tutoring