Owners Barney Dreyfuss and Walter O’Malley, former Major League Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, and former managers Dick Williams and Billy Southworth each were elected to the National Baseball of Fame Today.
Barney Dreyfuss owned the Pirates from 1900-1932, winning the World Series in 1909 and 1925, and was responsible for bringing future Hall of Famers Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke, Rube Waddell and Jack Chesbro to Pittsburgh.
Walter O’Malley guided the Dodgers franchise to four World Series titles and oversaw the franchise’s move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958. He, along with fellow Dodgers owner Branch Rickey, is perhaps most famous for his role in baseball’s integration with Jackie Robinson in 1947.
Bowie Kuhn served as commissioner from 1969-1984, overseeing the introduction of free agency. During his tenure Major League Baseball attendance tripled and lucrative television contracts followed, on the heels of the introduction of night-time baseball to the World Series.
Billy Southworth managed for 13 seasons (1929, 1940-51), including seven with the Cardinals and six with the Braves, posting a .597 winning percentage, fifth-best all-time, with a record of 1,044-704. He guided his teams to four World Series appearances and two world championships, posting a winning record in 10 of his 13 seasons, including three straight seasons of 105 wins or more, from 1942 to 1944 with St Louis.
Dick Williams made a name for himself when he guided the 1967 “Impossible Dream” Boston Red Sox to the World Series. He went 1,571-1,451 in 21 seasons with six different teams, guiding the Oakland Athletics to World Series titles in 1972 and 1973 and winning the pennant with the San Diego Padres in 1984.
Seven managers and three umpires were considered by the 16-man Hall of Fame members, current and former executives and veteran media members. Ten executives and pioneers were considered on a second ballot by a 12-member panel of Hall of Famers, current and former executives and veteran media members.
Candidates who received 75 percent of the vote on either ballot earned election, with voters asked to vote for zero to four candidates on each ballot.Coming up just one vote shy on the managers ballots were Whitey Herzog and Doug Harvey. Danny Murtaugh, Hank O’Day, Davey Johnson, Billy Martin, Gene Mauch and Cy Rigler were denied as well.