Bill Shannon, a sportswriter for Sports Press Service, did not cast a vote for Cal Ripken Jr. in the 2007 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting.
Reasoning Behind the Decision
Shannon's decision not to vote for Cal Ripken Jr., or fellow first-ballot inductee Tony Gwynn, stemmed from a specific voting philosophy. He believed that these players were such overwhelmingly obvious candidates for induction that they did not require his vote to secure their place in the Hall of Fame. Instead, Shannon felt his ballot would be more effectively used to support other deserving candidates who might have needed the extra vote to gain recognition or build momentum for future consideration. He stated that he considered ten other candidates to be more in need of his vote.
2007 Baseball Hall of Fame Balloting Overview
The 2007 Baseball Hall of Fame class was notable for the induction of both Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn on their first appearance on the ballot. Ripken received an impressive 537 out of 545 votes, accumulating 98.53% of the total, which stands as one of the highest percentages in Hall of Fame history. Gwynn also received strong support with 532 votes, or 97.61%.
The fact that Ripken was not a unanimous selection indicates that a small number of voters, including Bill Shannon, chose not to include him on their ballot. In total, eight voters did not cast a vote for Cal Ripken Jr.
Here's a breakdown of the known information regarding Ripken's non-voters:
| Voter Name | Affiliation | Stated Reason for Not Voting for Ripken |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Shannon | Sports Press Service | Believed Ripken was an "obvious candidate" and his vote was better allocated to other worthy candidates who needed more support. |
| Other 7 Voters | Various | Specific reasons for these voters are not publicly detailed. |
