野球殿堂、リプケンの獲得率は史上３番目

Mark McGwire fell far short in his first try for the Hall of Fame, picked by 23.5 percent of voters while Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. easily gained baseball's highest honor.

Tarnished by accusations of steroid use, McGwire appeared on 128 of a record 545 ballots in voting released Tuesday by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Ripken was picked by 537 voters and appeared on 98.53 percent of ballots to finish with the third-highest percentage behind Tom Seaver (98.84) and Nolan Ryan (98.79).

The former Baltimore Orioles shortstop said he was both relieved and euphoric. If he had been picked by two of the eight voters who didn't select him, he would have set the percentage record -- but he didn't mind.

"All I wanted to hear was, `You're in,"' Ripken said during a conference call. "I really didn't get caught up with wanting to be unanimous or wanting to be the most."

Gwynn received 532 votes for 97.61 percent, the seventh-highest ever, also trailing Ty Cobb, George Brett and Hank Aaron.

"It's an unbelievable feeling to know that people think that what you did was worthy," Gwynn said. "For me, it's kind of validation. The type of player that I was doesn't get a whole lot of credit in today's game."

Goose Gossage finished third with 388 votes, falling 21 shy of the necessary 409. His percentage increased from 64.6 to 71.2, putting him in good position to reach the necessary 75 percent next year. The highest percentage for a player who wasn't elected in a later year was 63.4 by Gil Hodges in 1983, his final time on the ballot.

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１位　98.84%　Tom Seaver
２位　98.79%　Nolan Ryan
３位　98.53%　Cal Ripken Jr.
４位　98.23%　Ty Cobb　222
５位　98.03% or 97.84%　George Brett　488
６位　97.83%　Hank Aaron　406
７位　97.61%　Tony Gwynn

４～６位の少数点以下２位までの比率を算出。
４位　Cobb 222/98% = 226.5
222/225 = 98.67% 222/226 = 98.23% 222/227 = 97.80%
５位　Brett 498/98% = 508.2
498/508 = 98.03% 498/509 = 97.839%
６位　Aaron 406/98% = 414.3
406/414 = 98.07% 406/415 = 97.831%

将来、７位以内に入るのはクレメンス。