Maury Wills, Gil Hodges among 10 ‘Golden Era’ Hall of Fame nominees

There is no golden rule when it comes to making baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Just lots of opinions and complaints, regardless of how the voting process turns out. In baseball, though, sentiments over who should be allowed into Cooperstown do not always die a quiet death.

Players not voted in by the Baseball Writers Assn. of America can still be chosen along with team managers, coaches, executives and umpires by the veterans committee.

They divide these into three rotating eras, and this year it is turn for the “Golden Era” (1947-1972). The 10 nominations were announced Thursday and they included two former Dodgers -- Gil Hodges and Maury Wills.

The nominees were selected by 11 veteran baseball writers and will be voted upon by a 16-member committee composed of eight Hall of Famers, four team executives and four writers. Their vote is scheduled for Dec. 8 during the winter meetings in San Diego.

Hodges returns to the ballot, but this is the first appearance for Wills. The last time the Golden Era players were eligible in 2011, only Ron Santo was voted into the Hall.

A nominee needs 75% of the vote (12 if all are present) to be voted in. Hodges received nine votes in 2011.

Hodges played all but the final two years of his 18 seasons in the majors with the Dodgers (12 while they were in Brooklyn). The first baseman was an eight-time All-Star and managed the Miracle Mets to the 1969 World Series title. His All-Star bid, however, was always handicapped by not having any particularly overwhelming individual stats (.273 average, 370 homers, 1,921 hits).

Wills did not break into the majors until he was 26 but played for 14 seasons. He reinvented baseball’s running game in 1962 when he became the first player to steal more than 100 bases in a season and won the National League MVP (.299, 130 runs, 104 steals).

He stole 586 bases in his career and finished with a .281 batting average. There has been strong sentiment in Los Angeles for Wills to join the Hall, but that movement has had difficulty picking up national momentum.

Others nominated this year: Players Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Billy Pierce and Luis Tiant, and ex-Reds General Manager Bob Howsam.