McCovey Is Elected to Hall of Fame

Willie McCovey, the top left-handed home run hitter in National League history, became the 16th player to be elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in the first year of eligibility, the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America announced Wednesday.

McCovey, who hit 521 homers in a 22-year career spent primarily with the San Francisco Giants, was named on 346 of 425 ballots returned to the association. In order to be elected, a player must be named on 75% of the ballots, or 319 this year.

Billy Williams, who spent the first 16 seasons of his 18-year career with the Chicago Cubs, missed being elected by four votes. He was named on 315 ballots, or 74.1%.

Williams, who hit 426 career homers, was on the ballot for the fifth year and has 10 years of eligibility remaining.

Pitchers Jim (Catfish) Hunter and Jim Bunning were third and fourth, respectively. Hunter had 289 votes and Bunning 279. Roger Maris, a sentimental outsider to make the Hall after his death last month, was fifth with 177 votes. The voting was completed before Maris’ death Dec. 14.

The other players elected in their first year of eligibility were Ted Williams, Sandy Koufax, Mickey Mantle, Bob Feller, Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, Willie Mays, Warren Spahn, Al Kaline, Bob Gibson, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Stan Musial and Lou Brock.

Brock and relief specialist Hoyt Wilhelm were elected last year by the association.

McCovey will be officially inducted into the Cooperstown, N.Y., shrine in August.

McCovey’s 521 homers placed him ninth on the all-time list and first among National League left-handed hitters.