Ryan, Brett Locks for Hall Entry

George Brett’s pine-tar bat is in the Hall of Fame. So are Nolan Ryan’s caps from his seven no-hitters. So is Robin Yount’s helmet from his 3,000th hit.

By summer, bronze plaques honoring all three players might be on display too.

Results from one of the most eagerly awaited elections in Hall history will be announced today, with Ryan, Brett and Yount hoping to get the call from Cooperstown.

“If that happens, it will be the final thing that wraps up my career,” Ryan said during the weekend. “Obviously, it will be one of the greatest things that ever happened to me.”

Rarely, if ever, have so many quality names appeared for the first time on the ballot. In addition to the big three, Carlton Fisk and Dale Murphy are rookie candidates.

The list of holdover hopefuls is also strong with Tony Perez, Jim Rice, Tommy John, Gary Carter and Bruce Sutter.

In all, 26 players have been elected in their first year of eligibility, but only once have three been taken at the same time--that was at the original election in 1936 when Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Honus Wagner and Christy Mathewson were picked.

And lately, it has been getting harder and harder to get in, as 300-game winners Don Sutton and Phil Niekro both had to wait several years for enshrinement.

Overall, 10-year members of the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America have taken a total of only five players in the last six elections. It takes 75% to make it--Ryan and Brett are considered locks this time, while Yount’s chances appear more uncertain.

Throughout the years, Joe DiMaggio, Roy Campanella and Harmon Killebrew were among the candidates who did not get elected on the first try.

Induction ceremonies at Cooperstown are scheduled for July 25.

Ryan, the greatest power pitcher in baseball history, set or shared 53 major league records when he retired in 1993 after a 27-year career.

Ryan struck out 5,714 and went 324-292 for the New York Mets, Angels, Houston and Texas, tying him with Sutton for 12th in victories.

Brett is 13th on the career hits list with 3,154 and was a 13-time all-star. The third baseman hit .305 in a 21-year career spent entirely with the Royals.

Yount had 3,142 hits in 20 seasons with Milwaukee and won AL MVP awards at shortstop and center field. An all-star only three times, his .285 average may put him on the borderline.

Not since that 1936 election, however, has a player with 3,000 hits failed to be elected in his first year of eligibility.