Legion Baseball alumni Holliday, Sheffield on Hall of Fame ballot

Two former American Legion Baseball players are among the 26 players on the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 — one in his first year of eligibility and one in his last.

Matt Holliday (Stillwater, Okla.) and Gary Sheffield (Post 248/Tampa, Fla.) are under consideration for induction into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Voting results will be announced Jan. 23, with the induction ceremony taking place during Hall of Fame weekend July 21, 2024.

Holliday played 15 seasons in the major leagues with Colorado, Oakland, St. Louis and the New York Yankees. A seven-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger Award-winning left fielder, he was the MVP of the 2007 National League Championship Series with the Rockies and was a member of the Cardinals’ World Series champions in 2011. In 2007, he also led the NL with a .340 batting average, 216 hits, 50 doubles, 137 RBIs and 386 total bases. Holliday finished his career with a .299 batting average, 316 home runs and 1,220 RBIs. This is Holliday’s first year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame.

Sheffield is in his 10th and final year on the BBWAA ballot. He played 22 seasons with Milwaukee, San Diego, Florida, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta, New York Yankees, Detroit, and the New York Mets. A nine-time All-Star, Sheffield won five Silver Slugger Awards — one at third base and four as an outfielder. He helped the Marlins win the 1997 World Series. A career .292 hitter, Sheffield finished his career with 509 home runs and 1,676 RBIs.

Holliday and Sheffield join former major league managers Jim Leyland (Post 183/Pemberville, Ohio) and Lou Piniella (West Tampa) as Legion Baseball alumni under consideration for the Hall of Fame Class of 2024. The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee will decide Dec. 3 on which former managers may be headed to the Hall.

Leyland won 1,769 games in 22 seasons managing the Pirates, Marlins, Rockies and Tigers, and led the Marlins to the 1997 World Series title. He was a three-time Manager of the Year Award winner.

Piniella won 1,835 games in 23 seasons as manager for the Yankees, Reds, Mariners, Rays and Cubs. He managed the Reds to the 1990 World Series title and was a three-time Manager of the Year.

Eighty-five American Legion Baseball alumni have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame:

·       Bob Feller (1962)

·       Ted Williams (1966)

·       Joe Medwick (1968)

·       Stan Musial (1969)

·       Roy Campanella (1969)

·       Lou Boudreau (1970)

·       Yogi Berra (1972)

·       Early Wynn (1972)

·       Warren Spahn (1973)

·       Ralph Kiner (1975)

·       Robin Roberts (1976)

·       Bob Lemon (1976)

·       Eddie Mathews (1978)

·       Al Kaline (1980)

·       Bob Gibson (1981)

·       Frank Robinson (1982)

·       George Kell (1983)

·       Brooks Robinson (1983)

·       Don Drysdale (1984)

·       Harmon Killebrew (1984)

·       Pee Wee Reese (1984)

·       Hoyt Wilhelm (1985)

·       Bobby Doerr (1986)

·       Catfish Hunter (1987)

·       Willie Stargell (1988)

·       Johnny Bench (1989)

·       Carl Yastrzemski (1989)

·       Joe Morgan (1990)

·       Jim Palmer (1990)

·       Gaylord Perry (1991)

·       Rollie Fingers (1992)

·       Hal Newhouser (1992)

·       Tom Seaver (1992)

·       Reggie Jackson (1993)

·       Steve Carlton (1994)

·       Richie Ashburn (1995)

·       Jim Bunning (1996)

·       Earl Weaver (1996)

·       Phil Niekro (1997)

·       Nellie Fox (1997)

·       George Brett (1999)

·       Robin Yount (1999)

·       Sparky Anderson (2000)

·       Carlton Fisk (2000)

·       Dave Winfield (2001)

·       Gary Carter (2003)

·       Eddie Murray (2003)

·       Paul Molitor (2004)

·       Ryne Sandberg (2005)

·       Wade Boggs (2005)

·       Bruce Sutter (2006)

·       Tony Gwynn (2007)

·       Dick Williams (2008)

·       Joe Gordon (2009)

·       Jim Rice (2009)

·       Whitey Herzog (2010)

·       Doug Harvey (2010)

·       Roberto Alomar (2011)

·       Bert Blyleven (2011)

·       Pat Gillick (2011)

·       Ron Santo (2012)

·       Barry Larkin (2012)

·       Bobby Cox (2014)

·       Tom Glavine (2014)

·       Tony LaRussa (2014)

·       Greg Maddux (2014)

·       Joe Torre (2014)

·       Mike Piazza (2016)

·       Jeff Bagwell (2017)

·       Tim Raines (2017)

·       Iván Rodríguez (2017)

·       John Schuerholz (2017)

·       Trevor Hoffman (2018)

·       Chipper Jones (2018)

·       Jack Morris (2018)

·       Jim Thome (2018)

·       Alan Trammell (2018)

·       Harold Baines (2019)

·       Roy Halladay (2019)

·       Mike Mussina (2019)

·       Lee Smith (2019)

·       Ted Simmons (2020)

·       Gil Hodges (2022)

·       Fred McGriff (2023)

·       Scott Rolen (2023)