The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Board of Directors approved holding a special election of Negro leagues and pre-Negro leagues candidates to the Hall of Fame in 2006. The announcement comes on the heels of the completion of a landmark study on the history of African Americans in baseball from 1860-1960. Based on the results of that important study, the Board of Directors felt it was the right time to hold a special election.

Earlier this month, the Board appointed screening and voting committees. Under the guidelines established, a Screening Committee will construct ballots and a Voting Committee will meet to vote on the ballots. Former Major League Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent will serve as the non-voting chairman of both committees. Frank Robinson, a Hall of Famer and Board member, has been asked to offer his advice and assistance to Vincent and both committees. Any candidates elected by the Voting Committee in February 2006 would be inducted in Cooperstown during Hall of Fame Weekend in July 2006.

The five member Screening Committee will meet in November to develop two ballots: One ballot of Negro league players, managers, umpires, executives; and one ballot of candidates who preceded the formation of Negro leagues. The Screening Committee will use the statistics and narrative from the landmark study to determine the ballots. The Screening Committee members include Adrian Burgos, Dick Clark, Larry Hogan, Larry Lester and Jim Overmyer.

A 12-member Voting Committee, inclusive of the Screening Committee, appointed by the Board of Directors, will meet in February 2006 to review the final ballots of candidates. After open discussions over two days, committee members will cast paper ballots and vote "yes" or "no" for each candidate. Any candidate with "yes" votes on at least 75% of ballots cast will earn election to the Hall of Fame.

The Twelve voting committee members and their areas of expertise include: Todd Bolton, Latin America; Greg Bond, 19th Century; Adrian Burgos, Latin America; Dick Clark, Negro Leagues; Ray Doswell, overall knowledge; Neil Lanctot, Negro Leagues Eastern teams; Sammy Miller, Eastern and Western teams; Jim Overmyer, Eastern teams and 19th century; Larry Lester, Negro Leagues; Larry Hogan, overall knowledge; Robert Peterson, overall knowledge and Leslie Heaphy, Negro Leagues.

Written recommendations for inclusion on the ballots from fans, and historians not a part of the committees, will be accepted through October 31st.

Recommendations can be sent by email to: info@baseballhalloffame.org, or can be mailed to: Committee on African-American Baseball, 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326. A letter or e-mail receipt will acknowledge all proposals. All proposals will be made available to the Screening Committee and a final set will be kept for archival purposes.