Since its inception in 1958, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame has inducted 85 standout players, managers and front-office executives. The Reds first teamed up with the Cincinnati Chapter of Commerce in 1958 to promote the inductions, which were voted on by Reds fans.
After a nine-year hiatus from 1989-'97, the local chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America in cooperation with Reds executive John Allen revived the inductions in 1998. Fan voting returned for the 2005 class, a change that followed the 2004 opening of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum adjacent to Great American Ball Park. Hall of Fame elections were held the next year as well before the Reds Hall of Fame adopted a biennial election schedule beginning in 2007 that asked fans to vote for the 2008 Reds Hall of Fame class. This was repeated in 2009 for the 2010 class, 2011 for the 2012 class and in 2013 for the 2014 class.
The winner of the 2013 fan vote was outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. In addition to Griffey, the 2014 Reds Hall of Fame Class included first basemen second baseman Ron Oester, outfielder Dave Parker and first baseman Jake Beckley who were selected for induction by the Reds Hall of Fame Veterans Committee. The selection of all player in each election is ratified by the Reds Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
Reds Hall of Fame Voting and Election Procedures
- Modern Player Ballot
From over 50 eligible candidates, the 2014 ballot was created by the Election Governance Committee of the Reds Hall of Fame and included five players. To be eligible for the Modern Player Ballot, a player must have appeared in a Major League game within the last 13 years, played for the Reds in at least three seasons over the course of his career and be in at least his third season since his last appearance in a Major League game. Players on Major League Baseball's ineligible list are not eligible for consideration.
- Voting Procedure
The Reds Hall of Fame utilizes Fans, Media, and Alumni to select the Modern Candidate.
Fans can vote online or by paper ballot. Fans may only vote for one player on each ballot submitted. There is a limit of one vote per day per email address online and a limit of one paper ballot per day. Only ballots with completed name, mailing address and email address will be counted. Paper ballots are available at the Reds Hall of Fame, throughout Great American Ball Park on the dates of Reds home games and at participating sponsor locations. Ballots may also be submitted by mail directly to the Reds Hall of Fame.
Select members of the Media (all mediums) that have covered the Reds for a significant period of time and that are recognized by the Reds as an official/credentialed member of the media are eligible to vote. Ballots are sent directly to these members of the media by the Reds Hall of Fame.
Reds alumni are eligible to vote if they played for the Reds in at least three seasons, are in at least their third year of retirement from Major League Baseball, are not listed on the 2014 Modern Player Ballot and are not on Major League Baseball's ineligible list.
Each voting block (fans, media, alumni) represents one-third of the vote needed for election.
Clark Schaefer Hackett is the Official Accounting Firm of the Reds Hall of Fame Induction Ballot
- Veterans Ballot
Players who played more than 13 years ago, played for the Reds in at least three seasons and that are not on Major League Baseball's ineligible list are considered for induction by the Reds Hall of Fame's Veterans Committee.
The Reds Hall of Fame Veterans Committee is comprised of baseball historians, members of the media and members of the Reds Hall of Fame. The Committee meets in late summer/fall of each voting year.
Election rules and procedures are reviewed annually by the Election Governance Committee of the Reds Hall of Fame. The final authority for elections to the Hall of Fame is vested in the Board of Directors of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.
