Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens among eight finalists on 'Contemporary Era' Hall of Fame ballot
After falling short for 10 years with the baseball writers, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling will all have a second chance to get into Cooperstown this fall.
The Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday revealed the eight finalists on this year's Contemporary Era Committee ballot, which features candidates whose primary contribution to the game came since 1980.
Bonds, Clemens and Schilling are joined by Albert Belle, Don Mattingly, Fred McGriff, Dale Murphy and Rafael Palmeiro.
Players must receive 75% support from the Hall's 16 electors, who will meet to discuss the candidacies and cast their votes at MLB's Winter Meetings in San Diego next month.
The results will be announced live Sunday, December 4 on MLB Network.
Controversial stars drop off BBWAA ballot
Bonds and Clemens were lightning rods for criticism of baseball's "Steroid Era" during their decade of Hall of Fame eligibility in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Bonds, MLB's single-season (73) and career (762) home run leader, received support from 66% of BBWAA members last year in his 10th and final appearance on the writers' ballot.
Clemens, who won 354 games and seven Cy Young awards during his 24-year playing career, got 65.2% of the vote. Both players' percentages were their highest over a decade of eligibility, but still short of the 75% needed for induction.
Hall of Fame's voting changes
The Hall of Fame will reveal the names of the committee members who will be tasked with voting on the Contemporary Era candidates later this fall.
The voting process, previously known as the Veterans Committee, was restructured this spring to rotate among three groups of candidates. The Contemporary Era committee will vote on the players from 1980 forward this year. A group of managers, executives and umpires will be considered in 2023. The Classic Baseball Era, which includes candidates whose primary contribution to the game came prior to 1980, will have its committee meet for the first time in the fall of 2024.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Baseball Hall of Fame reveals finalists on 'Contemporary Era' ballot
