National Baseball Hall of Fame Fails to Induct a Single Member for 2021: Exploring Solutions for Celebrating Baseball’s Best

Joseph Paiz, Contributor

With zero inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2021, fans are asking if it is time for the Baseball Writers Association of America to change its voting guidelines for inductees.

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COOPERSTOWN, NY— The inductees of the 2021 Class of the National Baseball Hall of Fame were to be announced on Tuesday, Jan. 26– but the voters from the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) did not induct a single member. Even big-league legends like Bonds, Curt Schilling, and Roger Clemens failed to reach the required number of votes. And with popularity throughout American baseball declining overall, fans are asking: is it time to restructure the Baseball Hall of Fame voting process to make the game more inviting and engaging to fans, increasing revenue in local economies?
“Part of the problem is that a lot of the writers are so set in their ways– for instance, a lot of the writers that didn’t vote for Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens for the Hall of Fame– they still voted them for thingslike Most Valuable Player, the Cy Young Award, and Rookie of the Year. So, it’s kind of hypocritical when you’ll give them these awards but won’t give them the other accolades that they deserve,” says Joshua Siguenza, a baseball player and trainer from Castro Valley, CA.
Others, however, are more hesitant. While many fans believe it’s time for a change in some form, some are more reserved.

“I definitely trust the system too, so I don’t think you have something like this that happens, and you have to think about revamping the system just cause everyone didn’t get in. I think it’s just that you need time with a unique set of players,” said Jon Root, a host, reporter, and producer at Fanatics.
Regardless, if the Baseball Hall of Fame were to be made more exciting for the fans, so too would the game of baseball itself. This would, in turn, help to increase the popularity of baseball overall, from the big league level all the way down to the little leagues, helping to keep young adults active as well as increasing revenue in our local economies. Making the game of baseball and its Hall of Fame more exciting for fans is a true win-win for all involved.