Who Is in the Classic Baseball Era Committee? How Were 2025 MLB Hall of Fame Inductees Selected?

Every year, the baseball world turns its eye towards Cooperstown, New York, as the Hall of Fame welcomes a new class of legends. However, not every great player gets it through the Baseball Writers Association of America. Some make their way through a quieter route—the Era Committee.

In 2025, two long overdue stars, Dave Parker and Dick Allen, also received their due thanks to the Classic Baseball Era Committee. But how does this committee work? Who is on it this time? And how much have the rules changed over the years? If you have questions, let’s dig in.

Who Is in the Classic Baseball Era Committee? How Were the 2025 MLB Hall of Fame Inductees Selected?

The Classic Baseball Era Committee is composed of 16 individuals from across the baseball world. So think, Hall of Famers, front office veterans, and historians. These members are appointed by the Hall of Fame Board of Directors, and their role is crucial. They reconsider players, managers, executives, and umpires who have an impact on the game.

In 2024, this group included some of the biggest names. Like Hall of Famers Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Tony Pérez, Lee Smith, and Ozzie Smith were among the player representatives. Also on the committee was Joe Torre, the former manager. Their deep understanding of the game adds another layer of credibility and balance to the entire process.

On the other side are respected baseball minds such as Sandy Alderson, a former longtime executive with the New York Mets and Athletics. Dayton Moore, the former Royals general manager. Followed by Terry McGuirk, the chairman of the Braves; Arte Moreno, the Angels owner; and Brian Sabean. Rounding out the panel were also the historians and journalists Bob Elliott, Leslie Heaphy, Steve Hirdt, Dick Kaegel, and Larry Lester. Their role is more important to ensure the cultural significance of the candidate’s career is not lost in the shuffle. The chairman of the hall’s board serves as a nonvoting leader, and this was how the 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees were selected.

What Is the Structure and Voting Process of the Classic Baseball Era Committee?

The Classic Baseball Era Committee meets only once every three years during the MLB Winter Meetings. Their focus is clear—to evaluate players and contributors whose prime came before 1980 and who are no longer eligible to get through the BBWAA consideration.

Now, each ballot features eight candidates, selected by the Historical Overview Committee—a panel of historians and BBWAA members. These candidates can be players, managers, or even executives. To be inducted, a candidate must get votes on at least 12 of the 16% ballots; that’s 75%. Also, no proxies are allowed unless maybe in an emergency, and three-fourths of the committee must be there to vote.

Starting in 2025, the Hall has added some changes, like any candidate who gets less than five votes will be ineligible for the next three-year cycle. Repeat this twice, and they would be removed from consideration. These rules are intended to prevent the repeated appearances by the fringe candidates and open the door for others to be evaluated fairly and clearly.

How Were Dick Allen and Dave Parker Elected to the Hall of Fame in 2025?

In December of 2024, the Classic Baseball Era Committee voted on an eight-player ballot. The list had names of Dick Allen, Dave Parker, Tommy John, Steve Garvey, Ken Boyer, John Donaldson, Vic Harris, and Luis Tiant. But when the votes were counted, only two players met the required 75% threshold: Parker got 14 votes, and Allen got 13. Their selection was announced during the Winter Meeting, and soon both of them will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 27, 2025, in Cooperstown.

Coming to the MLB players in question. Parker was nicknamed “The Cobra,” and that should explain the force he was back in the late 1970s. With a cannon arm and a bat to match, Parker won back-to-back batting titles in 1977 and 1978, and he claimed the National League MVP in 1978. Over his nearly two decades of career, he hit .290 with 339 home runs and 1,493 RBIs.

Plus, he even made it to the MLB All-Star teams and won the ring two times with the Pirates and the A’s. He struggled, though, with injuries and also substance abuse in the early 1980s. However, he made a comeback with the Cincinnati Reds in the mid-80s. Parker’s got a 40.1 WAR, and it might not seem like much. But his other stats of 339 homers, a .290 average, and an MVP paint a great Hall-worthy picture. However, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2012.

Allen’s career, meanwhile, was a blend of power and controversy. He was a seven-time MLB All-Star, and he posted a career. 292 average with 351 home runs and 1,119 RBIs from 1963 to 1977. His career OPS+ of 156 ties him up with Frank Thomas and ranks him ahead of legends like Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. His rookie season in 1964 remains his best. He led the NL in everything from runs to total bases to extra-base hits. But media scrutiny and discrimination on color marred his time in Philadelphia.

Plus, he was traded five times during his career and was seen as a disruptive figure. Though not all agree! He topped out at only 18.9% on the BBWAA ballot and fell one vote short on Era Committee ballots in both 2015 and 2022. His induction surely brings closure to a career that was unfairly judged for a long time.

What New Rules Govern the Classic Baseball Era Committee Elections from 2025 Onward?

In a bid to modernize and streamline the entire process, the Hall of Fame introduced some key rules for the 2025 cycle. So any candidate who gets less than five votes on the ballot will not be eligible in the next cycle. Also, if this happens more than once, they will be permanently removed from the Era Committee ballot. Each ballot remains limited to eight candidates, and voters can vote for up to three names. The Historical Overview Committee, which constructs these ballots, will now also be approved by the Hall of Fame Board of Directors to add just another layer of oversight. The new process also continues to rotate the ballots through a three-year cycle. One for the MLB Classic Baseball Era (pre-1980), one for Contemporary Baseball players (1980–present), and one for Contemporary managers/executives/umpires.

These reforms aim to ensure that repetitive ballots that block new considerations are taken care of. Unfortunately, though, the other side of the coin is also there. As this closes the doors early for some worthy names. For instance, under these rules, names like Steve Garvey, John Donaldson, Vic Harris, Luis Tiant, and Ken Boyer—all of whom received fewer than five votes in 2024—will be barred in the next cycle.

The 2025 Hall of Fame class brings a long-overdue recognition to two deserving stars. The Classic Baseball Era Committee, though often under the radar, plays a crucial role in preserving the game’s history. It ensures that some of the biggest names of the MLB are not forgotten.