Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1978 introduced a new system that would continue to 1994. The special committee on Negro Leagues had disbanded after its 1977 meeting. Two of its members were appointed to the Veterans Committee, as part of expanding that body from twelve to eighteen members, and its responsibilities were extended to cover the Negro Leagues. Where the special committee had elected nine people in seven years from 1971, the expanded Veterans Committee would elect two in seventeen years up to 1994, before the next reform.

The Baseball Writers Association of America

Baseball Writers Association of America

The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...

 (BBWAA) voted by mail to select from recent major league players and
elected Eddie Mathews

Eddie Mathews

Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...

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The Veterans Committee

Veterans Committee

The Veterans Committee is the popular name of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee to Consider Managers, Umpires, Executives and Long-Retired Players, a committee of the U.S...

 met in closed sessions to consider older major league players as well as managers, umpires, executives, and figures from the Negro Leagues.
It selected Addie Joss

Addie Joss

Adrian Joss was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched his entire nine-year baseball career for the Cleveland Bronchos/Naps .-Early life:...

 and Larry MacPhail

Larry MacPhail

Leland Stanford "Larry" MacPhail, Sr. was an American lawyer, and an executive and innovator in Major League Baseball.-Biography:...

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BBWAA election

The BBWAA was authorized to elect players active in 1958 or later, but not after 1972; the ballot included candidates from the 1977 ballot who received at least 5% of the vote but were not elected, along with selected players, chosen by a screening committee, whose last appearance was in 1972. All 10-year members of the BBWAA were eligible to vote.

Voters were instructed to cast votes for up to 10 candidates; any candidate receiving votes on at least 75% of the ballots would be honored with induction to the Hall. The ballot consisted of 36 players; a total of 379 ballots were cast, with 285 votes required for election. Those candidates receiving less than 5% of the vote will not appear on future BBWAA ballots but may eventually be considered by the Veterans Committee.

Candidates who were eligible for the first time are indicated here with a †. The one candidate who received at least 75% of the vote and was elected is indicated in bold italics; candidates who have since been elected in subsequent elections are indicated in italics. The 14 candidates who received less than 5% of the vote, thus becoming ineligible for future BBWAA consideration, are indicated with a *.

Key to colors

	Elected to the Hall. These individuals are also indicated in bold italics.
	Players who were elected in future elections. These individuals are also indicated in plain italics.
	Players not yet elected who returned on the 1979 ballot.
	Eliminated from future BBWAA voting. These individuals remain eligible for future Veterans Committee consideration.

Player	Votes	Percent
Eddie Mathews Eddie Mathews Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...	301	79.4
Enos Slaughter Enos Slaughter Enos Bradsher Slaughter , nicknamed "Country", was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 19-year baseball career, he played from 1938–1942 and 1946-1959 for four different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the St...	261	68.9
Duke Snider Duke Snider Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider , nicknamed "The Silver Fox" and "The Duke of Flatbush", was a Major League Baseball center fielder and left-handed batter who played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Mets , and San Francisco Giants .Snider was elected to the National Baseball Hall of...	254	67.0
Gil Hodges Gil Hodges Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...	226	59.6
Don Drysdale Don Drysdale Donald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...	219	57.8
Jim Bunning Jim Bunning James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...	181	47.8
Richie Ashburn Richie Ashburn Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...	158	41.7
†Hoyt Wilhelm Hoyt Wilhelm James Hoyt Wilhelm was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985....	158	41.7
Nellie Fox Nellie Fox Jacob Nelson Fox was a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Chicago White Sox. Fox was born in St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania. He was selected as the MVP of the American League in...	149	39.3
Red Schoendienst Red Schoendienst Albert Fred "Red" Schoendienst is an American Major League Baseball coach, former player and manager, and 10-time All-star. After a 19-year playing career with the St...	130	34.3
†Maury Wills Maury Wills Maurice Morning "Maury" Wills is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and switch-hitting batter who played most prominently with the Los Angeles Dodgers , and also with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos...	115	30.3
Roger Maris Roger Maris Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...	83	21.9
Lew Burdette Lew Burdette Selva Lewis Burdette, Jr. was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves...	76	20.1
Mickey Vernon Mickey Vernon James Barton "Mickey" Vernon was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators for the majority of his career, as well as four other teams: the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates...	66	17.4
Alvin Dark Alvin Dark Alvin Ralph Dark , nicknamed "Blackie" and "The Swamp Fox", is a former shortstop and manager in Major League Baseball who played for five National League teams from 1946 to 1960. Named the major leagues' Rookie of the Year with the Boston Braves when he batted .322...	60	15.8
Harvey Kuenn Harvey Kuenn Harvey Edward Kuenn was an American player, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. As a shortstop and outfielder, he played with the Detroit Tigers , Cleveland Indians , San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies . He batted and threw right-handed...	58	15.3
Ted Kluszewski Ted Kluszewski Theodore Bernard "Big Klu" Kluszewski was a Major League first baseman from 1947 through 1961. He batted and threw left-handed.-Career:...	51	13.5
Don Newcombe Don Newcombe Donald Newcombe , nicknamed "Newk", is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers , Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians .Until 2011 when Detroit Tigers Pitcher Justin Verlander did it, Newcombe was the only baseball...	48	12.7
Elston Howard Elston Howard Elston Gene Howard was an American Negro League and Major League Baseball catcher, left fielder and coach. During a 14-year baseball career, he played from 1955–1968, primarily for the New York Yankees...	41	10.8
Don Larsen Don Larsen Donald James Larsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953-67 for seven different teams. Larsen is best known for pitching the sixth perfect game in baseball history, doing so in game 5 of the 1956 World Series...	32	8.4
Roy Face Roy Face Elroy Leon Face is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953–1969, pitching primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates...	27	7.1
†Bill Mazeroski Bill Mazeroski William Stanley Mazeroski , nicknamed "Maz", is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...	23	6.1
Ken Boyer Ken Boyer Kenton Lloyd Boyer was an American Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During a 15-year baseball career, he played for 1955-1969 for four different teams, playing primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals... *	18	4.7
Curt Flood Curt Flood Curtis Charles Flood was a Major League Baseball player who spent most of his career as a center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. A defensive standout, he led the National League in putouts four times and in fielding percentage twice, winning Gold Glove Awards in his last seven full seasons... *	8	2.1
Harvey Haddix Harvey Haddix Harvey Haddix, Jr. was a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher who played with the St. Louis Cardinals , Philadelphia Phillies , Cincinnati Redlegs , Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles . Haddix was born in Medway, Ohio, located just outside of Springfield... *	7	1.8
Del Crandall Del Crandall Delmar Wesley Crandall is a former professional baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves... *	6	1.6
Vern Law Vern Law Vernon Sanders Law is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for 16 seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Career:Law was a member of the National League All Star Team in... *	6	1.6
Bobby Thomson Bobby Thomson Robert Brown "Bobby" Thomson was a Scottish-born American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "The Staten Island Scot", he was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants , Milwaukee Braves , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles .His season-ending three-run... *	5	1.3
Vic Wertz Vic Wertz Victor Woodrow Wertz was a Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. He had a seventeen year career from 1947 to 1963. He was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Tigers in 1942 and played for the Tigers, St... *	4	1.1
Dick Groat Dick Groat Richard Morrow Groat is a former two-sport athlete best known as a shortstop in Major League Baseball. He played for four National League teams, mainly the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player in after winning the batting title with a .325... *	3	0.8
†Jim Maloney Jim Maloney James William Maloney is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Cincinnati Reds and California Angels... *	2	0.5
†Clete Boyer Clete Boyer Cletis Leroy "Clete" Boyer was a Major League Baseball player.A third baseman who also played shortstop and second base occasionally, Boyer played for the Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves... *	1	0.3
†Denny McLain Denny McLain Dennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season —a feat accomplished by only thirteen players in the 20th century.... *	1	0.3
†Camilo Pascual Camilo Pascual Camilo Alberto Pascual is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During an 18-year baseball career , he played for the Washington Senators , the second Washington Senators franchise, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Cleveland Indians... *	1	0.3
†Mudcat Grant Mudcat Grant James Timothy "Mudcat" Grant is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Los Angeles Dodgers , Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates... *	0	0.0
†Pedro Ramos Pedro Ramos Pedro Ramos Guerra was a Major League pitcher with a 15-year career from 1955 to 1967, and again from 1969 to 1970... *	0	0.0

Roberto Clemente

Roberto Clemente

Roberto Clemente Walker was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball right fielder. He was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. Clemente played his entire 18-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was awarded the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in...

, who died during the 1972 season, was included on the 1973 ballot under a standard provision for players who die before the five-year waiting period has elapsed.

The newly-eligible players included 18 All-Stars, 11 of whom were not included on the ballot, representing a total of 39 All-Star selections. Among the new candidates were 7-time All-Star Bill Mazeroski and 5-time All-Stars Hoyt Wilhelm and Maury Wlls. The field included two MVPs (Wills and Denny McLain), one Cy Young Award winner (Denny McLain, who received the MVP the same year as one of his two Cy Young Awards; that same season, he was the last pitcher to win thirty games in a season) and two Rookies of the Year (Ron Hansen and Gary Peters). Bill Mazeroski also had eight Gold Gloves at Second Base, the record at the time.

Players eligible for the first time who were not included on the ballot were: Ted Abernathy

Ted Abernathy

Ted Wade Abernathy was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He batted and threw right-handed.A native of Stanley, North Carolina, Abernathy changed his pitching motion after shoulder surgery left his career in doubt, switching from a three-quarter delivery and becoming an effective sidearmer...

, Joe Azcue

Joe Azcue

José Joaquín Azcue López is a former Cuban professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers. Nicknamed "The Immortal Azcue", he was known for his...

, John Bateman, Wade Blasingame

Wade Blasingame

Wade Allen Blasingame was a Pitcher for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves , Houston Astros and New York Yankees ....

, Don Buford

Don Buford

Donald Alvin Buford is a former Major League Baseball player. An infielder/outfielder, the switch-hitting Buford played for the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles ....

, Donn Clendenon

Donn Clendenon

Donn Alvin Clendenon was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He is best remembered as the World Series MVP for the Amazin' Mets.-Early life:...

, Tony Cloninger

Tony Cloninger

Tony Lee Cloninger , is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves , the Cincinnati Reds , and the St. Louis Cardinals...

, Moe Drabowsky

Moe Drabowsky

Myron Walter Drabowsky was a Polish-American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs , Milwaukee Braves , Cincinnati Reds , Kansas City Athletics , Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Royals , St...

, Joe Gibbon

Joe Gibbon

Joseph Charles Gibbon is a former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher over parts of 13 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros. Gibbon was a member of the 1960 World Series champion Pirates...

, Tom Haller

Tom Haller

Thomas Frank Haller was an American professional baseball player and baseball executive. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers...

, Steve Hamilton

Steve Hamilton

Steven Absher Hamilton was a Major League Baseball and NBA player....

, Ron Hansen

Ron Hansen (baseball)

Ronald Lavern Hansen is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox , Washington Senators , New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals...

, Joe Horlen

Joe Horlen

Joel Edward Horlen is a right-handed former Major League Baseball pitcher. Horlen pitched for the Chicago White Sox from to , and the Oakland Athletics in ....

, Julian Javier

Julián Javier

Manuel Julián Javier Liranzo , best known as Julián Javier [hoo-lee-AN hah-vee-ER], is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and right-handed batter. He played with the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds...

, Denny Lemaster

Denny Lemaster

Denver Clayton Lemaster Denver Clayton Lemaster Denver Clayton Lemaster (born (February 25, 1939 in Corona, California) was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 to 1972 for the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, and Montreal Expos. During his decade-long career, LeMaster won 90...

, J. C. Martin

J. C. Martin

Joseph Clifton Martin is a former Major League Baseball player. The left-handed hitting, right-handed throwing Martin played for the Chicago White Sox from 1959-1967, New York Mets in 1968 and 1969 and Chicago Cubs from 1970-1972.Martin was scouted by the White Sox as an amateur free agent in 1956...

, Don Mincher

Don Mincher

-External links:***...

, Gary Peters, Phil Regan, Jim Roland

Jim Roland

James Ivan Roland [Jim] was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for four different teams between the and seasons. Listed at 6' 3", 175 lb., Roland batted right-handed and threw left-handed...

, Ron Taylor

Ron Taylor (baseball)

Ronald Wesley Taylor is a former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher over parts of 11 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, New York Mets and San Diego Padres. Taylor was a member of two World Series-winning teams: the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals and the...

, Stan Williams

Stan Williams (baseball)

Stanley Wilson Williams , nicknamed "Big Daddy" and "The Big Hurt", is a former Major League Baseball starting and relief pitcher who threw and batted right-handed. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Yankees , Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , St...

, and Bobby Wine

Bobby Wine

Robert Paul Wine Sr. is a former shortstop, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. An excellent fielder who struggled as a batsman, Wine spent 12 seasons in the National League with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Montreal Expos...

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External links

• 1978 Election at www.baseballhalloffame.org