Larkin Voted into Baseball Hall of Fame

Updated: Monday, 09 Jan 2012, 5:20 PM CST
Published : Monday, 09 Jan 2012, 5:20 PM CST

(NewsCore) - NEW YORK -- Longtime Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin was named to the Baseball Hall of Fame Monday as the only elected member of the 2012 class.

Larkin, 47, garnered 86 percent of votes out of 573 ballots submitted by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Larkin was voted in on his third time on the ballot after garnering 51.6 percent of the votes in 2010 and 62.1 percent last year.

"It was absolutely an unbelievable experience," Larkin told the MLB Network about receiving the call telling him he had been elected. "I felt like it was almost an out-of-body experience. I couldn't believe it. Honestly, I couldn't believe it."

Larkin will be inducted July 22 in Cooperstown, N.Y., with Cubs legend Ron Santo, who was elected posthumously last month by the Veterans Committee.

A candidate must appear on at least 75 percent of ballots to gain induction. Players become eligible for the Hall of Fame five years after their retirement.

Larkin was a 12-time All-Star, playing his entire 19-year career for the Cincinnati Reds. He was National League MVP in 1995 after hitting .319 with 51 stolen bases and 98 runs scored.

"To be recognized as one of the best all-time in the history of the game ... I was thinking yesterday, I've got young kids, and 20-30-40-100 years from now, when they're old and gone, their kids or grandkids will be able to say my grandfather or great-grandfather was a member of the Hall of Fame."

The Michigan Wolverine was an All-Star in his final season in 2004 and was a career .295 hitter, totaling 2,340 hits, 198 home runs, 960 RBIs and 379 stolen bases. The three-time Gold Glove winner was a key member of the Reds' World Series team in 1990, hitting .353 in the team's four-game sweep of Oakland.

Praise for Larkin poured in Monday, with both former teammates and the opposition lauding his talents.

Longtime Braves manager Bobby Cox told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he believes Larkin was one of the top "two or three" shortstops of all-time.

Former Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. called Larkin "the smartest player I ever played with," while another former Cincy teammate, Eric Davis, referred to Larkin as "the most complete shortstop in the National League during his era."

Pitcher Jack Morris fell short for the 13th straight year, but saw his votes increase for a fifth straight campaign. The right-handed starter was named on 66.7 percent of ballots, up from 53.5 percent a year ago.

The longtime Detroit Tiger won 254 games in his 18-year career, with a career ERA of 3.90.

Following Morris on the ballot was former Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell, who garnered 56 percent of votes in his second year on the ballot. Bagwell, who hit 449 home runs in his career, saw his support jump from 41.7 percent in 2011.

Other leading vote-getters included closer Lee Smith with 50.6 percent and speedy outfielder Tim Raines with 48.7 percent.

A player can remain on the ballot for up to 15 years as long as they garner five percent of votes in any single year.