On this day in 1939, the Baseball Hall of Fame museum opened its doors in Cooperstown, NY. The museum was first introduced in 1935, but due to the Depression, it took a few years to open finally. Why in Cooperstown, NY? Well, that’s the place where Abner Doubleday himself invented the game. In 1936, the Hall of Fame selected its first five players, Ty Cobb 98.2%, Babe Ruth 95.1%, Honus Wagner 95.1%, Christy Matthewson 90.7%, and Walter Johnson 83.6%. While it took a few years for the museum to open, 21 more players would receive induction.

The Original Five Hall of Fame Inductees: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Matthewson, and Walter Johnson.

On June 12th, 1939, when the museum finally opened, they first honored the inaugural class, the only one of the five original members not there was Matthewson, who died in 1925. The method for players to get induction was that they needed at least 75% of the vote from the voting writers, and you had to be retired for at least five years. In 1937, Nap Lajoie 83.6%, Tris Speaker 82.1%, and Cy Young 76.1% were inducted. In 1938, Grover Cleveland Alexander 80.1%, was inducted. In 1939, Lou Gehrig got a special vote after being forced into retirement, George Sisler 85.8%, Eddie Collins 77.7%, and Willie Keeler 75.5% received induction. 

On that day, sixteen players and Connie Mack, legendary skipper, received induction. The only guys missing from this photo are Ty Cobb, who reportedly arrived late; Gehrig, who wasn’t present; and Matthewson, who died in 1925.

References:

  1. Opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame via Mystic Stamp Company: https://info.mysticstamp.com/this-day-in-history-june-12-1939/
  2. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum via Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Baseball_Hall_of_Fame_and_Museum