Piazza, Griffey Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

PHILADELPHIA- WTXF - The Baseball Hall of Fame has announced its class of 2016, and Philadelphia area native Mike Piazza is in.

Catcher Mike Piazza, a native of Norristown who grew up in Phoenixville, was elected to the Hall in his second year on the ballot, it was announced Wednesday. Piazza, a catcher who entered the game as a 62 nd round draft choice in 1988, played 15 years in the majors, mostly with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.

Piazza is joined by Ken Griffey, Jr., the outfielder who played mostly for Seattle and Cincinnati. Griffey received 99.3 percent of the vote and Piazza got 83 percent. Induction requires 75 percent; the nearest misses were Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines.

A pair of former Phillies were on the ballot. Curt Schilling failed to gain election in his second year. And former Phillies relief pitcher Billy Wagner also did not gain election in his first year on the ballot. Wagner was a Phillie in 2004 and 2005.Schilling was named on 52.3 percent of ballots.

And of course, ex-Phillie Pete Rose remains ineligible for the Hall.