Jim Leyland had a lengthy and legendary career as a Major League manager, and he was rewarded for his 22 years of service leading four major league teams Sunday as he was elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
Leyland managed 11 years for the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2 years for the Florida Marlins, 1 season for the Colorado Rockies and 8 years for the Detroit Tigers. Leyland led the Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997. He won American League pennants with the Tigers in 2006 and 2012. He led the Pirates to 3 consecutive playoff appearances from 1990 through 1992.
Leyland was named on 15 of 16 ballots to gain entry into the Hall of Fame. Fellow manager Lou Piniella was named on 11 ballot and fell one vote short. Piniella was also an outstanding major league player.
Leyland was elected in a vote by the Contemporary Baseball Era Non-Players Committee on Sunday.
The voting was the result of a restructured ballot system in which manager, umpire and executive candidates are considered separately from players. This was done to create better opportunities for managerial induction. The contemporary era is considered from 1980 to the present.
In addition to Leyland and Piniella, the other candidates on the ballot were managers Cito Gaston and Davey Johnson, umpires Ed Montague and Joe West, and executives Hank Peters and Bill White.
White received 10 votes (62.5%) and Gaston, Johnson, Montague, Peters and West each received fewer than five votes.
A vote of 75 percent was required for Hall entry..
Jim Leyland was the first manager elected to the Hall of Fame since 2013. Joe Torre, Tony LaRussa and Bobby Cox were elected that year.
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