Center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. fell three votes shy of becoming the first unanimous selection in Baseball Hall of Fame history.
Of the 440 ballots submitted by senior members of the Baseball Writers Association of America that were announced Wednesday, Griffey was named on 437 of the 440 ballots, or 99.32 percent.
The previous high was 98.84 percent by pitcher Tom Seaver in 1992.
Griffey was the 51st player elected in his first year on the ballot. Also elected to the Hall of Fame was catcher Mike Piazza, who received 365 votes or 83 percent in his fourth year on the ballot.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set for July 24 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Falling 15 votes short of the 330 needed for election was first baseman Jeff Bagwell (71.6 percent). Also missing out were outfielder Tim Raines (69.8), relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman (67.3) and pitcher Curt Schilling (52.3).
Others who didn’t gain election were pitcher Roger Clemens (45.2), outfielder Barry Bonds (44.3), relief pitcher Lee Smith (30.2), infielder-designated hitter Edgar Martinez (43.4), pitcher Mike Mussina (43.0), reliever Lee Smith (34.1), first baseman Fred McGriff (20.9), second baseman Jeff Kent (16.6), outfielder Larry Walker (15.5), outfielder Gary Sheffield (11.6), reliever Billy Wagner (10.5) and outfielder Sammy Sosa (7.0).
In their final year on the ballot, shortstop Alan Trammell (40.9) and first baseman Mark McGwire (12.3) also did not make it.
Griffey, 46, had 2,781 hits and 630 home runs in his 22-year career with the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds. A 13-time All-Star, Griffey won 10 Gold Glove Awards and seven Silver Slugger Awards.
Piazza, 47 was a 12-time All-Star during a 16-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics. He hit 396 of his 427 career home runs as a catcher, the most in major league history.
Wagner, whose 422 career saves rank second among left-handers, and fellow lefty Mike Hampton, the 2000 NLCS MVP, were on the ballot for the first time along with catchers Brad Ausmus and Jason Kendall, catcher-first baseman Mike Sweeney, infielder Mark Grudzielanek and outfielder Randy Winn.