For the first time in 60 years, four players were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Pitchers Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz were selected by the Baseball Writers Association of America. They were joined by former Houston Astros infielder Craig Biggio, a member of the 3,000-hit club.
The results of the voting were announced Tuesday.
Falling just short of the 75 percent threshold for election was longtime major league catcher Mike Piazza, who was named on 69.9 percent of the ballots but was 28 votes shy. Johnson, Martinez and Smoltz were on the ballot for the first time, making it the second year in a row that three first-time candidates made it in their initial year of eligibility. Last year, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas were first-ballot inductees.
Biggio, the first Houston Astros player to join the Hall of Fame, was chosen after missing last year by two votes. He collected 3,060 career hits, all with the Astros.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set for July 26 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Johnson won five Cy Young awards during his career — one with the Seattle Mariners and four with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was the top vote-getter this year, appearing on 534 of a possible 547 ballots.
The only players with a higher percentage of votes in history are Tom Seaver (98.94), Nolan Ryan (98.7), Cal Ripken Jr. (98.5), Ty Cobb (98.2), George Brett (98.2), Hank Aaron (97.8) and Tony Gwynn (97.6).
Martinez, a Cy Young Award winner with the Montreal Expos in 1997 and for the Boston Red Sox in 1999 and 2000, was named on 91.9 percent of the ballots.
Smoltz, the 1996 National League Cy Young Award winner with the Atlanta Braves, received 82.9 percent and Biggio 82.7 percent.
The last time four players were elected in the same year was 1955 when Joe DiMaggio, Gabby Hartnett, Dazzy Vance and Ted Lyons went in together.