January 22, 2025

By Neil Munro

Canadian Baseball Network

Russell Martin received nine votes on ballots cast by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America in this year’s National Baseball Hall of Fame voting.

This meant that the Montreal native was named on 2.3% of voters’ ballots in his first year of eligibility. Candidates are required to secure at least 5% to stay on the ballot for consideration in the future.

On the bright side, Martin, who enjoyed an excellent big league career and was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame last year, became just the eighth player born in Canada to receive Cooperstown votes. A list of the others is provided below.

In case you missed it, Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were elected to the Cooperstown shrine by baseball writers last night. You can read more about them here.

Canadians who have received National Baseball Hall of Fame votes (in chronological order):

OF George Selkirk (Huntsville, Ont.)

1948 - one vote, 0.8%

1949 - one vote, 0.7%

1950 - one vote, 0.6%

1951 - two votes, 0.9%

1952 - one vote, 0.4%

1953 - one vote, 0.4%

LHP John Hiller (Toronto, Ont.)

1986 - 11 votes, 2.6%

RHP Fergie Jenkins (Chatham, Ont.)

1989 - 234 votes, 52.3%

1990 - 296 votes, 66.7%

1991 - 334 votes, 75.4%

OF Terry Puhl (Melville, Sask.)

1997 - 1 vote, 0.2%

OF Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.)

2011 - 118 votes, 20.3%

2012 - 131 votes, 22.9%

2013 - 123 votes, 21.6%

2014 - 58 votes, 10.2%

2015 - 65 votes, 11.8%

2016 - 68 votes, 15.5%

2017 - 97 votes, 21.9%

2018 - 144 votes, 34.1%

2019 - 232 votes, 54.6%

2020 - 304 votes, 76.6%

RHP Eric Gagne (Mascouche, Que.)

2014 - Two votes, 0.4%

1B Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.)

2022 - Five votes, 1.3%

C Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.)

2025 - Nine votes, 2.3%

*C Jimmy Archer (born in Ireland, raised in Toronto)

1937 - Six votes, 3 %

1938 - Seven votes, 2.7%

1939 - Three votes, 1.1%