ron santo

Joe Gordon joined former teammates Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig and Bob Feller in the Hall of Fame. For the likes of Joe Torre, Jim Kaat and Ron Santo, it was another shutout. Gordon was elected Monday by a 12-member Veterans Committee composed of Hall members and historians that studied pre-1943 players. A nine-time All-Star, the late second baseman won five World Series titles with the New York Yankees and Cleveland.

But another panel made up of the living 64 Hall of Famers didn't come close to picking anyone who started after World War II. Santo fell short, followed by Kaat, Tony Oliva, Gil Hodges and Torre.

This marked the fourth straight time that nobody was chosen from the newer group.

"It's not our job to vote someone in," Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams said by phone from Las Vegas, where the results were announced at baseball's winter meetings. "It's our job to consider the candidates."

"I thought Kaat would get in. I voted for him. And I think Joe Torre will, too, when he's done managing," he said. "I missed quite a few times before I got in. I know what that's like."

It took 75 percent _ 48 votes _ for election and Santo did the best with 39. The former Cubs slugger led Kaat (38), Oliva (33), Hodges (28) and Torre (19).

All 64 Hall voters sent a ballot. They were allowed to pick four players, and they listed an average of 3.3 names.

"We just didn't have them lined up, I guess,"