National College Baseball Hall of Fame
The National College Baseball Hall of Fame is an institution operated by the College Baseball Foundation serving as the central point for the study of the history of college baseball in the United States. In partnership with the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library located on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, the Hall of Fame inducts former collegiate players and coaches who have met selection criteria of distinction.
History
The College Baseball Foundation was formed in 2004 as a non-profit organization, with the dual aims of continuing the Brooks Wallace Award and creating a national college baseball hall of fame. The inaugural Wallace Award was bestowed in 2004, but the inaugural Hall of Fame induction class was not chosen until 2006. As of 2006, organizers hoped to have a permanent building constructed by 2008. As of January 2013, the Foundation had raised approximately $7 million of the $13 million goal, after receiving a $5 million grant from the Moody Foundation. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held in June 2015 in Lubbock. In April 2017, the Foundation announced that it would no longer pursue constructing a museum in Lubbock.Inductees
The 2006 inaugural class for the National College Baseball Hall of Fame consisted of five former coaches and five former players. Annually thereafter, through 2016, additional players and coaches were enshrined. In May 2017, organizers cancelled that year's annual “Night of Champions” induction ceremony.| Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum |
Players
Head coaches
Veteran players (pre-1947 era)
Executives
Induction
Criteria
Selection criteria and categorization has changed over time.The original criteria, established in 2006, allow for recognition of:
- Coaches — eligible after ending their active collegiate career who have achieved 300 career wins or won at least 65% of their games.
- Players — eligible five years after their final collegiate season who competed for at least one year at a four-year institution, and made an All American or All League team.
- Teams — of "great achievement" at a four-year institution.
In 2009, a small school category was added, "featuring players and coaches from NAIA, NCAA Divisions II and III, and two-year colleges."
In 2011, a Legends and Pioneers Committee was created, "...designed to provide recognition to black pioneers in college baseball and to honor outstanding players and coaches whose careers at Historically Black Colleges and Universities began prior to 1975." Also, nominees would now be required to reach a threshold of votes, rather than automatically inducting the top ten vote-getters.
In 2012, voting was revised with five ballot categories: Vintage Era players and coaches, small school players, small school coaches, 1964–2001 players, and NCAA Division I coaches.