2008 HOF vote results

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Rich "Goose" Gossage was announced Tuesday as the newest member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Gossage, one of the most intimidating pitchers of all-time, was the only player elected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He will be inducted at Cooperstown on July 27.

There were 543 ballots submitted by members of the BBWAA with 10 or more consecutive years of service. Players needed to be named on 75 percent of those ballots to gain election, meaning 408 votes were required this year.

Gossage, who spent 22 years in the big leagues with nine different teams, was listed on 86 percent of the ballots. He was 21 votes shy last year when Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gywnn were elected.

Former MVP outfielders Jim Rice and Andre Dawson again came up short. Rice, in his 14th year on the ballot, was named on 72.2-percent of the ballots.

Of the 11 first-timers on the ballot, only one -- Tim Raines -- received the requisite 5 percent to remain on the ballot. Raines earned 132 or 24.3 percent. Dave Concepcion, the shortstop on Cincinnati's great "Big Red Machine" teams of the 1970s, received 88 votes or 16.2 percent on his 15th and final chance among the writers.

Andre Dawson, who hobbled on bad knees through many of his 21 seasons with the Expos, Cubs, Red Sox and Marlins, received almost a 10-percent uptick to 65.9 percent and may be right on the bubble in 2009. Voters from the Baseball Writers' Association of America also are taking another look at Bert Blyleven, a pitcher whose career ended after 22 seasons, just 13 victories shy of 300. Blyleven finished fourth behind Gossage, Rice and Dawson with a healthy 61.9 percent of the vote.