Marion, Walters & Ruppert on Hall of Fame ballot

NL MVPs Marty Marion and Bucky Walters, and former New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert are among 10 candidates on the ballot for the baseball Hall of Fame's pre-integration era committee.

Former players Bill Dahlen, Wes Ferrell, Tony Mullane and Deacon White also are on the 10-man ballot, along with former St. Louis Cardinals owner Samuel Breadon, sporting goods executive Alfred Reach and umpire Hank O'Day.

A 16-member committee will meet Dec. 2-3 at the winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn.

Electees, who must receive at least 75 percent of votes, will be inducted on July 28 along with any players elected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America in voting announced Jan. 9. The BBWAA ballot will include Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens for the first time.

Candidates for the pre-integration committee must have made their most significant impact by 1946.

Marion, a slick fielding shortstop, was voted NL MVP in 1944 for the St. Louis Cardinals. Walters was the 1939 winner for Cincinnati after going 27-11 with a 2.29 ERA and 137 strikeouts, winning the pitching triple crown.

Ruppert owned the Yankees from 1915-39, a period that saw them win their first six World Series titles, acquire Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox and build Yankee Stadium.

The committee that will vote includes Hall of Famers Bert Blyleven, Pat Gillick, Phil Niekro and Don Sutton; executives Bill DeWitt, Roland Hemond, Gary Hughes and Bob Watson; and historians/reporters Jim Henneman, Steve Hirdt, Peter Morris, Phil Pepe, Tom Simon, Claire Smith, T.R. Sullivan and Mark Whicker.

The expansion-era committee (1973-present) meets at the 2013 winter meetings and the golden era committee (1947-72) at the 2014 winter meetings.