No players voted to baseball hall in 2013

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y., Jan. 9 (UPI) -- No players will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013 following the first vote of the so-called Steroid Era, hall officials said Wednesday.

Eligible members of the Baseball Writers Association of America sent a message on performance-enhancing drug use by not giving any of the 37 players -- even those who were considered to have played clean -- on the Hall of Fame ballot the necessary 75 percent of votes.

Craig Biggio, a seven-time All-Star who wasn't implicated in steroid use, was named on 68 percent of the ballots and was closest to induction. He came up 39 votes short.

Jack Morris (67.7 percent), Jeff Bagwell (59.6 percent), Mike Piazza (57.8 percent) and Tim Raines (52.2 percent) were the other players to be listed on more than half the ballots.

However, all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens and power-hitter Sammy Sosa were all refused entry in their first year of eligibility. All have had superior career statistics tainted by alleged steroid use.

Clemens was listed on 37.6 percent of the ballots and Bonds on 36.2 percent, suggesting they may someday win induction. Sosa, however, was on 12.5 percent and his hall induction would have to be seen as a long shot.

It was the first time since 1996 and only the eighth time overall no player won induction from the BBWAA vote.