Mariano Rivera became the first unanimous Hall of Famer on January 22, 2019, named on all 425 ballots the BBWAA cast in his first year of eligibility. The New York Yankees' closer broke Ken Griffey Jr.'s record of 99.3% and went into Cooperstown on July 21, 2019, with an interlocking NY on his cap.
Four hundred twenty-five writers, zero dissent. For a group that can't agree on what a save is worth, that's a minor miracle.
Eighty-Three Years of Somebody Saying No
The writers started voting in 1936, and for 83 years there was always a holdout. Babe Ruth got 95.1%. Willie Mays had 23 voters leave him off in 1979. Tom Seaver set the record in 1992 with 425 votes -- the same number Mo would get -- except Seaver's came out of 430. Griffey pushed it to 437 of 440 in 2016 and still fell three short.
The excuses varied. Some writers refused to vote for anybody on a first ballot, on principle. Some wanted to save a spot for a borderline candidate who needed the help more. And some (let's be honest) just liked being the one who said no.
Then Mo showed up, and nobody could think of a reason.
Why Nobody Blinked
The case writes itself. Nineteen seasons, all in pinstripes. A record 652 saves, the last of them coming during the 2013 farewell tour, two years after he'd passed Trevor Hoffman for the all-time mark. A 2.21 ERA and a 205 ERA+ over nearly two decades of ninth innings.
And October. Ninety-six postseason appearances, 42 saves, and a 0.70 ERA over 141 innings. That's 11 earned runs. Total. Across every October he ever pitched. Hitters knew the cutter was coming and couldn't do a freakin' thing about it.
Here's the part that still gets me: a closer did this. Relievers usually have to wait -- Trevor Hoffman needed three ballots, and Lee Smith never got there through the writers at all. Mo didn't wait a single cycle, and he didn't lose a single vote.
He sounded more surprised than anybody.
This was just beyond my imagination. This is the pinnacle of every athlete or every player that played the game of baseball. Just to be considered a Hall of Famer is an honor, but being unanimous is just amazing to me.
The Class Around Him
Mo didn't go in alone. Roy Halladay (363 votes, 85.4%) got in on his first try, 14 months after he died piloting his plane off the Florida coast. Edgar Martinez matched him at 363 on his 10th and final ballot. And Mike Mussina finally cleared the bar on his sixth try with 326 votes, 76.7% -- seven votes more than the 319 he needed.
The Today's Game Era Committee had already added Harold Baines and Lee Smith that December. George Steinbrenner was on that same committee ballot and got fewer than five votes, which means the Boss missed the class his closer headlined. (Somewhere, George is still yelling about it.)
Two Yankees went in. Only one wore the cap. Mussina and Halladay both chose blank caps, with Moose saying he couldn't "honestly pick one organization over the other." Rivera never had to choose. He never pitched for anyone else.
| BBWAA Vote | 425 of 425 (100%), first ballot |
| Announced | Tuesday, January 22, 2019 |
| Inducted | Sunday, July 21, 2019 -- Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown |
| Previous Record | Ken Griffey Jr., 437 of 440 (99.3%), 2016 |
| Career | 652 saves, 2.21 ERA, 205 ERA+ (1995-2013, all Yankees) |
| Postseason | 42 saves, 0.70 ERA, 141 IP in 96 games |
| Plaque Cap | New York Yankees |
Last Man to the Podium
Induction day drew an estimated 55,000 people to Cooperstown, the second-biggest crowd the ceremony has ever seen, behind only Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn in 2007. Brandy Halladay spoke for Roy. Mussina, Edgar, Baines, and Smith all took their turns.
Mo went last, which felt about right. The chants had to die down before he could start. "I don't understand why I have to always be the last," he said, before deciding that "being the last one is special." He switched between English and Spanish and thanked the fans in Panama, where he's now the country's second Hall of Famer after Rod Carew.
The 2019 Yankees were busy winning 103 games with half the roster on the injured list that summer. For one Sunday in July, everybody's attention went back to the guy who used to finish the job.
The Last Appearance
Rivera pitches for the final time at Yankee Stadium, ending a 19-year career spent entirely in the Bronx.
Griffey Sets the Mark
Ken Griffey Jr. gets 437 of 440 votes (99.3%), passing Tom Seaver's 98.8% from 1992 for the highest percentage ever.
Committee Picks Smith and Baines
The 16-member Today's Game Era Committee elects Lee Smith (16 votes) and Harold Baines (12). George Steinbrenner gets fewer than five.
425 for 425
Rivera appears on every BBWAA ballot. Halladay, Edgar Martinez, and Mussina also get in.
Induction Day
Rivera closes the ceremony in Cooperstown in front of an estimated 55,000 people.
Jeter Comes Up One Short
Derek Jeter lands on 396 of 397 ballots (99.7%). Mo stays the only unanimous pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Mariano Rivera the first unanimous Hall of Famer?
Yes. Rivera appeared on all 425 BBWAA ballots in 2019, his first year of eligibility, making him the first player elected unanimously since voting began in 1936.
How many votes did Mariano Rivera get for the Hall of Fame?
He got 425 of 425 votes, or 100%. The previous record belonged to Ken Griffey Jr., who received 437 of 440 votes (99.3%) in 2016.
Who was inducted into the Hall of Fame with Mariano Rivera?
The Class of 2019 included Roy Halladay (85.4%), Edgar Martinez (85.4%), and Mike Mussina (76.7%) from the BBWAA vote, plus Harold Baines and Lee Smith from the Today's Game Era Committee. All six went in on July 21, 2019.
Has anyone else been elected to the Hall of Fame unanimously?
No. Rivera is still the only unanimous BBWAA selection. Derek Jeter came closest afterward, landing on 396 of 397 ballots (99.7%) in 2020, and Ichiro Suzuki got 393 of 394 in 2025.
Every hitter knew what was coming for 19 years. It turns out every voter did too.