This is from the Hall of Fame website...
Quote:
Coincidentally, in 1935 plans were also being formulated for an appropriate celebration in Cooperstown to mark Baseball's upcoming 100th anniversary four years hence. Frick proposed that a Hall of Fame be established as part of the shrine to honor the game's immortals.
The cooperation of the Baseball Writers' Association of America was enlisted to select the playing greats who were to be so honored. The first election was conducted in January of 1936 and five players were named—Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum was officially dedicated in colorful ceremony on June 12, 1939. The game's four ranking executives of the period—Landis, Frick, Harridge and William G. Bramham, President of the National Association, participated in the ribbon-cutting. Of the 25 immortals who had been elected to the Hall of Fame up to that point, 11 were still living; and all of them journeyed to Cooperstown to attend the centennial celebration. A baseball postage stamp commemorating the occasion was placed on sale that day at the Cooperstown post office, with Postmaster General James A. Farley presiding.
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so players will be elected beginning in 1936 and the first actual ceremony will be in 1939...
btw, I also plan to use the 5-year rule that the HOF uses... a player becomes eligible after being retired for 5 yrs...