Ron Santo is already in for 2012.  But who will stand next to him on Induction Day?  If I had a ballot, these are the players I would vote for:

Now realistically, I don’t think Raines or McGwire will get into the Hall of Fame this year.  Larkin, however, has a real chance of getting in this year, especially with such a weak ballot of players.  We’ll find out when they announce the results next week.

“In a 2nd straight injury-abbreviated season, Mark still became Oakland’s No. 2 HR hitter ever (behind Reggie Jackson).  The superstitious McGwire always touches the bases with his right foot when circling the bags after a home run.”

1995 Topps Series 2:

1. #620 David Justice
2. Cyberstats #306 Kirk Gibson
3. #520 Spike Owen
4. #478 Albie Lopez
5. League Leaders #LL42 Vince Coleman
6. #555 Tommy Davis (Draft Pick) (Rookie Card)
7. #538 Trey Moore (Draft Pick) (Rookie Card)
8. #657 Andres Berumen/Bryce Florie (On Deck) (Rookie Card)
9. #503 Albert Belle
10. #472 Mark McGwire
11. #604 John Roper
12. #585 Dave Clark
13. #573 Scott Leius

“The drama had been building the entire summer of 1998, but McGwire waited until the spotlight was at its brightest before taking the stage.  He hit his 61st home run on Labor Day, but now was in the final day of a homestand during which St. Louis fans clamored to see No. 62.  His son had flown in from California a day earlier, his rival Sammy Sosa was on the field for the Cubs and the children of Roger Maris were in the stands.  Pressure?  Mac drilled No. 62 that day for a new single-season record.”

2001 Topps Series 1:

1. #359 Mike Stodolka/Sean Burnett (Draft Picks) (Rookie Card)
2. #377 Mark McGwire (Golden Moments)
3. #331 Phil Garner (Manager)
4. #11 Chris Singleton
5. #205 Edgardo Alfonzo
6. #167 David Bell
7. #312 Sandy Alomar
8. #129 Kevin Tapani
9. #315 Geoff Jenkins
10. #317 Damian Miller

“CAREER HR DATA…AB-per-HR rate: 12.41 (2nd all-time to Ruth)… AB-per-HR rate in ’96: 8.13 (ML record)… # of men to hit more than 52 in a season: 7.”

The 7 men to hit more than 52 homers in a season as of 1996 were:  Roger Maris, Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Hank Greenberg, Hack Wilson, Ralph Kiner, and Mickey Mantle.

Another 8 men joined them since 1997:  Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ryan Howard, Luis Gonzalez, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., and David Ortiz

1997 Topps Series 2:

1. #332 Bobby Witt
2. #283 Jamie Moyer
3. #457 Scott Brosius
4. #395 Javy Lopez
5. Seasons Best #SB6 Mark McGwire (Bleacher Reachers)
6. #482 John Nicholson/Andy Prater (Draft Picks) (Rookie Card)
7. #481 Kris Benson/Billy Koch (Draft Picks) (Rookie Card)
8. #480 Joe Lawrence/Pete Tucci (Draft Picks) (Rookie Card)
9. #381 Carlos Baerga
10. #450 Mo Vaughn
11. #384 Kevin Stocker

“McGwire smacks his first home run of the year into Big Mac Land, an area in the upper deck of Busch Stadium’s left field.  The 47,549 fans in attendance go wild, as ticket stubs now earn them a free burger.”

1999 Topps Series 1:

1. #238 Scott Brosius (World Series Highlights)
2. #204 Kerry Wood (Season Highlights)
3. #1 Roger Clemens
4. #105 Trevor Hoffman
5. #2 Andres Galarraga
6. #220-21 Mark McGwire (HR Record)
7. #173 Mike Cameron
8. #49 Darren Dreifort
9. #8 Jose Vizcaino
10. #6 Ray Durham
11. #74 Andy Pettitte

1989 Topps:

1. #749 Rafael Ramirez
2. #372 Craig Lefferts
3. #250 Cal Ripken
4. #70 Mark McGwire
5. #178 Mark Grant
6. #320 Lou Whitaker
7. #632 Bryan Harvey
8. #548 Bobby Witt
9. #437 Andy Benes (Draft Pick) (Rookie)
10. #681 Jeff Robinson
11. #526 Wes Gardner
12. #402 Mike Greenwell (All-Star)
13. #747 Wil Tejada
14. #197 Neal Heaton
15. #362 Jack Lazorko

Last January, McGwire finally decided to move on with his life and admitted to taking steroids.  He then took a job as the hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals.

1999 Topps Series 1:

1. #216 Matt Burch/Seth Etherton (Draft Picks) (Rookie)
2. #201 Mark McGwire (Season Highlights)
3. #143 Dan Wilson
4. #112 Jaret Wright
5. #176 Bobby Jones
6. #237 Orlando Hernandez (World Series Highlights)
7. #196 Tony Fernandez
8. #97 Neifi Perez
9. #113 Aramis Ramirez
10. #31 Ryan Jackson
11. #82 Todd Dunwoody

“As with most of his 1998 achievements, Mark McGwire ended the suspense early in pursuit of the three-year home run record.  It took him only until August 22 to eclipse Babe Ruth’s 1926-1928 standard of 161 clouts in three successive years.  The record-breaker, his 52nd home run of the season, came in Pittsburgh — a 477-foot, first inning rocket to right-center on an 0-2 count.  That home run also broke the record of Johnny Mize (1947 New York Giants) for most ever by a National League first baseman.”

McGwire ended up hitting 180 home runs from 1996-1998.  However, he beat his own record in the following season by hitting 65 homers, adding up to 193 home runs from 1997-1999.  Even Barry Bonds never came close to McGwire’s 3-year record.  Steroids or not, it’s in the record books and I have a feeling that this record will stand for a long, long time.

1997 Topps Series 1:

1. #82 Benito Santiago
2. #135 Bret Boone
3. #14 Ricky Bottalico
4. #86 Mike Bordick
5. #217 Armando Reynoso
6. Sweet Strokes #SS10 Mark McGwire
7. #124 Juan Gonzalez
8. #188 Jeff Brantley
9. #19 Mike Mohler
10. #207 Glendon Rusch/Jarrod Washburn/Marc Wilkins (Prospects) (Rookie)
11. #102 John Mabry (Season Highlights)

The Sweet Strokes card is so sparkly and awesome to look at in the over-the-top 90′s design sense.  The scan doesn’t do it justice.

“Whatever the secret of hitting home runs with routine regularity, no one since Babe Ruth — except for McGwire — has been privy to it.  He generates incredible leverage with a stroke so short it almost looks as though he has not completely followed through.  Yet the ball erupts off his bat with record frequency.  His ability to drive through the ball is virtually unprecedented.”

The writing on the back of the card is a little funny in hindsight.  We all know what Mark McGwire’s “secret of hitting home runs” was now, and the card suggests that Babe Ruth shared the same secret.