ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Monday, January 6, 1997                TAG: 9701070061
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: B-3  EDITION: METRO IN SPORTS
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports

PAIR OF ACES STILL PITCHING FOR ELECTION

Don Sutton and Phil Niekro won more than 300 games apiece and rank in major-league baseball's top 10 in strikeouts. They're both hoping those stats are enough to avoid another Hall of Fame shutout.

Tony Perez and eight first-timers on the ballot, including Dave Parker and Dwight Evans, will find out who's in and who's not at 6 p.m. today when the results are announced.

In January 1996, for the first time since 1971, the voters of the Baseball Writers' Association of America did not elect a single player.

In March, the Veterans Committee selected Earl Weaver, Jim Bunning and two other new members. The panel is expected to elect the late Nellie Fox this year.

It used to be that certain numbers - 500 home runs, 3,000 hits, 300 victories - were considered enough for automatic enshrinement in Cooperstown. But as Sutton and Niekro have found out, that's no longer the case.

``My stats are my stats,'' Niekro said. ``Maybe some day they will be good enough.''

Niekro came the closest last year. There were 470 votes cast and 75 percent (353) were needed for election. Niekro received 321, Perez had 309 and Sutton 300.

Niekro, on the ballot for the fifth time, was 318-274 with a 3.35 ERA. The knuckleballer is eighth in strikeouts (3,342) and pitched 24 seasons, mostly for the Atlanta Braves.

Sutton was 324-256 with a 3.26 ERA, and is tied for 12th on the career victories list. His 3,574 strikeouts put him fifth on the all-time list, and he was a four-time All-Star during his 23 seasons, most of them with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

``I may never get in,'' said Sutton, an Atlanta Braves television analyst who is on the ballot for the fourth time.

While they compiled big numbers, some contend neither Niekro nor Sutton was ever a dominant pitcher. Neither won a Cy Young Award, and Niekro had only three 20-win seasons and Sutton had one.

Perez, on the ballot for the sixth time, ranks 18th on the career RBI list with 1,652. He hit 379 home runs and played in five World Series during his 23 seasons, mostly for the Cincinnati Reds.

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