A sixteen-member conglomerate of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Modern Era (1970 to 1989) Committee elected two new members into Cooperstown on Sunday evening: former MLB Players’ Association Marvin Miller and longtime St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ted Simmons, who received 13 and 12 votes each, respectively (12 needed for enshrinement).

Former players Dwight Evans (eight votes), Steve Garvey (six votes), Tommy John (three or fewer), Don Mattingly (three or fewer), Thurman Munson (three or fewer), Dale Murphy (three or fewer), Dave Parker (seven votes), and Lou Whitaker (six votes) made up the remainder of the ballot. Full voting results can be found here.

Marvin Miller, who passed away at the age of 95 in 2012, was the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players’ Association from 1966 through 1982.

A product of Flatbush, Brooklyn, Miller took the negotiating skills he accumulated over 16 years on the staff of the United Steelworkers union and used it to his advantage as MLBPA head.

The league’s first collective bargaining agreement, as well as the dawn of free agency — two monumental mile-markers in this game’s history — are direct results of Miller’s impact.

Miller spoke of his legacy after retirement, via his obituary in the New York Times

“I do feel a little irked and chagrined when I realize that the players have no idea that it was the union that changed everything. What’s taken for granted are the salaries, the perks, free-agency rights, salary-arbitration rights, all of which were tremendous struggles.”

“Succeeding generations of players know so much more about trade unionism, solidarity, and what it can produce than their predecessors did.”

Ted Simmons made his debut with the Cardinals in 1968, being named to six All-Star teams during his time in St. Louis before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in December 1980, earning two more All-Star nods, and finishing out his career with the Atlanta Braves (1986 to 1988).

Over 2,456 games played, the Southfield, Michigan native compiled 2,472 hits, 248 home runs, 483 doubles, 47 triples, 1,389 RBIs, a .285/.348/.437 slash line, 116 wRC+, and 54.2 wins above replacement (FanGraphs).

Per his Hall of Fame profile:

“His 193 hits in 1975 are the most of any catcher who caught at least 150 games in a season, and his 192 hits in 1973 rank second on that same list. Among those who played at least 50 percent of their games at catcher, Simmons ranks second in hits, second in doubles, second in RBIs, and fifth in runs. 

The electorate was comprised of Hall of Fame players George Brett, Rod Carew, Dennis Eckersley, Eddie Murray, Ozzie Smith, and Robin Yount, former MLB executives Dave Dombrowski, Sandy Alderson, David Glass, Walt Jocketty, Doug Melvin, and Terry Ryan.

Media members/baseball historians Bill Center, Steve Hirdt, Jack O’Connell, and Tracy Ringolsby rounded out the group.