Relief pitcher聽Bruce Sutter聽is聽elected聽to the聽Hall of Fame. With 75% of the votes cast by聽BBWAA聽members needed for election. Sutter receives 76.9%, slugger聽Jim Rice聽is second with 64.8%, followed by reliever聽Goose Gossage聽at 64.6%. Sutter, who is credited with perfecting the聽split-fingered fastball, which is a pitch many major leaguers use in some form today, joins聽Hoyt Wilhelm,聽Rollie Fingers聽and聽Dennis Eckersley聽as the only relief pitchers in聽Cooperstown. In a special election, seventeen聽Negro Leagues聽figures are also elected:聽Ray Brown,聽Willard Brown,聽Andy Cooper,聽Frank Grant,聽Pete Hill,聽Biz Mackey,聽Effa Manley,聽Jose Mendez,聽Alex Pompez,聽Cum Posey,聽Louis Santop,聽Mule Suttles,聽Ben Taylor,聽Crist贸bal Torriente,聽Sol White,聽J.L. Wilkinson, and聽Jud Wilson. Manley is the first woman ever elected to the Hall, and the 18 inductees are the largest class in the Hall’s history.