January 4, 2005 — Among thousands of high-spirited Red Sox and Cubs fans,, Wade Boggs, a five-time batting champion, and Ryne Sandberg, a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner at second base, are elected to the Hall of Fame. Boggs becomes the 41st player elected to Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility while receiving 474 of the record number of 516 votes cast (92%). Sandberg receives 393 votes, six more than the needed number. Relief pitchers Bruce Sutter (66.7%) and Goose Gossage (55%), and outfielders Jim Rice (59.5%) and Andre Dawson (52%), are the only other players to be named on at least half of the ballots cast. All four will be voted in over the next five years.

Also inducted are Padres announcer Jerry Coleman, winner of the Ford C. Frick Award, and sportswriter and broadcast analyst Peter Gammons, recipient of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award.