For those old enough to remember, there was actually a time when us common, hard-working, blue-collar baseball fans could actually look at an upcoming Hall of Fame ballot and could easily pick who the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) would vote into the sacred halls of Cooperstown – guys like Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Stan Musial, Don Drysdale, Carl Yastrzemski, Ozzie Smith, Frank Robinson and Johnny Bench – to name only a handful. Heck, even Duke Snider and Pee Wee Reese were no-brainers, although it took the Veterans Committee to eventually get them in. (Why Gil Hodges isn’t in there is still a mystery).

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York is a must-see destination for ever baseball fan – young and old. (Ron Cervenka – ThinkBlueLA.com)

And though we were often left scratching our heads as to how and why the BBWAA came up with their selections for some questionable MVP and Cy Young Award winners over the years, they were usually pretty good about picking the right guys to go into the Hall of Fame.

And then came 2013 when the BBWAA couldn’t agree on even one worthy candidate to make it into the Hall. And while I applaud the BBWAA for not voting guys like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa in, it seemed unfair to exclude guys like Craig Biggio and Mike Piazza who, other than a few vicious rumors, have never been directly linked to PED use; not in the Mitchell Report, not anywhere.

But alas, a new day has dawned and a new crop of first-time Hall of Fame-eligible candidates has emerged, several of whom that us common, hard-working, blue-collar baseball fans can point to and say “He’s a shoo-in” – guys like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and perhaps even Frank Thomas. In fact, Maddux may become the first-ever unanimous vote-getter in the 78-year history of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, although there are probably a few BBWAA voters who will not vote for him simply because they believe that nobody is perfect, regardless of the fact that Maddux is probably as close to perfection the game has ever seen.

If Greg Maddux isn’t voted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot then the selection process needs to be changed. (Photo credit – Jae C Hong)

On Tuesday the BBWAA released their ballot for the Hall of Fame class of 2014, and if for some reason… any reason they are unable to select even one worthy candidate to be enshrined on July 24, 2014, their credibility will be lost forever.

Here is the 2014 Hall of Fame ballot as chosen by the BBWAA. Results will be announced on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at 11 a.m. PT on MLB Network and on the Hall of Fame and BBWAA websites.

2014 Hall of Fame ballot