The National Baseball Hall of Fame' Board of Directors has voted to restructure the Committee on Baseball Veterans and its procedures for electing long-retired players, managers, umpires and executives.

The changes, effective immediately, are designed to make the process much more open and understandable while maintaining the high standards for earning election to the Hall of Fame.

The revamped Vets Committee will not meet again until 2003, meaning only electees from the BBWAA ballot will be inducted next year.

"The Hall of Fame believes in electing ballplayers based on numbers and accomplishments, not on politics," Hall spokesman Jeff Arnett said.

The membership of both the Screening Committee and the voting body will change dramatically, as will the actual method of voting. In addition, more than 1,700 players who spent 10 or more seasons in the major leagues but whose names were dropped from consideration for failing to receive a requisite number of votes in past elections have been given new hope.

"The Board believes in keeping the standards very high and continuing to make it very difficult to earn election," said Jane Forbes Clark, the Board's chairman. "These new procedures are simply the next evolution of Hall of Fame voting rules.

"They open up and streamline the process so every baseball fan has a much easier time understanding and following along," Clark said. "The Board also thought it fair to give the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) the opportunity to place players its organization had previously not elected back on the ballot for a second chance, given changing historical perspectives."

Highlights of the new Veterans Committee procedures include:

Membership: The current 15-member Veterans Committee is replaced by a group comprised of the living members of the Baseball Hall of Fame (61), the living recipients of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award (13), the living recipients of the Ford C. Frick Award (13) and the current Veterans Committee members (3) whose terms have not yet expired. This current group of 90 increases the size of the existing committee six-fold.

Frequency of Elections: Beginning in 2003, the Veterans Committee will hold its election of players every other year. Also beginning in 2003, the election of managers, umpires and executives will occur every four years.

Eligible candidates: All players who played in at least 10 major league seasons, including those from the 19th century, who are not on Major League Baseball's ineligible list, and who are not being considered by the BBWAA, are eligible for election by the new Veterans Committee. Managers, umpires and executives with 10 or more years in Baseball are eligible. A Hall of Fame-sponsored study of African American Baseball, 1860-1960, is underway. The Board will appoint a committee to review the results when they are complete. After this review, a recommendation will be made to the Board concerning how to proceed with respect to Negro leagues candidates.

Screening Committees: Sixty BBWAA members two from each major league city and four from cities with two teams will identify 25 candidates for the Players Ballot and 15 candidates for the Composite Ballot (managers, umpires and executives).

In addition, the Hall of Fame Board of Directors will appoint an independent Screening Committee of six Hall of Fame members to identify five candidates for the Players Ballot. The final ballot will contain 25-30 names, depending on duplicate results. In compiling its list of candidates, the screening committees shall call upon resources of organizations such as the Elias Sports Bureau, the official statistician of Major League Baseball since the 1920s, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library.

Voting: Voting will continue to be based upon the individual's record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contribution to the game of Baseball. All candidates receiving votes on at least 75 percent of ballots cast will earn election.

Schedule and Method of Voting: Veterans Committee members will receive ballots and supporting material prepared by the Hall of Fame in January prior to induction. The vote will be completed by mail and counted in the presence of Ernst & Young and a Hall of Fame representative. Results will be announced in February.

The Hall of Fame's Board of Directors includes: Jane Forbes Clark (chairman); David D. Glass; Kevin S. Moore; G. Thomas Seaver; Joe Morgan (vice chairman); John L. Harrington; Robin E. Roberts; Allan H. "Bud" Selig; Paul Beeston; Bowie K. Kuhn; Brooks C. Robinson Jr.; George M. Steinbrenner III; William O. DeWitt Jr.; Leland S. MacPhail Jr.; Frank Robinson; William D. White; William L. Gladstone; John J. McHale; Edward W. Stack.

New Veteran's Committee members include 61 living Hall of Famers: Hank Aaron, Sparky Anderson, Luis Aparicio, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, Lou Boudreau, George Brett, Lou Brock, Jim Bunning, Rod Carew, Steve Carlton, Orlando Cepeda, Larry Doby, Bobby Doerr, Bob Feller, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Whitey Ford, Bob Gibson, Monte Irvin, Reggie Jackson, Fergie Jenkins, Al Kaline; George Kell, Harmon Killebrew, Ralph Kiner, Sandy Koufax, Tom Lasorda, Al Lopez, Lee MacPhail, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, Bill Mazeroski, Willie McCovey.

Joe Morgan, Stan Musial, Phil Niekro, Jim Palmer, Tony PTrez, Gaylord Perry, Kirby Puckett, Phil Rizzuto, Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Mike Schmidt, Red Schoendienst, Tom Seaver, Enos Slaughter, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Don Sutton, Earl Weaver, Hoyt Wilhelm, Billy Williams, Ted Williams, Dave Winfield, Carl Yastrzemski and Robin Yount.

Ford C. Frick Award Recipients (13): Marty Brennaman, Jack Buck, Herb Carneal, Joe Garagiola, Curt Gowdy, Ernie Harwell, Milo Hamilton, Jaimie Jarrin, Bob Murphy, Felo Ramirez, Vin Scully, Chuck Thompson, Bob Wolff.

J.G. Taylor Spink Award Recipients (13): Bob Broeg, Ritter Collett, Joe Durso, Charley Feeney, Jerome Holtzman, Len Koppett, Sam Lacy, Jack Lang, Hal Lebovitz, Allen Lewis, Edgar Munzel, Ross Newhan, Bob Stevens.

Veterans Comittee Members (3): Ken Coleman, term expires after 2003 elections; John McHale, term expires after 2007 elections; Bill White, term expires after 2003 elections.