This year's Hall of Fame Weekend may end up being a Twin-bill, as in former Minnesota Twins Dave Winfield and Kirby Puckett.

After the Major League baseball meetings in New York last week, it was announced that the 2001 Hall of Fame Weekend will be held Aug. 4-6. The Induction Ceremony will take place on Sunday, Aug. 5, at the Clark Sports Center, and the annual Hall of Fame Game will take place Aug. 6 at Doubleday Field, featuring two National League teams, the Florida Marlins and Milwaukee Brewers. The Minnesota Twins may have been more appropriate.

The Induction Ceremony is likely to include former New York Yankee Winfield, who joins the ballot this year and figures to be a lock for election on his first try. Winfield, who had a contentious relationship with owner George Steinbrenner during his days in New York, finished his career with 3,110 hits and 465 home runs, and won a World Series title with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992.

But he finished his career with the Minnesota Twins, his hometown, and will likely enter the Hall as a Twin. Winfield collected his 3,000th hit as a Twin on Sept. 16, 1993 off another future Hall of Famer, Dennis Eckersley.

Also likely to receive considerbale attention from the Hall of Fame selection committee in 2001 is Puckett, who spent his entire, injury-shortened, but spectacular 12-year year career with the Twins, including World Series titles in 1987 and 1991. Puckett, whose career was cut short by an eye injury suffered after being hit by a pitch, was on a certain path to the Hall of Fame before the injury.

Between 1986 and 1995 he hit below .300 only once, .296 in 1993, and hit .356 in 1988 and .339 in 1989. He was also a very good centerfielder, making one of the best catches in World Series history in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series against Atlanta.

"Looking into our crystal ball, we certainly feel there are some very popular candidates coming on the ballot in the next few years," said Jeff Idelson, the hall's executive director of communication and education. "Not only do we have Winfield and Puckett, but Don Mattingly joins the ballot in 2001. In 2002 Ozzie Smith becomes eligible and in the next few years Andre Dawson, Alan Trammel, Eddie Murray, Paul Molitor, Lee Smith and Dennis Eckersley become eligible. Assuming at least one a year are inducted, that gives us some very good momentum to build on as we begin the new millennium."

The annual Hall of Fame Game will take place on Monday, Aug. 6, at 2:00 p.m. The Brewers are making their second trip to Cooperstown and first in 25 years since a 9-3 win over the Mets on Aug. 9, 1976. The Milwaukee Braves played in the Hall of Fame Game twice, losing to the Red Sox in 1955 and again in '63. The Marlins will be making their debut at 9,800-seat Doubleday Field. Pre-game festivities, including the always popular home run derby, will begin at 1 p.m.

The Baseball Writers Association of America balloting for the Hall of Fame class of 2001 will be distributed after the Thanksgiving holiday. The announcement date has been set for Tuesday, Jan. 16. The top five returning candidates (with 1999 vote totals) to the ballot are: Jim Rice (257-52 percent); Gary Carter (248-50 percent); Bruce Sutter (192-38 percent); Rich Gossage (166-33 percent); and Steve Garvey (160-32 percent).

The Veterans Committee will hold its 2001 meeting and announcement on March 6, in Tampa. For a player who started his career after 1945 to earn a look by the Committee, he must have received 100 votes in any one BBWAA election up to and including that of 1991.

or 60% of the votes on all ballots cast in any one BBWAA election.