George Scott and the Hall of Fame Ballot

The Game Room
1

I noticed the sad news that former Red Sox first baseman, George Scott, passed away at the age of 69.

Looking at his history, I noticed something very odd. He last played in 1979, and therefore became eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1985. During that election, he received no votes. Since he received less than 5% of the vote, he should have been dropped from future ballots. However, he somehow appears on the 1986 ballot, where he received a single vote. He was, after that, dropped from future consideration.

How did he get back on the ballot in 1986 after receiving no votes in 1985?

Zev Steinhardt

2

I don’t see anything about him being restored to the ballot by the BBWAA. Maybe he was a write-in by someone who didn’t realize he had lost his eligibility the prior year.