Tiffeny Milbrett was named on 60.92 percent of the National Soccer Hall of Fame player ballots (Andy Mead/YCJ Photo)
By Michael Lewis
FrontRowSoccer.com Editor
So, just how did the various former players and builders of the game in the United States fare in the recent Hall of Fame voting?
We already ready know that Briana Scurry was elected in the players category and Joe Machnik was in the builder category.
According to information provided by U.S. Soccer Monday, some men and women came close.
In the players’ category, former U.S. women’s national team forward Tiffeny Milbrett took second place at 60.92 percent, followed by former U.S. men’s internationals Frankie Hejduk (50.57%) and Steve Cherundolo (48.28%). Players need to be named on 66.6 percent — two-thirds — of the ballots.
In the builder category, former U.S. Soccer president Dr. Robert Contiguglia finished second at 51.43, with United Soccer League founder Francisco Marcos and former D.C. United president and long-time soccer executive Kevin Payne next at 40 percent apiece.
In the veteran’s category, former Cosmos and New York Arrows goalkeeper Shep Messing finished atop the voting at 43.24 percent, but he did not break the 50-percent threshold needed to secure election for the Hall. Former U.S. international women’s players Cindy Parlow Cone, Tiffany Roberts and Tisha Venturini-Hoch finished tied for second place at 40.54% each.
The exact number of voters in each category could not be provided by U.S. Soccer.
Here are the official percentage results of the 2017 Hall of Fame balloting in all three categories:
Builder
* Joe Machnik — 60.00%
Robert Contiguglia — 51.43%
Francisco Marcos — 40.00%
Kevin Payne — 40.00%
Esse Baharmast — 37.14%
Gene Chyzowych — 37.14%
Tim Lieweke — 37.14%
Gordon Jago — 31.43%
Eddie Firmani — 22.86%
Richard Groff — 11.43%
According to Hall of Fame rules, voters can name up to five builder’s candidates. The top vote-getter will be elected as long as he or she appears on a minimum of 50 percent of the ballots. If no individual appears on 50 percent of the ballots, then no builder will be elected this year. More than one candidate may be elected in the event of a tie.
Builders must be at least 50-years-old and are eligible by making their mark in the soccer community in a non-playing capacity while sustaining a major impact on American soccer at the national, federation or first division level for at least 10 years. Referees must serve as a FIFA referee for at least seven years to be eligible (although a referee who has less than seven years as a FIFA international referee still can qualify for the list via 10 or more years as a United States first-division referee).
Veterans
Shep Messing — 43.24%
Cindy Parlow Cone — 40.54%
Tiffany Roberts — 40.54%
Tisha Venturini-Hoch — 40.54%
Mary Harvey — 35.14%
Chris Henderson — 32.43%
John Doyle — 29.73%
Dominic Kinnear — 29.73%
Marco Etcheverry — 24.32%
Roy Wegerle — 24.32%
George Best — 21.62%
Linda Hamilton — 18.92%
Mike Sorber — 18.92%
Hernan Chico Borja — 16.22%
Mike Burns — 16.22%
This category is voted on only by current Hall of Famers after the list has been narrowed down by a screening committee.
According to Hall and U.S. Soccer regulations, voters can name up to five veteran candidates and the top vote-getter will be elected as long as he or she appears on a minimum of 50 percent of the ballots. If no individual appears on 50 percent of the ballots, then no Veteran will be elected to the 2017 Class.
More than one candidate may be elected in the event of a tie.
To be eligible for election as a veteran, an individual must be retired for more than 10 years, and have either:
* Played in at least 20 international games for the U.S. This requirement is reduced to 10 games if the games were prior to 1990
or
* Played at least five seasons in an American first-division professional league and selected as league all-star at least once
or
Played at least five seasons in the MISL between 1984 and the end of the league in 1992 and been selected as a first-team postseason all-star in at least one of those seasons.
Players
* Briana Scurry — 68.97%
Tiffeny Milbrett — 60.92%
Frankie Hejduk — 50.57%
Steve Cherundolo — 48.28%
Kate Sobrero Markgraf — 44.83%
David Beckham — 41.38%
Chris Armas — 35.63%
Taylor Twellman — 34.48%
Jaime Moreno — 33.33%
Steve Ralston — 33.33%
Clint Mathis — 27.59%
Gregg Berhalter — 26.44%
Tony Sanneh — 25.29%
Ben Olsen — 25.29%
Jason Kreis — 24.14%
Heather Mitts — 24.14%
Eddie Lewis — 19.54%
Pablo Mastroeni — 18.39%
Brian Ching — 14.94%
Kevin Hartman — 13.79%
Aly Wagner — 11.49%
Josh Wolff — 11.49%
Chris Klein — 10.34%
Ante Razov — 9.20%
Jeff Cunningham — 8.05%
Pat Onstad — 5.75%
Leslie Osborne– 4.60%
Chris Albright — 3.45%
Tina Frimpong Ellertson — 2.30%
Eddie Gaven — 1.15%
Joe Cannon — 1.15%
* Elected into the Hall of Fame in 2017
According to the Hall rules, to be eligible for election as a player, an individual must be retired for at least three full calendar years, but for no more than 10 full calendar years. He or she must have either: played in at least 20 full international games for the U.S. (if played prior to 1990, the game requirement is reduced to 10 games) or played at least five seasons in an American first-division professional league and named to a postseason league all-star team at least once.
The voters included all past and present full men’s and women’s national team coaches, all active Major League Soccer and National Women’s Soccer League head coaches with a minimum of four years of experience as a head coach at the highest level in the United States, MLS and NWSL management representatives, the MLS and NWSL commissioners/executive director, U.S. Soccer CEO/secretary general, U.S. Soccer president, designated media members and all Hall of Famers.
Each voter can select up to 10 candidates on a ballot. Any player appearing on at least 66.7 percent of ballots will be elected. Any player who does not appear on at least five percent of ballots will be removed from contention until they qualify for the veteran ballot.
