Dan Le Batard Stripped of HoF Voting Privileges after Giving Ballot to Deadspin

Yesterday it was revealed that ESPN's Dan Le Batard was the BBWAA member who turned his Hall of Fame vote over to Deadspin, filling in the choices of Deadspin's readers. The reveal elicited predictable responses from Le Batard's colleagues and a now a predictable punishment from the BBWAA itself:

The BBWAA Board of Directors has decided to remove Dan Le Batard’s membership for one year, for transferring his Hall of Fame ballot to an entity that has not earned voting status. The punishment is allowed under the organization’s constitution.

In addition, Le Batard will not be allowed to vote on Hall of Fame candidates from this point on.

The BBWAA regards Hall of Fame voting as the ultimate privilege, and any abuse of that privilege is unacceptable.