the more recent players once again figured more prominently in the voting, with the top 6 candidates retired less than 7 years. there was much criticism from those who disliked the runoff process, believing it amounted to two virtually identical elections in a row; with the candidates finishing in roughly the same order both times, many voters felt they were essentially being encouraged to vote for the top candidates from the first ballot in order to ensure at least one selection (in fact, vote totals decreased for every candidate save gehringer and ott, the top two vote-getters in the initial round). as a result, the rules were again revised by the hall of fame committee, and the runoff procedure was eliminated after 1949; it would not be reinstated until after the 1960 election.