St. Louis Cardinals

Meet your 2018 Cardinals Hall of Fame class: Brecheen, Coleman and Lankford

Published May. 4, 2018 7:30 p.m. ET

The Cardinals Hall of Fame Class of 2018: pitcher Harry Brecheen and outfielders Vince Coleman and Ray Lankford.

ST. LOUIS -- Three eras of St. Louis Cardinals baseball -- the 1940s, '80s and '90s -- will be represented when the Cardinals Hall of Fame Class of 2018 is inducted in August. That class was revealed Friday night: pitcher Harry Brecheen and outfielders Vince Coleman and Ray Lankford.

The announcement was made on a special 2018 Cardinals Hall of Fame program on FOX Sports Midwest hosted by Dan McLaughlin and featuring Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III.

Brecheen was a two-time All-Star and three-time world champion while pitching for the Cardinals in 1940 and 1943-52. His 0.83 career ERA in the World Series ranks third lowest in major league history, and his 2.91 career ERA is the second lowest in Cardinals history. He hurled 25 shutouts as a Cardinal, fourth most in franchise history.

"He was a stalwart of the pitching staff" for the great Cardinals teams of the '40s, DeWitt said on the program.

Coleman burst on the scene for the Cardinals in 1985, when he stole 110 bases -- the first of six times he led the National League in steals -- was named NL Rookie of the Year and helped St. Louis win the pennant. He was on another NL pennant-winning team in 1987 and stole 549 bases as a Cardinal, second only to Lou Brock in franchise annals. He was a two-time All-Star.

"He set the table for those teams and really made Whiteyball what it was," DeWitt said.

Lankford was perhaps the best player in an era when the Cardinals' playoff appearances were few and brief. He roamed the outfield for St. Louis from 1990-2001 and part of 2004, earning an All-Star bid in 1997. He smacked 228 home runs as a Cardinal, fifth most in franchise history, and cleared the Busch Stadium II fences more times (123) than any other player. Five times he finished with 20-plus homers and 20-plus stolen bases.

"A special talent," DeWitt said. "He had all the tools. ... He was an electric player, just like Coleman."

Fans selected two players for induction from a ballot composed of Vince Coleman, Keith Hernandez, Jason Isringhausen, Ray Lankford, Scott Rolen, Lee Smith and John Tudor. A Red Ribbon committee elected Brecheen.

The induction ceremony will be held Aug. 18 at Ballpark Village and will be televised by FOX Sports Midwest.