Indianapolis - Whitey Herzog spent a good, long time stewing about a blown call in the 1985 World Series. So in a strange way, perhaps this fits: He's going into the Hall of Fame standing next to an umpire.

Herzog and prominent crew chief Doug Harvey got the call Monday, elected to the Hall by the Veterans Committee.

Herzog was a single vote short in his previous try, and might've made it sooner with another crown on his resume. But he was forever linked to Don Denkinger after the ump's infamous miss in Game 6 so long ago cost the St. Louis Cardinals a chance to clinch.

"No, I'm not bitter at Denkinger," Herzog said at Busch Stadium. "He's a good guy, he knows he made a mistake, and he's a human being. It happened at an inopportune time but I do think they ought to have instant replay in the playoffs and World Series."

As for Harvey, Herzog joshed: "I don't know why he should get in. Doug kicked me out of more games than any other umpire."

Like Herzog, Harvey fell one vote shy in the last election. This time, they both easily drew enough support to reach Cooperstown.

"I don't think I would've had my heart broken if I'd missed by another vote or two. But I'm damn happy it's over," Herzog said. "It was just in the last few years when I was only missing by a few votes that I thought, maybe I do deserve it."

Among those who came close this year was former players' union head Marvin Miller. He was on a separate slate for executives and officials, and fell two votes short.

"Very few individuals have had as significant or as positive an impact upon the history of baseball as Marvin," union head Michael Weiner said in a statement. "The Hall remains incomplete without Marvin's plaque."

Herzog was a fixture in major league dugouts for two decades. He won the 1982 World Series and three NL pennants with the Cardinals and three division titles with Kansas City. He became the 19th manager to make the Hall.

"I think he was one of the guys who started managers looking at doing more creative things," said Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith, one of Herzog's star players. "You'd see him take a relief pitcher and put him in right field."

Smith was a late addition to the 16-member panel that considered managers and umpires. Candidates needed 12 votes (75 percent) to make it, and Herzog got 14 in voting Sunday at the baseball winter meetings. Results were announced Monday, and the 78-year-old Herzog was told he was in.

Dorrel Norman Elvert Herzog drew his nickname because of his light blonde hair while playing minor league ball. He wasn't much of a major league outfielder, but made his mark with the Runnin' Redbirds.

"He's the best baseball man I've ever been around," said Washington manager Jim Riggleman, a former member of Herzog's staff. "If you worked under Whitey, you had a chance to manage in the major leagues."

Herzog started managing in 1973 with Texas and compiled a .532 career winning percentage.