NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Barney Dreyfuss, the Pirates' owner in 1900-32 and the man credited with creating Major League Baseball's World Series, was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee this morning.

Dreyfuss needed nine of 12 votes to gain election into the executives/pioneers category, and he received 10 to become the franchise's 13th member in the Hall.

Former Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh, also on the veterans ballot, fell short. He needed 12 of 16 votes in the managers' category and received six.

"The Pirates are extremely thrilled that Barney Dreyfuss was elected to the Hall," team president Frank Coonelly said in a statement. "Mr. Dreyfuss was a dynamic, innovative and extraordinarily competitive owner who built the Piraets into the dominant National League club at the turn of the century. Mr. Dreyfuss began the culture of excellence in Pittsburgh that we are working hard to restore."

Coonelly added that the team had been hoping for two elections.

"We are deeply disappointed that Danny Murtaugh was not elected. Danny was one of the most successful managers in major-league history, and we continue to believe that he ultimately will be recognized as such by the Hall of Fame."

Election to the Hall of Fame can come two ways: One is the most common: a vote from the Baseball Writers Association of America. The other is through the Veterans Committee, a collection of Hall of Famers, veteran writers, executives and historians. That group is charged with reviewing the candidacies of anyone who might have slipped through the process.

Former MLB commissioner Bowie Kuhn, former Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley and managers Dick Williams and Billy Southworth also were elected.

A German immigrant born in 1865, Dreyfuss and his family moved to Kentucky in 1885. He gradually built up ownership in the Louisville Colonels of the American Association and, when that team was on the verge of folding in 1899, he instigated a merger with the Pirates. He became controlling owner of the Pittsburgh franchise the following year.

Among the players following Dreyfuss from Louisville to Pittsburgh was legendary shortstop Honus Wagner.

In 1903, a year in which the Pirates went a remarkable 91-49 to win the National League title, Dreyfuss challenged the Boston Americans, champions of the American League, to a best-of-nine duel. Boston won, five games to three, and the World Series was born.

The Pirates won World Series championships in 1909 and 1925 under Dreyfuss. He remained owner and team president until his death in 1932.

Dreyfuss also is credited with the building of Forbes Field, which opened in 1909.

The other Pirates in the hall are Wagner, Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Paul and Lloyd Waner, Max Carey, Bill Mazeroski, Arky Vaughan, Pie Traynor, Ralph Kiner, Kiki Cuyler and Fred Clarke.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.