NEW YORK (AP) ― Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz dominated in an era of offense, each in their own way.

The 6-foot-10 Big Unit became the tallest of 215 players elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame and the 5-foot-11 Martinez the shortest pitcher picked for Cooperstown since Whitey Ford in 1974.

Smoltz, who found unusual success both as a starting pitcher and a reliever, also was voted in Tuesday along with Craig Biggio, the first time since 1955 writers picked a quartet of players in one year.

For many, the election of Johnson and Martinez was the long and short of it.

“You’re talking about freakish talent,” Smoltz said. “I’ve never seen at each person’s height anybody come close to what they were able to do.”

Johnson, Martinez and Smoltz were crowned by big margins on their first tries, and Biggio made it on his third attempt after falling two votes shy last year.

Steroids-tainted stars Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa again fell far short of half of the votes and appear to have little chance of reaching the necessary 75 percent during their remaining time on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot.

“It’s actually sad, to be honest. It’s sad,” Martinez said. “People I admired are not going in with me.”

The quartet will be inducted in Cooperstown on July 26. The BBWAA had not voted in four players together since selecting Joe DiMaggio, Gabby Hartnett, Ted Lyons and Dazzy Vance 60 years earlier.

A five-time Cy Young Award winner with 303 victories and 4,875 strikeouts, Johnson was selected on 534 of 549 ballots by BBWAA members who have been with the organization for 10 consecutive years at any point. The left-hander appeared on 97.3 percent of the ballots, the eighth-highest mark in the history of voting.

Outfielder Dave Winfield (6-foot-6), elected in 2001, had been the tallest Hall of Famer, according to STATS.

“I don’t think people quite understand how difficult it is to be 6-foot-10 and be throwing a ball 60 feet, 6 inches away,” Johnson said. “In order to do that, you have to be consistent with your release point and where you’re landing and your arm slot and all that. For someone 6-1, 6-2, there’s less body to keep under control, so it’s a lot easier.”

A three-time Cy Young winner with flamboyance to go along with his fastball, Martinez appeared on 500 ballots (91.1 percent).