The votes are in and the tickets are punched: Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza are headed for Cooperstown.

Griffey's record-setting election - he appeared on an unprecedented 437 of the 440 ballots submitted by the BBWAA - puts a bow on the career of one of the greatest players in baseball history.

Wednesday's announcement also marks the first time a No. 1 pick has gained entrance into Cooperstown, a stark contrast to the distinction held by Piazza as the lowest-drafted player voted to the Hall.

That and other storylines dominating the 2016 Hall of Fame discussion:

NEXT STOP: COOPERSTOWN

• Trout, other stars react to Griffey's record-setting election
• PHOTO: MLB creates '99.3' emoji to honor Griffey's HOF record
• ​Piazza lowest-drafted electee in history
• HOF open to possibility of Griffey's hat backwards on plaque​
• Griffey left off just 3 of 440 ballots
• PHOTO: SI's iconic cover foreshadows 2016 HOF class

ALL ABOUT THE KID

• Griffey is 3rd member of 'The Simpsons' softball team to reach Hall​
• 5 greatest moments of Griffey's career
• PHOTOS: Griffey's No. 24 flies high above Space Needle​
• Elder Griffey beams about son entering Hall of Fame​
• Ranking the sweetest swings in MLB history
• PHOTOS: 'The Kid' through the years

JUICED UP RESULTS

• Bonds, Clemens receive boost in Hall voting
• Mussina tops list of biggest vote gainers for Hall
• Halladay tweets Bonds, Clemens don't belong in HOF
• Griffey on whether he'd vote for Clemens: 'I'd rather not share'

END OF THE ROAD

• McGwire, Trammell fall short of Hall in final year on ballot
• Bagwell, Raines and Hoffman to wait until next year