New York ? Andre Dawson was elected to the Hall of Fame on Wednesday in his ninth try, while Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar fell just short of earning baseball’s highest honor.

Dawson received 420 of 539 votes in results announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, 15 more than the 75 percent necessary to gain election. The eight-time All-Star outfielder had fallen 44 votes short last year.

“If you’re a Hall of Famer, eventually you’re going to get in no matter how long it takes,” Dawson said during a telephone conference call.

Dawson hit 438 homers with 1,591 RBIs in a career that spanned from 1976-96. Nicknamed “The Hawk,” he was voted NL Rookie of the Year in 1977 with Montreal and NL Most Valuable Player in 1987 with the Chicago Cubs, the first member of a last-place team to earn the honor.

Joined by Barry Bonds and Willie Mays as the only players with 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases, Dawson also played for Boston and Florida.

Blyleven, who finished with 287 wins, 3,701 strikeouts and 60 shutouts, had 400 votes (74.2 percent), up from 338 last year. He gets two more tries on the BBWAA ballot and likely will get in. The highest percentage for a player who didn’t enter the Hall in a later year was 63.4 by Gil Hodges in 1983, his final time on the ballot.

Next year’s ballot also will include newcomers Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez, Larry Walker, Jeff Bagwell, John Franco and Kevin Brown.

Alomar received 397 votes (73.7 percent), the most of any first-year candidate who wasn’t elected. This marked the first time in BBWAA balloting that two players fell fewer than 10 votes short in one year.

NBA

League suspends Arenas

New York — NBA commissioner David Stern indefinitely suspended Gilbert Arenas without pay Wednesday, saying the Washington Wizards guard is “not currently fit to take the court.”

Stern also warned that Arenas’ conduct will “ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse.”

NFL

Chiefs could hire Weis

Kansas City, Mo. — All signs are pointing toward former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis becoming offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. Coach Todd Haley, an old friend of Weis, said Wednesday that he would be a “good fit” calling plays for Kansas City, and Weis later told The Associated Press “there is action going on” between him and the Chiefs.

Henry’s fiancee not charged

Charlotte, N.C. — Police will not charge the fiancee of late Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry in connection with his death last month. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police announced Wednesday that there was no evidence that Loleini Tonga drove recklessly or with excessive speed last month when Henry came out of the back of her pickup truck on a curvy, residential road and suffered fatal injuries.

Brady top comeback player

New York — Tom Brady’s strong return from a left knee injury that cost him an entire season has earned the Patriots quarterback The Associated Press 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. Brady received 19 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL, beating Tampa Bay running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, who received 14.