By JOEL SHERMAN

May 11, 2008 -- There has long been a movement to get scouts inducted as part of the Hall of Fame. This summer, the Goldklang Group, which owns six minor leagues teams, and The Topps Company are teaming to raise awareness with mainstream fans. Twelve scouts - two at each of the Goldklang -operated parks - are going to be honored as part of the Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame campaign.

In addition, Topps is issuing 20 scout cards that will feature a scout on the front of the card and his major find on the back, such as the one on this page with Tim Kelly and Joba Chamberlain.

Nevertheless, new Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson said he did not envision scouts being inducted.

"Forever is a long time," he said. "But at this time in history I don't see it changing. That is not to diminish the major contributions [scouts] make to the game. I feel strongly about scouts. I know what they go through. But as far as quantifying their contributions [to allow for induction], that is pretty complicated."

Idelson said there are plans to construct a permanent Hall exhibit honoring scouts by telling the story of Hall of Fame players through the scouts who found them. But Idelson said the Hall is having difficulty working with the scouting community to retrieve old scouting reports and that there is no timetable for opening the exhibit.

"The scout story is one that we want to tell in Cooperstown because we understand their importance in the game's lineage," Idelson said.