Tears flow as Class of ’17 enshrined
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — “Pudge” Rodriguez stared out at his father, wiping away tears as he spoke. “I love you with all of my heart,” Rodriguez said. “If I’m a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer — double.”
Those words punctuated Rodriguez’s speech as he was inducted Sunday into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines, along with former commissioner Bud Selig and front-office guru John Schuerholz also were enshrined on a pictureperfect summer day in front of over 27,000 fans.
“It’s always emotional when you see the fans cheering for you, and my whole family in front of me,” Bagwell said. “I’m an emotional person. It’s a dream just to be part of this beautiful group. Now I have that plaque forever. It’s unbelievable.”
Before he started, Rodriguez received a standing ovation from hundreds of fans, many wearing red-and-white jerseys with Puerto Rico emblazoned on the front, and proceeded to give half his speech in Spanish.
“This is such an incredible honor for me,” Rodriguez said. “A little kid from Puerto Rico with a big dream. Never let them take your dream away from you.”
Rodriguez, 45, holds major-league records for games caught (2,427) and putouts by a catcher (12,376). He hit 311 homers and batted .296 in his career. He’s also only the second catcher elected on the first ballot, following in the footsteps of his childhood idol, Cincinnati Reds star Johnny Bench, who was seated on the dais behind him.
Bagwell, who played his entire 15-year career in Houston, took the dais to an extended applause from the Astros fans who made the trip. “You know I don’t like attention,” Bagwell said with a tinge of nervousness. “I’m so humbled to be here. I’m just really trying to figure out what’s going on.”
Bagwell started his speech by thanking his family, singling out his parents and wife.
“Mom, you are just the most amazing person in the world,” he said. “You’ve been a pillar for me. I can’t tell you how much I love you and what you mean to me. My father, Bob. There’s something about a dad. You brought me to love this game of baseball. Something my father instilled in me was to never quit. Deep inside, I just never gave up. That drive got me a long way.”
Bagwell, 48, was onethird of the famed “Killer B’s” of the Astros, along with Hall of Famer Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman. Together they helped the Astros ascend from being a last-place team to making a 2005 World Series appearance. Elected in his seventh year on the ballot, Bagwell is the only first baseman in history with 400 career home runs and 200 stolen bases.
Bagwell hit 449 career home runs and from 19962001 had at least 30 home runs, 100 runs and 100 RBIs per season.
Raines was greeted by scores of fans from Canada, many of whom came aboard several buses. He thanked his mom and dad, who were seated in the front row and later focused on Hall of Famer Andre Dawson, his teammate with the Montreal Expos when he broke into the major leagues in the early 1980s.
“Without Andre Dawson there’s no telling where I’d be,” said Raines, who fought cocaine problems early in his career. “I wanted to kind of be like you and he finally accepted and I followed. Thank you so much for making me the player I became.”
Raines, 57, a switchhitter, batted .294 and had a .385 on-base percentage in his 23-year career, finishing with 2,605 hits, 1,571 runs and 808 stolen bases — fifth-highest in major league history.
Raines also cited former Kansas City Royals star George Brett and base-stealing king Rickey Henderson, both Hall of Famers who were seated behind him on the stage.