Glorious Day in Cooperstown: Six Enter the Hall

On Sunday in Cooperstown, New York, in one of the greatest days in the 82-year history of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, six new living former players had their bronze plaques unveiled, enshrining them into the sport’s most holy place.

Cooperstown is a small village in upstate New York, about 75 miles west of Albany and 200 miles (driving) north of New York City. According to the 2010 Census, the population of Cooperstown is 1,852 (down to 1,770 if you believe the front page of a current Google search). On this Hall of Fame induction Sunday, the population swelled to over 53,000 baseball fans, gathered to see their heroes inducted at the Clark Sports Center, which is 1.5 miles from the museum.

The announced estimated crowd of 53,000 included a record 51 of the 70 living existing Hall of Famers, with the new inductees swelling their ranks to 57. Indeed, with the induction of Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, Trevor Hoffman, Jack Morris and Alan Trammell, the ranks of living Hall members swelled from 70 to 76 in one afternoon.

14 of the current 30 MLB franchises were represented by an alumnus of their team, plus the now defunct Montreal Expos, represented by Guerrero. The crowd of 53,000 or more was reportedly the second largest crowd ever for an induction ceremony, second only the 83,000 who came to see Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn go into the Hall in 2007.

The weather was stunning, sunny, in the mid-70’s, lacking the blistering heat and humidity that so often accompanies the Hall of Fame ceremony. As Hoffman said, he brought “San Diego weather” to Cooperstown, New York.

(cover photo: Baseball Hall of Fame)

A Historic Overture

As it is with every induction ceremony, the Master of Ceremonies (MLB Network’s Brian Kenny) begins the festivities by introducing the existing and new Hall of Famers in attendance onto the stage, one at a time, while reciting their statistical accomplishments. This is a special moment every year.

The tens of thousands of assembled fans cheered for each and every player, with the longest standing ovation reserved for the original Home Run King, 84-year old Hank Aaron, one of the seven octogenarian Hall of Famers on hand for the celebration.

Incidentally, there are always reasons why some players choose not to attend the ceremonies in a particular year, or in any years. With this group, which numbered 57 out of the 76 who are alive, 13 out of the 19 who chose not to attend are 79 years of age or older, many of whom are having health problems. All told, it was a remarkable gathering of living legends.

After the introduction of the 57 Hall of Famers (including the 6 about to be enshrined), the national anthem was performed. In this particular year, the singing of the anthem was what Hall of Fame writer Peter Gammons referred to as one of the 10 greatest moments he had ever witnessed in Cooperstown.

The anthem was performed by Lila Thome, the 15-year old daughter of the newly elected Hall of Famer of the same last name. Lila’s performance was spectacular.

She sang beautifully. For the Hall of Fame to give her the opportunity to do that was amazing. She was fabulous.

— Jim Thome (in the Hall of Fame post-induction press conference)

With the introduction of the 57 Hall of Famers and emotional rendering of the anthem complete, it was time for the speeches to begin.

All six Hall of Famers were introduced by Jane Forbes Clark, chairwoman of the Hall of Fame, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. After Manfred read the inscription on the newly inducted player’s plaque, each player would stand with Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson for the photo opportunity of a lifetime.

Chipper Jones

I had expected Jack Morris to start the speeches (as an homage to his 14 straight Opening Day starts from 1980 to 1993) but, instead, the Atlanta Braves Chipper Jones was the leadoff man. Chipper’s wife Taylor is currently pregnant, ready to give birth any minute, so Chipper was given the opportunity to get it started, just in case. His soon-to-be-born son already has a name, Cooper, in a nod to the moment.

Chipper, the switch-hitting third baseman who spent his entire 19-year career with the Atlanta Braves, is the most likely to become a comedian among the members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

It’s not as if he did a stand-up routine (as, fittingly, Bob Uecker did in 2003). It’s just that Chipper, with his low, bass Southern voice and grin, has a way of making you laugh just in his delivery. He’s told the story before, but his recounting of a minor league brawl in 1993 in which the much larger Thome pinned him against the backstop was classic.

Virtually every Hall of Fame speech is in part a tribute to the inductee’s family. Chipper, whose given name is Larry Wayne Jones, got his nickname because a relative felt he was a “chip off the old block.” Chipper’s speech, in particular, paid homage to his father (the “block,” Larry Wayne Jones Sr.), who taught him the game and encouraged him to become a switch-hitter like Mickey Mantle, his idol.

My favorite moment was Chipper’s recounting of what Mantle told him when he had the opportunity to meet The Mick when he was a young minor league player in 1992.

I said Mick, “you ever get tired of this?” (referring to people fawning all over him). He gave me a little chuckle. He looked at me and said, “Chipper, I have a recurring dream. I’m standing at the Pearly Gates. I must have had a pretty worried look on my face because God walked up, looked me up and down for about 15 seconds, and He said, ‘Don’t worry, Mick. I’m going to let you in but can you sign these dozen baseballs first?'”

— Chipper Jones (Hall of Fame induction speech)

You can relive 10 of the greatest moments in Chipper Jones’ career by clicking here.

Alan Trammell

Next on the docket was Alan Trammell, who spent his entire 20-year career with the Detroit Tigers. For Trammell to go second was fitting, as he spent the most games of his career batting out of the #2 hole.

The 60-year old Trammell was one of the two selections of the “Modern Game Committee,” which also tabbed his longtime teammate Morris.

Prior to that, Trammell spent 15 years of the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) ballot, never getting more than 41% of the vote (75% is needed for induction). He found out he was a Hall of Famer as he was getting off a flight for baseball’s Winter Meetings in his role with the Tigers’ front office.

Trammell, acting as the PR director of his own Hall of Fame induction, alerted the audience to the fact that, since he and Morris were both drafted by the Tigers in 1976, it was the first time that two Hall of Famers came out of the same team’s draft class. He also recounted the story (how did I miss this) that Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith was also drafted by the Tigers in ’76, although the Wizard of Oz decided to go back to school and was ultimately drafted by the San Diego Padres.

My favorite moments of Trammell’s were his heart-felt words about his longtime manager Sparky Anderson and his pitch for a future Hall of Fame plaque for his longtime double-play partner, 2nd baseman Lou Whitaker.

The two players made their major league debuts on the same day and played together (19 years) for longer than any other DP tandem in the history of baseball.

Trammell, providing more fun facts about his own career, also noted that both he and Whitaker got their first hits off the same pitcher (Reggie Cleveland) and (one year apart) got their last hits off the same pitcher as well (Mike Fetters).

Whitaker, of course, was on hand, and was also on Main Street on Saturday signing autographs.

For all those years, it was Lou and Tram. Lou, it was an honor and a pleasure to have played alongside you for all those years, and I hope, my hope is some day you’ll be up here as well.

— Alan Trammell (Hall of Fame induction speech)

You can relive 10 of the greatest moments in Alan Trammell’s career by clicking here.

Vladimir Guerrero

The third speech, delivered by Vladimir Guerrero, was by far the shortest. At 43 years of age, Guerrero is the youngest player in the Hall of Fame. He delivered his remarks in Spanish, translated by Los Angeles Angels announcer Jose Mota.

Guerrero, who played for the Montreal Expos, Angels, Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles in his 16-year career, always let his bat do the talking when he was playing but, as he said in his opening remarks, was happy to be standing and talking while on the stage of his induction ceremony.

Vladdy is the third player from the Dominican Republic to be inducted in the Hall of Fame, following in the footsteps of pitchers Juan Marichal and Pedro Martinez, a former teammate in Montreal. Martinez and Guerrero are very close and, in fact, Pedro is the godfather to Vladdy’s son Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is currently the #1 prospect in all of Major League Baseball.

And speaking of Vladdy Jr., Hall of Fame induction Sunday was also Father’s Day in the Dominican Republic, making the day that much more special for Guerrero. What I will remember most about watching Guerrero’s speech is the infectious smile that he had on his face as he was honored with the game’s all-time greats.

You can relive 10 of the greatest moments in Vladimir Guerrero’s career by clicking here.

Trevor Hoffman

Again, silly me for thinking that the Hall of Fame would pick the order of its inductees based on roles on the diamond, but I had figured that Trevor Hoffman would be the “closer” of the ceremonies. Instead, the longtime relief ace of the San Diego Padres served the role of a set-up man.

Hoffman’s speech was probably the most serious of all. He invoked his faith more than once and also sprinkled in some quotes from legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.

All of the speeches were preceded by videos, narrated by an important figure in the life of the player. Hoffman’s was narrated by Bruce Bochy, his manager for 12 years with the Padres. The video began with the familiar opening of AC-DC’s Hell’s Bells, the song that brought the Padres fans of Quallcom Stadium and (later) PetCo Park to their feet as Hoffman would jog in from the bullpen to try to earn one of his 601 career saves.

1998 was the start of Hells Bells, and you the fans of San Diego, made it what it was. Enthusiasm and energy created from the second you heard the first bell as I stepped onto the field made every home game amazing. No one could have envisioned an entrance song being so exciting.

— Trevor Hoffman (Hall of Fame induction speech)

Hoffman also paid tribute to the Milwaukee Brewers (where he spent the last two years of his career) and noted that the Hells Bells tradition continued there.

The most special moment to me was when Hoffman acknowledged Bochy, who was in the audience. Bochy, now the 3-time World Champion manager of the San Francisco Giants, flew 3,000 miles from the Bay Area on a connecting red-eye and rented a car in Albany to drive to Cooperstown for the occasion.

You can relive 10 of the greatest moments in Trevor Hoffman’s career by clicking here.

Jack Morris

The 5th speech of the day was delivered by Jack Morris, perhaps the most controversial Hall of Fame candidate in history. Morris spent 15 years on the BBWAA ballot without getting the required 75% of the vote, topping out at 68% in his 14th year.

Morris spent the first 14 years of his career with the Detroit Tigers, followed by a memorable year with the Minnesota Twins, two campaigns with the Toronto Blue Jays and one with the Cleveland Indians.

Best known for his 14 straight Opening Day starts, his 175 complete games, his 254 wins and epic 10-inning shutout in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series with the Twins, Morris was at the epicenter of the “old school” vs “analytics” arguments that continue to this day.

Morris had a high ERA (3.90) and a low WAR (Wins Above Replacement) and fell short of the Hall thanks in large part to the resistance to his candidacy in the sabermetric community.

A 16-man committee (the Today’s Game Committee) that included former teammates and competitors, saw things differently last December. 14 of them voted for Morris to be inducted into baseball’s ultimate shrine.

To the committee who voted me into the Hall of Fame, thank you so much. It is extra special to me to be selected by my peers, the people I played with and competed against. Yes, thank you to the sports writers for your support for the 15 years I was on the ballot. Whether you voted for me or not, thank you for keeping my name alive.”

— Jack Morris (Hall of Fame induction speech)

My favorite moment of Morris’ speech is his description of a trip to Fenway Park early in his career to play the Boston Red Sox when he had to face future Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski. First of all, Morris nailed the voice of longtime Sox’ Public Address announcer Sherm Feller perfectly.

Morris then proceeded to talk about how umpire Ron Luciano called three straight balls on what Morris thought were strikes. On the next pitch, a fastball down the middle, Yaz doubled to left off the Green Monster. Morris then recounted how Luciano walked up to the mound and said “Jack Morris, that’s Carl Yastrzemski. He’s one step away from the Hall of Fame. Welcome to the Big Leagues.”

Morris, now 63 years old, was known as a gruff player in the major leagues. He’s clearly mellowed a bit. Of all the players, he was the one who seemed to be the most emotional as he delivered his Hall of Fame acceptance speech. He deserves to be. After all, he waited the longest.

You can relive 10 of the greatest moments in Jack Morris’ career by clicking here.

Jim Thome

The last man to speak on this glorious day in Cooperstown was the man who hit 612 home runs in 22 MLB seasons, Jim Thome. The left-handed hitting slugger for the Indians, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers, Twins and Orioles, Thome was (by my eye test) the most popular player among the 53,000 fans on hand to pay respects to the six inductees. Most of the supporters were Cleveland fans but he had many supporters from the ranks of the Phillies’ and Chisox faithful as well.

The pride of Peoria, Illinois, Thome had a couple of hours to recover from the emotions of watching his daughter Lila sing the national anthem. Thome spent time paying homage to his hometown in southwestern Illinois and also all six of the MLB cities in which he played.

Pretty much every player ever inducted to the Hall of Fame spends a good deal of time talking about family but for Thome, family had an extra special meaning on this day. After talking about his parents, siblings and in-laws, he had poignant words for the daughter who stole the show before it even began.

Family is everything… Lila Grace, you took my breath away from the first moment you came into this world, and still do… It’s not every day a dad gets a chance to share the stage with his kid on a day as special as this is. You sang so beautifully.

— Jim Thome (Hall of Fame induction speech)

Thome went on, naturally, to acknowledge his son Landon and his wife Andrea, who he met when she was a TV reporter covering the Cleveland Indians in 1995.

You can relive 10 of the greatest moments in Jim Thome’s career by clicking here.

Epilogue

When Thome was finished, the ceremony was over. The 53,000 assembled fans started their long treks back home. The existing Hall of Famers boarded buses taking them back to their Otesaga Hotel. The newly minted inductees did a bit more duty, photo-taking, and a press conference in the media center.

For these six players, something in their lives changed forever on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. They joined an exclusive club that has just 76 living members. Each year, for the rest of their lives, these six men have something already planned for one weekend per year, an annual reunion in one of the most prestigious fraternities that exists in sports.

And, forever, these six men will be introduced as “Hall of Famer.”

Congratulations Chipper, Alan, Vladimir, Trevor, Jack and Jim. You now have bronze plaques in the National Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown. You are baseball immortals.

Thanks for reading.

For more thoughts about the Hall of Fame, quick takes and analysis, please visit Cooperstown Cred on Twitter @cooperstowncred.