Two polar opposite legends were immortalized Sunday afternoon in the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony; Ken Griffey Jr., and Mike Piazza.
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There are a lot of outstanding moments from Mike Piazza’s Hall of Fame career that could have been mentioned on his Cooperstown plaque.
Griffey thanked his family – his father, Ken Griffey Sr., mother, Alberta, children Trey, Taryn and Tevin, and wife Melissa. He totaled 2,781 hits, 630 homers – sixth-most in Major League Baseball history – 1,662 runs, 1,836 RBI and a career.907 on-base plus slugging percentage.
Needless to say however, Tommy Lasorda’s vision for Piazza paid off, as he became one of baseball’s most loved, most successful and most memorable players.
Claiming his father’s faith in his son’s abilities was greater than his own, Piazza said, “We made it, dad”.
“I don’t know about that”, then-Cubs President Andy MacPhail said when apprised of Lozano’s comment.
He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins (for five games in 1998), New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics.
Griffey, a 13-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove Award victor, hit 630 home runs and 1,836 RBIs, as he was just three votes shy of becoming the first unanimous selection into the Hall. “So called up my wife, she made a couple calls and one of my friends brought it back to me”. He did attend a series of brief meetings with Hall of Fame staff at a separate location in the village and said he wanted his first walk through the front doors of the stately building on Main Street to be with his kids.
The former Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox center fielder wore what appeared to be an everyday, garden-variety blue suit adorned with a sharp pinstripe. Ironic isnt it? I was just a kid, but he was ideal in my eyes. He could not follow that dream as the realities of life and having to support his family forced him to work.
The 12-time All-Star can reflect back on a career that leaves him at the top of the heap as far as career homers for catchers go and among the Top 5 most potent offensive catchers in history along with Roy Campanella, Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra. “Now it’s time to smell the roses”, said Piazza to cheers and applause.
Thousands of Mariners fans made the trip to Cooperstown for the celebration, many of them wearing throwback Griffey jerseys during the ceremony.
Attendance was estimated at around 50,000 by the Hall of Fame, tying 1999 for second-most all time. Given that he’s ranked as the 24th-best wide receiver entering the college football season, we may not get a chance to see it, though.
Griffey also was the American League MVP in 1997, drove in at least 100 runs in eight seasons, and won seven Silver Slugger Awards.
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“One special moment in my memory of my mother is an ice cold high school game at Owen J. Roberts High School in which I hit two home runs”, Piazza said.
