![]() If they proceed to try to do this posthumously, my family is prepared to deal with that.” “If considered and elected, I will not appear for the induction if I’m alive. Whenever I took one look at what I was faced with, it was obvious to me it was not gonna happen,” Miller, head of the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1966-83, wrote in 2008. “One thing a trade union leader learns to do is how to count votes in advance. Four years before he died at 95 in 2012, Miller respectfully asked to be removed from consideration for the Hall of Fame after being passed over several times. Miller, who transformed baseball on the labor front by building a strong players union and led the charge for free agency in the mid-1970s, was honored posthumously. However we get here, none of us arrives alone. Even though my path has been on the longer side, I wouldn’t change a thing. “I could not be more proud to enter this great hall with this great man. “Marvin Miller made so much possible for every major league player from my era to the present and the future,” the former catcher said. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee and Atlanta, punctuated his speech to thank four pioneers of free agency - Curt Flood, Catfish Hunter, Andy Messersmith and Marvin Miller - “who changed the lives of every player on this stage today by pushing the boundaries of player rights.” The 72-year-old Simmons, who starred in a 21-year career with the St. I think we’re all pretty fortunate to have two amazing countries side by side.” To my adopted home, the United States, I thank you for allowing this Canadian kid to come into your country to live and play your great pastime. “I hope that all you Canadian kids out there that have dreams of playing in the big leagues, that see me here today gives you another reason to go after those dreams. “It’s taken a little longer to reach this day (but) for all your support I’ve received throughout the years from my home country, I share this honor with every Canadian,” said Walker, who retired in 2005. Louis that included 383 homers and three batting titles. He was selected in his 10th and final year on the writers’ ballot after a stellar career with Montreal, Colorado and St. He gave up hockey when he was 16 to focus on baseball. The ceremony was delayed a year because of the coronavirus pandemic and it didn’t matter much to Walker, the second Canadian elected to the Hall of Fame. I know when I retired you said you played every game with me and I know you recall from time to time telling me, ‘You keep building that resume.’ Look where it’s gotten us today.” You’ve always been there for advice and to this day you’re the first person I go to. You taught me to be patient, to listen and think before I speak. “You told me never to make excuses, you wouldn’t allow me to use the word can’t. You drilled that in my head over and over and over and you led me to believe it,” Jeter said. “Mom, you taught me any dream is attainable as long as you work harder than everyone else. He gave much of the credit to his parents, who were in the audience with Jeter’s wife, Hannah, and their two young daughters. “Without question, you helped me get here today as much as any individual I’ve mentioned.” “I had one goal in my career, and that was to win more than everyone else, and we did that, which brings me to the Yankee fans,” Jeter said as the fans erupted again. What was the same was the adoration displayed by the fans, who always marveled at his consistency. These are all Hall of Famers who would have or could have been here, so for that reason it’s not the same.” We’ve lost way too many Hall of Famers over the last 20 months. “The Hall of Fame is special because of those who are in it. “I’m so honored to be inducted with you guys and linked to you forever,” he said. Jeter was touched by the moment and acknowledged how different the ceremony seemed in the wake of the recent deaths of 10 Hall of Famers. Greeted by raucous cheers in a crowd estimated at 20,000 that included NBA luminaries Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing, several of his former teammates, and Hall of Fame Yankees manager Joe Torre on the stage behind him, Jeter took his turn after fellow inductees from the class of 2020 Ted Simmons, Larry Walker and the late Marvin Miller were honored. On a Wednesday afternoon that turned cloudy with the temperature in the 70s and a few sprinkles in the air and adoring fans chanting his name, the former New York Yankees star shortstop and captain was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after a long wait necessitated by the pandemic. (AP) - Derek Jeter was simply Derek Jeter on his special day - smooth as silk.
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