The Baseball Hall of Fame is a museum located in Cooperstown in the state of New York. It is dedicated to the memory of the greatest figures in North American baseball history. As such, it serves as a reference for the study of the sport’s history. Its motto is Preserve history, Honor excellence, Unite generations.
This is where the records of players who represent the links between ‘the Gods’ and this sport are kept, where those who have ascended to Olympus are immortalized.
In 1936, five players were inducted: Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth, and Honus Wagner. Cobb received the most votes, with 98.23%. Since then, 294 personalities have been inducted, including 241 players (35 from the Negro Leagues), 18 coaches, 9 umpires, and 26 pioneers and executives.
Above, the Hall of Fame.
Being elected means passing a series of American eligibility tests, being an exemplary citizen and player. And, of course, having an ‘extraordinary’ set of statistics. Note that a player admitted to the BBWAA ballot (where the votes are cast) will be eligible for the Hall of Fame for a maximum of 10 years.
Here is the story of the player elected for the « Class of 2022 ».
January 26, 2022. Ortiz received 77.9% of the votes, surpassing the 75% threshold required for induction. He needed 296 votes and received 307. Controversial candidates Barry Bonds (66.0%), Roger Clemens (65.2%), Curt Schilling (58.6%), and Sammy Sosa (18.5%) were all out of contention in their final year of eligibility, while Scott Rolen (63.2%) continued to make significant gains, and Todd Helton (52.0%) and Billy Wagner (51.0%) both crossed the 50% threshold for the first time.
David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), better known as David Ortiz (I don’t know if that name rings a bell), is a baseball player who spent most of his career with the Boston Red Sox. Originally a first baseman, he played almost exclusively as a designated hitter (DH) from the 2001 season onward.
It was in 1992 that he arrived in the United States under the name David Arias and signed with the Seattle Mariners. Traded to the Minnesota Twins in 1996, the franchise asked him to use his father’s name, Ortiz, and he became David Ortiz. After a few honorable seasons with the Twins, he was released from his contract and signed with the Boston Red Sox in 2003. From then on, he became one of the talented representatives of Massachusetts baseball.
In Boston, the career of the man nicknamed ‘Big Papi’ took off. Named MVP of the famous 2004 championship series between Boston and the New York Yankees, Ortiz ended the Red Sox’s 86-year drought by winning the World Series in 2004. He then added two more titles in 2007 and 2013 to his record, and was again MVP of the World Series in 2013.
A ten-time All-Star, Ortiz won five Silver Slugger awards and six Edgar Martínez Awards (awarded by the League to the best designated hitter of the season). He is the designated hitter with the most hits in Major League history. He led Major League Baseball with 148 RBIs in 2005. In 2006, he led the American League in home runs (54) and RBIs (137). These 54 home runs (HR) are the Red Sox franchise record for a season.
In 2015, he became the 27th player in history to reach 500 career home runs. He retired after the 2016 season.
When will a ‘Frenchy’ make it to the Hall of Fame?
Vincent Picard
