National Baseball Hall of Fame inducts former Texas Rangers 3B Adrian Beltré
COOPERSTOWN, New York – Standing in front of dozens of the greatest to have ever played the game, Adrian Beltré took his place among them Sunday as he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Recalling how his baseball journey started after a PE class in the Dominican Republic, Beltré will now have a permanent baseball home in Cooperstown, New York.
His likeness, which was hung next to that of Fred McGriff in the plaque gallery Sunday evening, is the third in the Hall of Fame to feature a player wearing a Texas Rangers cap.
True to form, Beltré's acceptance speech Sunday in front of thousands at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown was less about his own accomplishments and more about the people who helped him achieve them.
He rattled off the names of coaches, clubhouse assistants, trainers and journalists from his years in Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston and Texas.
There were some special notes for close teammates, like Elvis Andrus, the shortstop who was his comic foil during his tenure with the Rangers.
"You're a pain in my butt," Beltré said with a smile. "But I really enjoyed playing beside you for so many years. That was so much fun. Even though you wanted to catch every freaking fly ball."
Fans who traveled from Texas for the ceremony were not left out. Beltré said earlier in the weekend that he never heard a "boo" during his games in Arlington. He told fans Sunday "everything's bigger in Texas, and you guys showed me big love."
Along with Beltré, Joe Mauer, Todd Helton and manager Jim Leyland were all inducted during Sunday's ceremony.