I know this is a political site (mostly), but it’s the closest thing I have to social media, so I’m going to crow about it here. (Janesaunt also did a nice writeup on this important subject here.)
It’s official, Edgar Martinez has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, getting % of the vote in his tenth and final year on the ballot. Congratulations also to Mariano Rivera and Roy Halladay, both elected in their first year of eligibility, and Mike Mussina, in his sixth year on the ballot.
For those who don’t know, Edgar Martinez, of Puerto Rican descent, played for the Seattle Mariners from 1987 to 2004. He’s best known as a designated hitter, but also played third base before being injured in an exhibition game before the 1993 season. He was an All-Star seven times, won the Silver-Slugger award five times (given to the best statistical hitter at each position), and twice had the best batting average in the American League. The injury led to Edgar becoming primarily a designated hitter, but he is recognized as one of the best right-handed hitters of his era, if not all time. He was a main-stay of the 1995 team that came back from an 0-2 deficit against the Yankees in the Divisional Series, and may be best known for hitting “The Double”.
It’s the bottom of the eleventh of deciding game 5 with the M’s behind 5-4, Jack McDowell is pitching to ‘Gar with Joey Cora on 2nd, Ken Griffey, Jr. on 1st:
This is the highlight of the entire Mariner team history (imho) because even though the M’s went on to lose to the Indians in the American League Championship, this moment sealed the bond between Seattle and their baseball team, which also ended all discussions of them leaving town. (It might also matter that I was sitting in the second from the top row of the Kingdome with a view down the left field line. When Edgar laced that double, it went straight down my sight line and I watched the play develop before my eyes. I get goose bumps to this very day.)
The Kingdome was a lousy place for a ball game on a nice Seattle day, but there wasn’t much appetite to pay for a new stadium, especially since the Kingdome was not even paid for. The excitement generated by the improbable 1995 season culminating in the comeback victory over the Yankees created quite a few baseball fans in Seattle. Enough that funding for a new stadium had the public support to provide the Mariners a new baseball specific home instead of them moving on to greener pastures. Basicall, Edgar Martinez played a huge role in saving baseball for Seattle.
Mariano Rivera is a lock to be inducted into the HOF this year, and is considered the greatest closing pitcher of all time. There was one hitter that he had trouble with: Edgar Martinez, and Mariano thinks Edgar deserves to be in the ‘Hall.
Finally, enough of the Baseball Writers Association of America agree with Mariano Rivera, and have elected Edgar Martinez to the Hall of Fame. His many fans in Seattle, Puerto Rico and around the world have been waiting (none too patiently), are celebrating this day and looking forward to his actual induction into the Hall of Fame this summer.
Congratulations to Edgar on making this most deserved place in baseball history. If I’m going to make it to Cooperstown in my lifetime, this ought to be the year.