Baseball Hall of Fame 2019: The best quotes from induction day

Ameer Tyree

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Baseball Hall of Fame 2019: The best quotes from induction day image

Six more players have entered the Hall of Fame.

Roy Halladay, Mike Mussina, Edgar Martinez, Lee Smith, Harold Baines and Mariano Rivera were all enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as part of the 2019 class.

Here are some of the best quotes from induction day

Harold Baines

This slugger delivered a heartfelt message to his family members in attendance, including his wife and children.

"As I mentioned, at the start of my speech, I'm not an emotional man, except when it comes to family," Baines said. "...While baseball often took me away from you for far too long, the game gave us special shared moments, memories like today. I'm very proud of the caring people you have become. Your presence here today makes my journey complete."

Baines also spoke about his father, who he said taught him "how to approach life." 

"In the end, when you ask me why I never have been outspoken or said very much, think of my dad and the lessons he passed onto me many years ago, often as we were playing catch in the yard," Baines said. "As he told me, Words are easy, deeds are hard. Words can be empty, deeds speak loudest, and sometimes they echo forever."

Lee Smith

Smith retired in 1997 and he acknowledged that support from his small hometown in Louisiana helped pave his way to the big leagues.

"It all started in a small town, Castor, Louisiana," Smith said. "If you think Cooperstown is small, you've never been to Castor. But don't let the small town fool you, Castor provided one of the strongest local communities you could ever find. So many people came from Castor together to support me, to put me on the path to success in baseball, and kept me on that path.

"It was Mr. Sneed, my high school principal, once he called me into his office, I thought I was in trouble. But instead, he wanted me to come out for the baseball team, after seeing me throw a ball in our PE class."

Mariano Rivera

The legendary closer headlined this year's class and joked about having to speak last. He had to finish many games during his 19-year career with the Yankees.

"First of all, I don't understand why I always have to be the last," Rivera joked. "I keep saying that for the last 20 years. Last 17 years of my career, I always say, 'Why do I have to be the last one?' I guess being the last one is special."

Brandy Halladay 

Roy Halladay, who finished with a 203-105 record and a 3.38 ERA during his 16-year MLB career, died in a plane crash in November 2017. The eight-time All-Star's wife, Brandy, gave a moving speech at the induction ceremony Sunday. 

"I think Roy would rather be remembered by who he was, not what he did on the ball field," she said. "He was a very private person, often quiet and introverted, but he was also very generous and caring, the kind of man who made outrageous bets, would lose on purpose to help out a friend, the kind of brother who left cash in his pockets when he asked a sister to help with laundry, telling her she could keep whatever she found.

"I think that Roy would want everyone to know that people are not perfect. We are all imperfect and flawed in one way or another. We all struggle, but with hard work, humility and dedication, imperfect people still can have perfect moments. Roy was blessed in his life and career to have some perfect moments. But I believe that they were only possible because of the man he strived to be, the teammate that he was, and the people he was so blessed to be on the field with."

 

Ameer Tyree