Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Fame Inducts Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice

The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inducted two new members on Monday. Rickey Henderson made it in on his fist ballot while Jim Rice made it in on his 15^th and final ballot. Henderson received 94.8 percent of the vote from the Baseball Writer's Association of America which was well above the needed 75 percent and Rice received 76.4 percent. The two will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown New York on July 26^th along with Indians second baseman Joe Gordon who was elected posthumously last month by the Veterans Committee (source: espn.com).

Rickey Henderson no doubt got in on his speed and by doing so became just the 44^th player to be inducted on his first try. Henderson has the record for most stolen bases all time with 1,406 and runs scored with 2,295 and was widely regarded as the most feared leadoff hitter of all time with a career leading 81 leadoff home runs (source: wikipedia.com). Henderson's induction speech will be much anticipated by fans who know how Henderson has a unique way with words. When asked about his induction speech Henderson said, "It's really just an honor to me. I'm really just spaced out. I haven't really thought about what I'm going to say (source: espn.com)." Rest assured though fans, it will be entertaining.

Jim rice finally got in on his 15^th try and became just the third member of the Hall of Fame to be elected in his final year joining Red Ruffin (1967) and Ralph Kiner (1975). Rice was a much feared power hitter in the late 70s and early 80s and finished his career with a lifetime .298 batting average with 382 home runs and 1,451 runs batted in (source: wikipedia.org). Some feel it was his off the field demeanor with those of the press that led to the delay in his induction. When asked about it Rice said, "I don't think I was difficult to deal with for writers. I think the writers were difficult to me. I wasn't going to badmouth my teammates. When you start talking about my teammates or what goes on outside baseball, I couldn't do that." He went on to say, "I don't know why it took me so long. I don't even want to think about it. I'm just happy I'm in and that's what I'm going to cherish." Rice joins Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski and Bobby Doerr as the only players in the Hall of Fame that spent their entire careers with the Boston Red Sox (source: espn.com).

Both players seem very deserving of the honor they have received. For one the wait was not so long, for the other the wait must have felt like an eternity. But one thing is clear; both Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice have been chosen to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.