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Bradford Doolittle, ESPN Staff Writer
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Texas Rangers great Adrian Beltre set the tone on Sunday as the Baseball Hall of Fame welcomed four new members during the annual induction ceremony at the Clark Sports Center.
Beltre, who finished his 21-year career with 3,166 hits and five Gold Gloves at third base, was enshrined along with Twins catcher Joe Mauer and Rockies first baseman Todd Helton, the latter pair becoming baseball’s newest one-team Hall of Famers. That puts the Hall’s membership at 273 among those who entered as players.
Also inducted was longtime manager Jim Leyland, who piloted four teams, including the 1997 World Series champion Florida Marlins. Leyland represented the Detroit Tigers, whom he managed from 2006 to 2013 and led to a pair of AL pennants.
Beltre struck a playful tone with many of his remarks, which he said were “maybe 25%” improvised. He was perhaps buoyed by Hall of Famer David Ortiz, who approached Beltre on stage and patted him on the head. Beltre is famously averse to having his head touched.
“That never relaxes me,” Beltre said. “But it was a little c,ue to go back to the days when I was playing, and it’s like ‘OK, get ready to go out there and do your best with the speech.'”
Beltre, who played with the Dodgers, Mariners, Red Sox and Rangers, is one of only two players to have over 3,000 hits, 400 homers and at least five Gold Gloves. The other was Willie Mays, who was recognized before the speeches, along with the other Hall of Famers who died since last year’s induction: Whitey Herzog, Brooks Robinson and Orlando Cepeda.
Beltre is the fifth player born in the Dominican Republic to be enshrined, the last being Ortiz — a member of the 2022 Hall class. As with Ortiz, there was a sizable contingent of Dominican fans on hand, along with a strong turnout of Texas fans.
While acknowledging some of his former teammates, Beltre cited retired ace “King Felix” Hernandez, whom he played with in Seattle.
“To that guy who call himself ‘King,'” Beltre said. “I loved [playing] with you. But I loved hitting against you even more.”
Leyland, always a manager who wore his emotions on his sleeve, often teetered on the edge of emotion, as he predicted during a news conference on Saturday. Mostly he remained composed as he doled out gratitude for a career in professional baseball that dates back to 1966.
“My contributions to our beautiful pastime pale in comparison to the joy it has brought to my life,” Leyland said. “In the heart of a little boy, and the heart of an old man.”
The biggest fan turnout was for Mauer, a Twin Cities native who spent his entire career with the Twins. As during the Parade of Legends that was held on Saturday on Main Street in Cooperstown, it was clear that Minnesotans had turned out in full force.
The ranks of the Twins in the Hall have been growing steadily in recent years, with Jim Kaat and Tony Olivo getting in, as well as Ortiz, who began his career in Minnesota, and other greats like Rod Carew, Dave Winfield and Paul Molitor, who were all on hand.
“It was amazing,” Mauer said. “Last night, we had a moment where we were all on the stage taking pictures and I think that hit me hard then. Those guys, like I said in my speech, they gave me hope that you can do it from here in Minnesota.”
Helton, who hails from Knoxville, Tennessee, and played quarterback for the Volunteers in the era just before Peyton Manning, had a little fun during his speech, while also thanking friends, teammates and family.
“Some people have told me that my superstitions early in my career were a bit excessive,” Helton said. “I remember getting a speeding ticket on my way to the field one day in Colorado Springs. I got three hits that day. So I took the same route, went the same speed and, the next day, the same officer gave me another ticket. I didn’t care. I got three hits that day as well.”
The 2½-hour event unfolded under pleasant skies in Cooperstown, a welcome respite for an event that has often taken place in broiling conditions.