Tens of thousands of fans flocked to picturesque Cooperstown, N.Y., on Sunday to witness former Texas Rangers standout Adrian Beltré join baseball’s most exclusive club , the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Beltré, who played the final eight seasons of his 21-year career (1998-2018) with the Rangers, joined former Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton, Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer and manager Jim Leyland as the newest members of the hall.
Beltré is the ninth player from the Rangers organization to be enshrined in Cooperstown.
“To the Rangers fans, you have embraced me since day one,” Beltré said midway through his induction speech. “Your support for me and my family is incredible, thank you so much, you guys are the best. and like they say, everything is bigger in Texas. , you guys show me big love. I love you all.”
Prior to thanking the fans, he thanked the Rangers’ organization, from owner NAME to the front office, coaches and his former teammates.
He started his speech recalling how he started playing baseball at the age of 13 when he took leftover money from a birthday present to pay for the fees to join a youth league in the Dominican Republic. He initially played second base before a teammate asked him to switch to third base.
“My path to Cooperstown has been shaped by people who spent time teaching me every step of the way,” Beltré said. “With that help, I learned and improved.”
He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the age of 15. And by 19, then Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda asked for his promotion to the major leagues.
“One June 23, 1998, I received one of the most important calls of my life. I am eternally grateful to Tommy Lasorda,” Beltré said.
Although he struggled early in the majors, he soon began to flourish. He went on to play 21 seasons, batting .286 in 2,933 games with 3,166 hits and 477 home runs . He also won five gold gloves.
“Thank you to the entire Texas Rangers organization for being so good to me and my family,” he said. “Thank you to all my teammates in Texas, you made me feel welcome since day one.”
Beltré is the fifth Dominican Republic native to be enshrined in Cooperstown. Three of them, Juan Marichal, David Ortiz and Vladimir Guerrero were among the four dozen Hall of Famers to join this year’s inductees on the stage.
“To be one of the Dominicans to be in the Hall of Fame, I understand how proud they (Dominicans) are of me,” Beltré said in an interview with Bob Costas on the MLB Network.
As is all of Texas Rangers nation.
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