Pitarresi: Hall of Fame induction a hit

I’ve been covering inductions at the Baseball Hall of Fame since 1972, back when the ceremonies were held on the stairs at the Hall’s library and a couple of thousand people pushed into Cooper Park, then hanging out of trees and dangling from the statue of a seated James Fenimore Cooper.

 

The festivities long since were moved to the Clark Athletic Center on Susquehanna Avenue, not quite as picturesque a venue, but far better able to accommodate the many thousands of fans who want to participate.

 

This year, with Rickey Henderson, Jim Rice, and Joe Gordon being inducted, there were about 21,000 on hand. It was a good crowd, and it got a good show. In fact, I’d say it was one of the more enjoyable inductions in my memory. One reason: good speeches. One major key to a good speech hasn’t changed since the Gettysburg Address: brevity, something Abraham Lincoln understood instinctively. All the speakers obeyed that rule, and they also used humor and emotion and told anecdotes to illustrate their points. Very good stuff.

 

I was especially impressed by Henderson, a guy I never really liked much. He won me over during a teleconferenced last week, and even more so with his speech. There were no third person references, no glorying in his own accomplishments. He was witty, funny, heartfelt, interesting, genuine, humble, generous – all good things. If he was a little ungrammatical, that only added to the charm. Here was a guy who played to the top of his game for many yeaers, with great passion, and appreciated the ride and the people who helped him take it.

 

So, now I’m a Rickey Henderson fan.