Davidi on HoF: Building a nest
Posted July 24, 2011 3:43 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Pat Gillick spoke with his typical grace and intelligence.
Roberto Alomar was as smooth as he was on the field.
Bert Blyleven was full of his trademark verve.
Under a scorching summer sun, and surrounded by 47 fellow Hall of Famers, the Class of 2011 got a first look at their plaques and made their induction speeches this afternoon.
The field at the Clark Sports Center was filled with Blue Jays fans eager to celebrate Alomar, the first player in franchise history to wear the team’s hat into Cooperstown.
Canadians weren’t the only ones eager to celebrate him — scores of flag-waving Puerto Ricans also showed their national pride in the second baseman.
They all broke into several chants of “Robbie, Robbie.”
Alomar collected 2,724 hits during a 17-year career that included five spectacular seasons in Toronto.
Gillick is the 32nd executive elected to the Hall but just the fourth to spend the majority of his career as a GM. He built the Blue Jays from an expansion club into a two-time World Series champion.
Blyleven won 287 games during a 22-year career. He was elected to the Hall after a 14-year wait.
