Suzuki, Sabathia, Wagner, Parker, Allen take rightful spots in Hall

","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","thumbnail_url":null,"type":"oembed","width":550,"contentType":"rich"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"Still slender and spry at age 51, Ichiro, whose Hall plaque includes his Mariners cap, was recognized for being a human hit machine who reached the 3,000 hit club in MLB despite not debuting in the league until his age-27 season.

His speech was loaded with wise advice for young players about the difference between “dreams” and “goals” and how precision in preparation is so important.

“If you consistently do the little things, there is no limit to what you can achieve,” he said. “Look at me. I’m 5'11'' and 170 pounds. When I came to America, many people said I was too skinny to compete with bigger Major Leaguers. The first time I ran out on the field, I was in awe of the competition. But I knew if I stuck to my beliefs about preparation, I could overcome the doubts. Even my own.”","type":"text"},{"__typename":"Video","contentDate":"2025-07-27T21:06:11.068Z","preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\"preferredPlaybacks\":\"mp4AvcPlayback\"})":"https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2025/2025-07/24/707e1a3b-f9435261-e3c7064c-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4","type":"video","description":"Edgar Martínez discusses the legendary career of former teammate Ichiro Suzuki as the former rightfielder is inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2025","displayAsVideoGif":false,"duration":"00:03:50","slug":"hof-2025-edgar-martinez-on-ichiro-suzuki","tags":[{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-136","title":"Seattle Mariners","team":{"__ref":"Team:136"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-147","title":"New York Yankees","team":{"__ref":"Team:147"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"vod","title":"vod","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"mlb-network","title":"MLB Network","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"baseball-hall-of-fame","title":"Baseball Hall of Fame","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"baseball-hall-of-fame-induction","title":"Hall of Fame Induction","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"major-league-spotlight","title":"Major League Spotlight","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"team-featured","title":"team featured","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"imagen-feed","title":"Imagen feed","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"PersonTag","slug":"playerid-400085","title":"Ichiro Suzuki","person":{"__ref":"Person:400085"},"type":"player"}],"thumbnail":{"__typename":"Thumbnail","templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/nfmmk3xiszcf06qors3e"},"title":"HOF 2025: Edgar Martínez on Ichiro Suzuki","relativeSiteUrl":"/video/hof-2025-edgar-martinez-on-ichiro-suzuki"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"**CC SABATHIA**

Like Ichiro, Sabathia received his Hall pass on his first BBWAA ballot, rightly rewarded for his workhorse career in which he was not only one of the game’s great aces but also one of its great ambassadors.","type":"text"},{"__typename":"Video","contentDate":"2025-07-27T21:09:18.79Z","preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\"preferredPlaybacks\":\"mp4AvcPlayback\"})":"https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2025/2025-07/27/ecdc0193-fbc3f806-c267a709-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4","type":"video","description":"CC Sabathia has his Hall of Fame plaque read to the crowd and receives his ring during his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame","displayAsVideoGif":false,"duration":"00:02:15","slug":"cc-sabathia-has-his-hof-plaque-read-to-the-crowd","tags":[{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-147","title":"New York Yankees","team":{"__ref":"Team:147"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-114","title":"Cleveland Guardians","team":{"__ref":"Team:114"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-158","title":"Milwaukee Brewers","team":{"__ref":"Team:158"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"vod","title":"vod","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"mlb-network","title":"MLB Network","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"baseball-hall-of-fame","title":"Baseball Hall of Fame","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"baseball-hall-of-fame-induction","title":"Hall of Fame Induction","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"team-featured","title":"team featured","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"imagen-feed","title":"Imagen feed","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"PersonTag","slug":"playerid-282332","title":"CC Sabathia","person":{"__ref":"Person:282332"},"type":"player"}],"thumbnail":{"__typename":"Thumbnail","templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/ah9j9cxgymfixxsiw0iu"},"title":"CC Sabathia has his HOF plaque read to the crowd","relativeSiteUrl":"/video/cc-sabathia-has-his-hof-plaque-read-to-the-crowd"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"It showed in a speech that was rooted in family and specifically oriented around the women in his life, most notably his mother Margie and wife Amber.

“It’s been a long road from Vallejo, Calif.,” he said, “and I wouldn’t have made it all this way without the women redirecting me when I got lost.”

It was his mom – a big Ken Griffey Jr. fan – who instilled in him a love of baseball, taking him to games when the Mariners visited Oakland Coliseum and even putting on catcher’s gear to field his fastballs in the backyard.","type":"text"},{"__typename":"Video","contentDate":"2025-07-27T21:23:48.32Z","preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\"preferredPlaybacks\":\"mp4AvcPlayback\"})":"https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2025/2025-07/27/3aec2250-9b1294fe-5fa5d719-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4","type":"video","description":"CC Sabathia thanks his family, friends and teammates and details his career path as he gives his Hall of Fame induction speech","displayAsVideoGif":false,"duration":"00:09:52","slug":"cc-sabathia-s-full-hall-of-fame-induction-speech-x6019","tags":[{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-147","title":"New York Yankees","team":{"__ref":"Team:147"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-114","title":"Cleveland Guardians","team":{"__ref":"Team:114"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-158","title":"Milwaukee Brewers","team":{"__ref":"Team:158"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"vod","title":"vod","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"mlb-network","title":"MLB Network","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"baseball-hall-of-fame","title":"Baseball Hall of Fame","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"baseball-hall-of-fame-induction","title":"Hall of Fame Induction","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"team-featured","title":"team featured","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"imagen-feed","title":"Imagen feed","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"PersonTag","slug":"playerid-282332","title":"CC Sabathia","person":{"__ref":"Person:282332"},"type":"player"}],"thumbnail":{"__typename":"Thumbnail","templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/uekszwz4t47j5tknluqi"},"title":"CC Sabathia's full Hall of Fame induction speech","relativeSiteUrl":"/video/cc-sabathia-s-full-hall-of-fame-induction-speech-x6019"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"“From her, I learned that if we are here, if we are breathing, if we are standing, we can get through it,” he said. “There’s always something on the other side of the storm.”

And in Amber, who Sabathia met when he was a junior in high school, Sabathia found a true partner.

“I know I’m super difficult to be around sometimes,” Sabathia said. “She knows how to navigate me like no one else does.”

A member of the Black Aces – a group of 15 African-American and African-Canadian pitchers to win at least 20 games in a season, Sabathia’s 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts increasingly stand out in a sport in which the starting pitching role has been reduced and longevity has been increasingly difficult to come by. Sabathia’s innings total remains the highest for any player who has debuted since 1989, and he’s one of only three left-handers in history with at least 250 wins and 3,000 Ks.","type":"text"},{"__typename":"OEmbed","html":"

Skip to Content Log in Suzuki, Sabathia, Wagner, Parker, Allen take rightful spots in Hall Anthony Castrovince @ castrovince Share share-square-513674 COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Rain threatened the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony, with the unfortunate possibility of the event being forced to a small, indoor venue. But thankfully, the weather and baseball gods didn’t let that happen to this large, diverse and historically significant class and the enormous crowd of fans it attracted here Sunday. Though delayed an hour, the decorated day on the dais for Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner and the families of the late Dave Parker and Dick Allen went off without a hitch on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center. 2025 Hall of Fame coverage presented by ITO EN

• Ichiro has left a lasting impact on baseball -- and he's far from finished

• CC's HOF induction a celebration of the people who shaped him

• Wagner's perseverance pays off with Hall of Fame immortality

• Parker's spirit shines through in poetic HOF induction speech read by son

• Late legend Dick Allen set for long-awaited Hall of Fame honor

• A look at the next 5 Hall of Fame ballots

• 7 storylines to follow on the 2026 HOF ballot

• Every Hall of Fame class, ranked With 52 living Hall of Famers on hand, these were some of the highlights -- from touching tributes to humorous stories to Ichiro speaking English -- of Sunday’s ceremony honoring the Class of 2025. ICHIRO SUZUKI Twenty-four years after he made an unprecedented move from Nippon Professional Baseball as MLB’s first Japanese-born position player, Ichiro became the first Asian-born player to reach the Hall of Fame. And the unquestioned headliner of the day took a rare turn closing things out instead of leading things off. Ichiro also used this as a moment to show a wider audience how fluent he is at the English language, with a poignant and at times hysterical speech that included a shout-out to the one BBWAA voter who left him off the ballot. “The offer for that writer to have dinner at my home has now expired,” he said. A player whose impact and influence cannot be overstated, especially given the increasing presence of Japanese stars on the Major League scene, Ichiro’s Cooperstown moment attracted an immense fan presence, not unlike the intense attention he received in his early days with the Seattle Mariners in 2001 – the year he became just the second player (joining Boston’s Fred Lynn in 1975) to be voted both MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Reflecting on that season led to the most poignant moment in Ichiro’s speech. “I think you can imagine, there was much doubt when I tried to become the first position player from Japan in MLB,” he said. “But it was more than just that. There was criticism and negativity. Someone even said to me, ‘Don’t embarrass the nation.’ The person who supported me the most was my wife, Yumiko. “It would only be natural if she had doubts too. But she never made me feel them. All of her energy was focused on supporting and encouraging me. For 19 seasons in Seattle, New York and Miami, she made sure that our home was always happy and positive. I tried to be consistent as a player. But she’s the most consistent teammate I’ve ever had.” Still slender and spry at age 51, Ichiro, whose Hall plaque includes his Mariners cap, was recognized for being a human hit machine who reached the 3,000 hit club in MLB despite not debuting in the league until his age-27 season. His speech was loaded with wise advice for young players about the difference between “dreams” and “goals” and how precision in preparation is so important. “If you consistently do the little things, there is no limit to what you can achieve,” he said. “Look at me. I’m 5'11'' and 170 pounds. When I came to America, many people said I was too skinny to compete with bigger Major Leaguers. The first time I ran out on the field, I was in awe of the competition. But I knew if I stuck to my beliefs about preparation, I could overcome the doubts. Even my own.” Get the Latest From MLB Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Sign up CC SABATHIA Like Ichiro, Sabathia received his Hall pass on his first BBWAA ballot, rightly rewarded for his workhorse career in which he was not only one of the game’s great aces but also one of its great ambassadors. It showed in a speech that was rooted in family and specifically oriented around the women in his life, most notably his mother Margie and wife Amber. “It’s been a long road from Vallejo, Calif.,” he said, “and I wouldn’t have made it all this way without the women redirecting me when I got lost.” It was his mom – a big Ken Griffey Jr. fan – who instilled in him a love of baseball, taking him to games when the Mariners visited Oakland Coliseum and even putting on catcher’s gear to field his fastballs in the backyard. “From her, I learned that if we are here, if we are breathing, if we are standing, we can get through it,” he said. “There’s always something on the other side of the storm.” And in Amber, who Sabathia met when he was a junior in high school, Sabathia found a true partner. “I know I’m super difficult to be around sometimes,” Sabathia said. “She knows how to navigate me like no one else does.” A member of the Black Aces – a group of 15 African-American and African-Canadian pitchers to win at least 20 games in a season, Sabathia’s 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts increasingly stand out in a sport in which the starting pitching role has been reduced and longevity has been increasingly difficult to come by. Sabathia’s innings total remains the highest for any player who has debuted since 1989, and he’s one of only three left-handers in history with at least 250 wins and 3,000 Ks. Sabathia took a moment in his speech to note that Parker was someone he grew up watching and how he wants young Black kids today to have those idols in baseball. That’s why Sabathia is so involved in the game as a special assistant to Commissioner Rob Manfred and the Players Alliance. “I don’t want to be the final member of the Black Aces [the 15 Black pitchers with a 20-win season],” he said. “I don’t want to be the final Black pitcher standing here giving a Hall of Fame speech.” Though he debuted with Cleveland in 2001, won a Cy Young for the Indians in 2007 and had a brief but incredible tenure putting the Brewers on his back in their late-2008 run to the playoffs, the 45-year-old Sabathia went into the Hall as a Yankee, having signed with the club as a free agent prior to winning the 2009 World Series and amassed 134 of his career wins there. BILLY WAGNER “Billy the Kid” knew how to close, and that extended to his experience on the BBWAA ballot, as he achieved entry into Cooperstown on his 10th and final ballot. But on Sunday, he was the leadoff man, making the first acceptance speech and applying some advice he had received. “Take a deep breath,” he said. “Just remember when I had to face the 3-4-5 hitters so I could blow away the 6-7-8 hitters.” Wagner is only the ninth relief pitcher to reach the Hall and the first lefty reliever. That last point is incredible, because he’s a natural right-hander who only taught himself to throw left-handed when he broke his right arm playing neighborhood football as a boy. Undersized at 5-foot-10, Wagner also dug himself out of childhood poverty in rural Virginia to overwhelm opponents at Division III Ferrum College and then dominate the late innings in MLB with his 100-mph fastball and wicked slider. In two particularly poignant moments in his speech, Wagner thanked his parents for teaching him to “never let your circumstances define you.” And he thanked his wife, Sarah, for her “strength, grace and love.” But his most important message was one sent out to athletes just like him. “I wasn’t the biggest, I wasn’t left-handed, I wasn’t supposed to be here,” he said. “Perseverance isn’t just a trait. It’s a path to greatness.” With a .187 opponent’s average and 33.2% strikeout rate that both rank as the best by a pitcher with at least 900 innings, Wagner achieved steadily increasing support on the ballot before finally breaking through in 2025. In 16 seasons with the Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox and Braves, Wagner was a seven-time All-Star who compiled 422 saves and 1,196 strikeouts in 903 innings. His 225 saves with Houston are a franchise record, and he is now immortalized in an Astros cap. “Being up here today,” he said, “I feel like my baseball life has come full circle.” DAVE PARKER Dave Parker II, who so strikingly resembles his father, took over the speech duties for his late “Pops,” who passed away just 29 days prior to the Induction Ceremony from complications from Parkinson’s disease but not before penning much of his speech, including a hilarious acceptance poem that included this especially striking stanza: I’m in the Hall now

You can’t take that away

The statue better look nice

You know I’ve got a pretty face Clearly, Parker’s personality was still showcased here, even after his passing. Athletic and flashy, Parker had a long and terrific career. But he’s most known as the heart and soul of the 1979 World Series champion “We Are Family” Pirates, whose logo is featured on his plaque. “Dave Parker is a Bucco,” Parker II said. “Dave Parker achieved legendary things as a Bucco, and he holds Pittsburgh close to his heart.” And the man who once said, “When the leaves turn brown, I’ll be wearing the batting crown,” left behind a salute for his wife of more than 35 years, Kellye, who “when the leaves turn brown did everything in her power to keep me around.” Parker’s mission to defeat Parkinson’s lives on through his Dave Parker39 Foundation. “We ain’t there yet,” his son said, “but we’re going to get there one day.” On this bittersweet day, Parker’s poem closed with a final flourish: To my friends, families, I love you all

Thanks for sticking by my side

I told you Cooperstown

Would be my last ride DICK ALLEN A dominant hitter in an era of pitching prominence, Allen passed away in 2020 at the age of 78 before he could see a small-committee vote that finally saluted him as one of the game’s important stars. In her speech accepting the honor on her late husband’s behalf, Willa Allen made sure those in attendance knew that his legacy was not just about numbers like 351 homers or 1,119 RBIs. “It’s about principle, passion and determination,” she said. Willa told the story about the time in 1971 when a 16-year-old fan asked Allen for his autograph after a game at Dodger Stadium. Allen stopped, looked at the boy and said, “Son, I’d rather shake your hand.” “They stood there, just the two of them, for two full hours,” Willa said. “Dick didn’t rush, he didn’t wave him off. He stayed, he listened, he shared. That night a friendship began.” The kid Allen took to calling “Baby Bro” is now a 70-year-old man who was in attendance Sunday. Willa Allen said her husband always made time for people at the ballpark behind the scenes -- the cooks in the kitchen, the clubhouse staff, the vendors and custodians. “Before we ever reported to where we had to be, he had to greet every one of them,” she said. Though he won an MVP with the White Sox in 1972, Allen went into the Hall as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, with whom he won Rookie of the Year in 1964. Though the team ordinarily only retires the numbers of players already inducted in Cooperstown, it retired Allen’s No. 15 in 2020, just four months before he passed. “That day in Philadelphia meant everything to him and to our family,” Willa said. “It was a moment we’ll never forget, to see Dick recognized while he was still alive.” Though Dick Allen didn’t live to see his rightful Hall induction, his wife made the crowd feel his presence in a profound way with her loving words and remembrances. “Thank you for believing in him,” she said. “And thank you for finally bringing him home.”

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