ARLINGTON — In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s Baseball Hall of Fame announcement, Adrián Beltré’s wife and son were diligently watching the votes tracker.
Beltré admits he doesn’t like to be the center of attention. So despite it becoming more and more inevitable that he would receive a call from Cooperstown, it was the last thing on his mind until absolutely necessary.
“The votes showed that I had a pretty good chance,” Beltré said of waiting for the call. “It was easier for me to go and enjoy it and have family around because they told me it was looking good. But I just wanted to get it over with. I think that the waiting was a little uncomfortable for me. I’m glad and lucky and honored that I got that call yesterday, but it was a long day. It hasn’t sunk in yet.”
Beltré was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America vote in his first year on the ballot. His name appeared on 95.1% of the ballots, the 19th most in the history of the Hall.
But Beltré is still stunned his name will be in Cooperstown alongside guys like Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Iván Rodríguez and Pedro Martinez, to name a few.
“I’m honored and I’m humbled, because I don’t see myself like those guys,” Beltré said. “I don’t really belong, but I’m glad that people recognize what I did, and they thought that I was worthy of it. Still just thinking it just blows my mind.”
