July 30, 2017

2017 NATIONAL HALL OF FAME You know, I want to first thank the baseball INDUCTION OF writers for getting me in here. I truly, truly appreciate it. You guys have a tough job and do a JANE FORBES CLARK: I would like to great job of it. invite Commissioner Manfred to join me for our I thank the Hall of Fame and I thank Jane, second presentation. Jeff, Jon, Whitney, and the entire Hall of Fame (Video shown.) staff. Just an unbelievable job up here what you Jeff, please join us. It is my honor as guys do, every thing you guys have covered chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame to made my family, my friends feel welcome. I can't welcome you to our Hall of Fame family. thank you enough for all of that. Commissioner, if you would read the We congratulate John, Bud, Rock and inscription on Jeff's plaque. Pudge. So many things you've done in baseball, ROB MANFRED: Jeffrey Robert Bagwell, whether it be executive side or playing. Getting to , NL, 1991-2005, combined a powerful know you guys here, as great as you were in your batting stroke with a discerning eye to .297, fields, you're even better people, and I am truly score 1,517 runs, and drive in 1,529 over 15 honored to go into this class with you guys. This seasons, all in Houston. really has been special, and you thank you for that. A prolific producer, posted nine As I said before, it's an honor to be with all seasons with 100 or more runs scored, leading the these Hall of Famers, to stand up here and try and NL three times. From a wide stance, topped the talk my story, which I'd much rather be sitting in 30- mark nine times, and finished with some of these rooms and listening to stories that 449 moon shots overall. Drew more than 100 they tell. But you know, this is all part of it, and I walks in seven consecutive years, a record streak love it, and I'm humbled and I'm grateful. in the . Just to share this, my family means so Durable, agile , played in 160 much to me, and to have my brothers, my cousins, or more games six times, stole 202 bases, most by my nieces, to be here with me is really, really a first baseman after 1920. special to me. A four-time All-Star, named 1991 NL My family is just -- I can't tell you how Rookie of the Year, and captured the NL MVP in much they mean to me as far as -- we have 1994 unanimously. baseball life, which I played for 15 years, obviously JANE FORBES CLARK: Ladies and put a lot more time to it than that, but there's so gentlemen, Jeff Bagwell. much more that goes on in life, and for my family JEFF BAGWELL: Thank you. Thank you and my children, with Lauren, Maxwell, Rachel, so much. Y'all from Houston, you know I don't like Blake and Bryce, I think the pleasures of being a all this attention. father, getting to see every single child be different, This is actually a really unbelievable day. always a challenge every day, and always fun. I'm so humbled to be here, to be surrounded by You make my life so happy to watch you grow as some of the greats that ever played this game. people. The guys you see on TV, guys you read about and To my mother, mom, you're just absolutely all that, and I'm standing up here and kind of sitting just the most amazing woman in the entire world. in the background just watching and just trying to You know, as a kid, when you get in trouble, you figure out what's really going on. always go to your mom, you never go to your dad.

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That's how you're going to get away with stuff, at that drive that my mom and my father gave me got least for a while. You've been a staple in my life, a me a long way. pillar for me through all my success and through As I said, I wasn't the most talented guy. I some of my failures, too. I can't tell you how much went to -- I came from Killingworth, Connecticut. I I love you and what you mean to me. went to all boys' Xavier High School, played for My father, Bob, you know, it's amazing, I Garska and Richie Magner, had a nice would imagine a lot of guys up here talk about their career there. I wasn't on the varsity team when I fathers because there's something about a dad for was a freshman, ended up playing there, played in a son who plays baseball. You brought me to love American Legion. Never even thought about a this game of baseball, to go out and every single draft. That was funny to me. I was like, well, I day for us to try and get better. You used to say don't think we're at war, but the draft itself was not that you gave me your right arm throwing to me a possibility for me. batting practice all the time, and you did. But more But I kept getting a little bit better. I was importantly, you taught me how to be a man, fortunate I played in Legion baseball where a lot of showed me respect, how to have respect, to walk guys from the had gone, and through this life as a man. That's something that I got a scholarship offer from the University of I'm very proud of, and I try and use that with my Hartford and Head Coach Bill Dehney. Pretty kids, too. You are just a wonderful father, and I'm much my only place that I could go to school and so happy that you're here for this day for me. I play baseball, so I took that opportunity. I got to know it means a lot to you, and we're in this play -- I was a starting my freshman together, my friend. year, which gave me a lot of opportunity because if To my beautiful wife, words cannot explain I went to a big school I probably wouldn't have how much you have meant to me. Like I said, as played right off the get-go. wonderful as things are up here, there's good I hit for the cycle and added a home run times and bad times, and I know -- and everybody my first game, made two errors at short and played that knows me, that I would not be standing here third base the rest of my career, so that tells you without you and your love and your support. You how well I did at short. have taken me through so many different journeys, So I went to University of Hartford. I and to finally end up here, for both of us to sit here played for Dan Gooley for two years. Coach and just kind of look and go, is this really Gooley, just a memorable time playing with you. happening, because there were some times that We had such a great team. Two of my best friends we didn't even know. But you have been a rock for in life, Chris Peterson and Greg Centracchio I met me, and I can't tell you how much you appreciate there. And for over 20 years, we've been best everything that you do for me every single day. So friends ever since. Types of things that you can't thank you, my love. take away, and baseball brought that for us. That's You know, they talk about the Hall of Fame what we lived and died with baseball, and now we is just a dream come true. I mean, I can't honestly do it with our kids. I thank you both so much. say that. I mean, who's a young kid that dreams So I got to play in Cape Cod. I truly about being in the Hall of Fame? Maybe believe that that's where I became -- that I thought somebody does. For a kid that was a Red Sox fan I could play baseball a little bit past college. I my entire life, I dreamed of playing for the Red started playing there with a bunch of guys that Sox. You know, chances probably weren't pretty were on TV all the time: , Joey Bell, good at that. I was never that great. But which became Albert Bell. I mean, these guys something my father instilled in me when I was a were just tremendous players that I saw, but I kid is to never quit. Don't quit at anything you ever realized that I could play, which really helped me. I try. went back to school there, and I got drafted in '89 You know, I've pretty much stuck to that. by the Red Sox, which was a dream come There were certain situations that I wish I had quit true. I mean, what I said earlier, that was my a couple of jobs that I had, dishwasher at dream, and that's what happened. I mean, can Friendly's in Cape Cod. I should have quit that. you imagine I got back from a game, a college Sometimes I probably should have quit baseball, game at Fenway Park to come back to my dad's too. But deep inside of me, I just never gave up. I house and him throwing me a Red Sox tee shirt? continued to get a little bit better every year, and

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It was pretty big for my family. I went to the Red Jim Crane, the Astros' owner right now, I Sox. I played in Low A, got to -A and got thank you so much for everything you've done for traded. I got traded to the , and I my family, everything you're doing for the Houston had no idea what I was getting into. Astros. It's a class organization, and you're the You know, I learned very early that it's a head of that, and I appreciate everything you've good thing, no matter what you do if you're a ever done and are continuing to do. player, you just go out and play as hard as you I want to thank two of my trainers, Rex can, make the organization do something for you, Jones and Dave Labossiere. Most of you know in and they did. They traded me -- Bill Wood traded Houston I played three years basically with about for me, the GM of the Houston Astros. They got an arm and a half, and Dave and Rex would spend me from the Red Sox. I'm not sure exactly if I was hours and hours grinding on my shoulder just to the first choice, but they had another guy that was get me to play. I truly appreciate all the efforts playing third base at the time with the Red Sox you've given me to get that shoulder to do the best named that wasn't going anywhere it could out there. So I want to thank you for that. there. My clubhouse guys, and anybody that's So I get traded and I asked who I got sitting up here knows about clubhouse guys. traded for. They said, Well, you got traded for They're very, very important. They don't get as Larry Anderson. much credit as they deserve and stuff that they do I said, Who's Larry Sanderson? behind the scenes. I had a guy in Dennis Liborio, He says, He's a relief for the who I had my first year, who gave me No. 5 Astros, really good one. So I just thank Larry for because he was mad at the Astros for trading Larry being such a great reliever that the Red Sox to the Red Sox. And I happened to be in Boston wanted you. You did a great job with the Red Sox. so he gave me a single digit as a non- Larry used to always get on me when I roster invitee. That does not happen. You see went to Philadelphia and said, hey, man, you've guys in the Big Leagues now with 67, 98. That's got to step it up. People are not actually talking what you get for non-roster guys, but I got No. 5, about me anymore. I was like, yeah, okay. So I so I was very fortunate with that. did the best I can, I played my entire career, Larry, Carl Schneider, Steve, Tweety and Phil and I'm here. Is that good enough for you? Is that Rozewicz, who I met in Milwaukee, who's been a enough props? great, dear friend of mine, and you do it right, my I want to thank my other GMs, Bob friend, and I appreciate everything you do. Watson, . Gerry Hunsicker was a My two other friends Barry Waters, my big part of such the big rebuild in our community traveling secretary, has been there my entire and the Houston Astros and Austin GM, as all of career taking care of me and the entire Astros' them were. I had Tim Purpura and , Jeff organization. You were a special part of my life Luhnow, who is there now and doing a tremendous and still are. I appreciate that. job for the Houston Astros. What a fun team to Barry Axelrod, my agent, you've been watch, and very proud of them. there for me through thick and thin, all the good I thank my owners, my first owner John times, all the bad times, like a lot of people I McMullen, signed my first paycheck with the haven't mentioned. There's a lot of good and bad, Houston Astros, sorely missed, what a tremendous but I want to thank you so much for everything you man. A lot of fun we had with him. do. Drayton McClane, I can't tell you how I want to thank all my coaches who I've much I appreciate everything you've done. I know had that have been instrumental in my growth as a Craig talked about earlier about playing our entire player. All of you were so great. With my swing, if career with one organization. That takes a lot for anybody saw it, it's not something you want to players to do that in today's society, but it takes a teach to your kids. You spread out that far, I'm not lot from owners, too, and teams that they want to really worried about the spreading out, but keep you around. We were very fortunate to have stepping backwards and dropping your hands is a give and take with the organization, Drayton not really what you want to do. McClane was a big part. You and Elizabeth have But Rudy Jaramillio came up, a pleasure to been a big part of my life for a long time. I truly see him earlier today, just the effort that you put appreciate everything you've ever done for me.

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visit our archives at asapsports.com into me every single day to always try to make me grind out there. It's the relationships you make in better, I really do appreciate that and all the times the clubhouse with coaches, with clubhouse guys that we went in the back cage and worked. Even that really have gave me a unique opportunity to when you were the hitting coach for Texas and grow as a man, both on and off the field. And I working with Pudge after a series, you would come don't take that lightly. It's very, very important to and I'd meet you in the back cage and ask you me. what you saw, and you would tell me, so I truly, I have had so many wonderful teammates. truly appreciate that. I really have, and I just wish I had time to talk about The other coach I want to recognize is each and every one of them because that's how Matt Galante, which if you remember anything from much you have meant to me in my life. The only Craig's speech, such a big, big part of Houston thing I wanted to do was be a good teammate, Astros' baseball, not only just a great baseball guy somebody that you could count on, even when I but just a great person, just someone you could go wasn't feeling well or my arm hurt or whatever it to for anything that you needed. He was a guy that was, that I was always out there and you knew you would tell you when you stunk, and he'd tell you could look in the lineup and that I was there every when you did well. You never not knew where you day. stood with Matt. The countless times that he went I'll talk just about a few of them. Casey with me at first base doesn't compare to what he Candaele, I learned so much about baseball did for Craig. I watched him for hours and hours through Casey, just the way he saw it. I was just a and hours work with guys to make them better, so I young kid when I first came to the Big Leagues appreciate Matt, everything you've done. and one of the things I remember is my first time I The thing about my career that I'm proud played in Atlanta, there was 5,000 people there, of, you know, obviously you get here with tons of and you could hear the lies buzzing and things like numbers, and I get that, and mine aren't overly that. Came back at the end of the year before they glaring. But what I do take pride in is I thought I clinched and there was 40,000 people there, and tried to do everything well. It wasn't just hitting literally the ground was shaking. home runs. Those are nice, but you've got RBIs And I was sitting next to Casey, and I said, and runs scored, and for me, runs scored was very man, this is awesome. He goes, you -- I can't even important to me because it was a mindset, and I say the words. He goes, this is what it's all about. wanted to score for our team and I wanted to score I took that, and I really understood that. for my other players to make their job a lot easier. He taught me so much about base running, how to I truly, honestly, as I sit here, I enjoyed the be a good person, how to be a good player. stolen bases more than anything else. It's the only Casey really, really helped me in my life, and to number I really cared about towards the end of my this day we're still very, very close friends. career, was getting 200 stolen bases. For a little , fellow Connecticut guy, guy with not much speed, I truly appreciated that. spent a lot of time together, one of my closest That's what I try to be for my teammates. If I could friends in the entire world. He just -- he was so do everything, then I could help us win in different much fun to be around. He knew the game inside ways. I didn't just have to hit a home run or drive and out. He was a tremendous catcher. You in a run. I could walk. I could steal a base. I could know, just a close friend that I truly, truly cherish. go first to home or second to home or first to third, We had some great times together, played in a lot whatever it might be. My plays, I loved that of games together, spent a lot of time sitting in the when people had to change how they used to do locker discussing every single thing that you could bunts just to get away from me because I was on imagine in life. Brad is very -- I hold him very, very top of most of the , sometimes players, but dear to my heart. more pitchers than anything else. As I said, baseball is about relationships. I You know, baseball, as I talk about all this, want to say one thing. I'm a kid from Connecticut. baseball is truly about relationships. We spend so Started to play baseball in 1997, the Florida much time off the field together. More than you Marlins won the and traded a guy see on the field. Being on the field is wonderful. named Moises Alou to the Houston Astros. So People say, well, I love playing baseball. Yeah, I very quickly in , I got to become love playing baseball, but I don't love stinking, and close with Moises, and our relationship grew and I don't love having O-fers and stuff like that. It's a

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grew and grew. Been to the Dominican a few are sorely missed, buddy, but I know you're down times with his family and his lovely wife, Austria. here somewhere, so thank you. And two of my children, Bryce and Blake, their Lastly, I want to thank the Astros' fans. godparents are Moises and Austria. Where are You guys have been absolutely wonderful. I can't you going to get that but in baseball? Where am I tell you how much being around you guys in the going to meet Moises except playing baseball. city and showing me the love and my family, this is Just a tremendous, tremendous person. I love you where my kids were born, this is where my kids so much, even though you're waving an Expos' were raised. I love you so much for everything that hat. you've done for me. My last teammate I want to talk about I was thinking over the last few months obviously is . Thank you, kid, for that doing this thing, I was thinking about something. I wonderful intro. That was great. Craig Biggio I've was thinking about my father and me, my father watched his entire career, when I first came up he would come home at 6:00 at night, take off his was a catcher, played second base, centerfield, shoes, we'd go outside play catch, play pepper, back to second base. Craig could do anything that play baseball. Then about 7 o'clock, we would try he wanted to. You'll never meet a player who put and turn on the Red Sox game. I'd have to go up more effort and time into his craft than Craig. on the roof and mess with the antenna and stuff You know, as I sit here today and we go in like that. Obviously we had no cable back then, the Hall of Fame, and Craig and I and pretty much but it was time that I spent with my father. in Houston we've been known to be together. It We would sit there at the table or watch was Bagwell and Biggio, Biggio and Bagwell, the games, my dad would talk about his favorite however you want to say it, but now we'll always player . We'd talk about Yaz, we'd be here in the Hall of Fame together. I know his talk about Fisk, talk about Rice, talk about Boggs. whole entire family, Patty and the kids, and just our What we were doing is spending quality time relationship that has grown over so many years. together as a family. And if I could have given you And I can't thank you enough for just giving me guys anything for being at the dinner table or going inspiration to how to play every single day, post, to a game and to watch us play and to watch me and go out there, give everything you can. And play and I brought some joy, then I was helping Craig and I just wanted to win, and we wanted to bring you joy in a world that can be tough win one way, and that was the right way, and I sometimes, but if you enjoy me playing and it hope that's what we did, and I really thank Craig brought our families together, then I did my job. for that. Thank you. A couple last things. Baseball as I talked FastScripts by ASAP Sports about relationships, I've also lost some teammates that I want to talk about. I lost Andujar Cedeno, lost Jose Lima. I lost, or we all lost all of them. That was a very, very tough thing. Cammy, I almost want to say that Cammy, his heart was too big. He was the nicest guy in the entire world. Took me in when I was supposed to take his job. It was just a wonderful thing for him and our relationship and his family, with Craig and Patty and Cammy. All the kids grew up, and it was a pleasure. And the others I want to talk about is . There's not one day that goes by that I don't think about Darryl Kile. He died way too early. Thankfully he died peacefully. But I can't tell you how many times that we've talked on the phone and talked about going fishing around the world, and just the type of person and his family, great father, great husband. And DK, man, you

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