COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- The big day finally arrived on Sunday for a memorable Hall of Fame Class of 2014 -- 300-game winners Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, slugger Frank Thomas and managers Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa.The Big Six were inducted during the annual ceremony held on a stage behind the Clark Sports Center before an estimated crowd of 48,000, the third most in history behind 2007 (75,000) and 1999 (50,000). 
Commissioner Bud Selig read the inscriptions on their plaques in front of 50 of the 66 living Hall of Famers.The largest class of living inductees since 1971 offered a number of historic angles.
Eleven men were on hand in 1939, the year the red-brick museum opened its doors on Main Street, as 23 players, managers and pioneers were inducted from the first four classes -- elected beginning in 1936. Last year, the three inductees elected by the Pre-Integration Committee -- seminal Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, catcher Deacon White and umpire Hank O'Day -- were all deceased.Maddux and Glavine are the first set of first-ballot pitchers to be elected together since Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson were part of the inaugural Class of 1936, along with Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner. They are the first living pair of 300-win pitchers to be elected in the same year and only the third pair in Hall of Fame history. The last starter to be elected by eligible members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America was Bert Blyleven in 2011, his 14th year of eligibility."It's obviously the biggest honor you can give to a ballplayer," said Maddux, the first inductee. "To put me here in Cooperstown with all of my childhood heroes, it's sort of hard to believe I'm standing here today."I never gave a thought to the Hall of Fame as I was going through my career. My goal as a baseball player was very simple -- all I wanted to do was try and get better for my next start. And to think it all ended up here is pretty cool."Add Thomas, who played the first 16 seasons of his 19-year career with the White Sox, and the BBWAA elected three players on the first ballot for the first time since 1999 -- when Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount all attained baseball immortality."I'm so humbled and honored to be a part of this historic class of first-ballot Hall of Famers," Thomas said. "I'm speechless. I want to thank you all for being great role models and making this game what it is today. Hard work, dedication, commitment, no shortcuts to success. Thanks for having me in your club."Maddux won 355 games, the eighth-highest figure in Major League history and the most of any pitcher since Warren Spahn retired with 363 in 1965. He garnered 97.2 percent of the BBWAA vote, appearing on all but 16 of the 571 ballots cast. The right-hander, called "Mad Dog," won 194 of those games over 11 years with the Braves. But his milestone 300th came for the Cubs, the team that drafted him and for which he played 10 seasons covering two tenures.Glavine -- who won 305 games, fourth most among left-handers -- was named on 91.9 percent of the ballots, while Thomas was selected on 83.7. Glavine spent 17 of his 22 seasons with the Braves, but he won his 300th game near the end of a five-year tenure with the Mets."It's hard to imagine a day like this would get any better," Glavine said. "But for me, it does. I'm honored to go into the Baseball Hall of Fame with such a great group of men. All of you guys represent what is great about the game of baseball. I'm humbled to be a part of this class."The 16-member Expansion Era Committee was even more magnanimous than the BBWAA, electing La Russa, Cox and Torre unanimously late last year. The three rank third, fourth and fifth in managerial victories in Major League history, each winning more than 2,000 games."The more you learn the game, the more you love it, and the more you love it, the more you want to learn," La Russa said.The Top 5 all-time managerial wins list reads like this: Connie Mack (3,731), John McGraw (2,763), La Russa (2,728), Cox (2,504) and Torre (2,326), whose additional 84 postseason wins are by far the most in history. The three combined to win the World Series eight times, with Torre's four in Yankees pinstripes leading the pack. La Russa won three titles -- one with the A's and two for the Cardinals -- while Cox won one with the Braves amid a record 14 division titles in a row."It was just perfect," Torre said of being inducted alongside Cox and La Russa. "Our careers just mirrored each other's. I think it would have been an injustice if we didn't enjoy this together."Cox, Maddux and Glavine, of course, were together for 10 of the 29 seasons covering two stints that Cox managed the Braves -- including their 1995 World Series victory in six games over the Indians. In the finale of that Fall Classic, Glavine pitched eight innings of one-hit ball, David Justice hit a home run and Mark Wohlers earned the save in the 1-0 victory. Maddux won Game 1 of that series: a 3-2 complete-game two-hitter in which he allowed no earned runs."To Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and I have to mention the third member of the Big Three, John Smoltz, I can honestly say I would not be standing here today if it weren't for you guys," Cox said.As far as the logos on their plaques were concerned, Cox and Glavine went in as Braves, Thomas as a member of the White Sox and Torre with the Yankees -- where in addition to the World Series rings, his clubs also won six American League pennants and went to the playoffs in each of his 12 seasons. Torre also managed the Mets, Braves, Cardinals and retired in 2010 after three seasons with the Dodgers."Might as well cut to the chase -- I'm here because of the New York Yankees," Torre said. "However, in order, as Tommy said, to be ready, you had to make stops along the way. You had to fail along the way."La Russa and Maddux opted to go in without affiliation, in deference to their distinguished careers with multiple clubs."[Not] in my wildest dreams did I ever think this would happen, but I'm sure glad it did," Cox said to end his speech.Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com
Commissioner Bud Selig read the inscriptions on their plaques in front of 50 of the 66 living Hall of Famers.The largest class of living inductees since 1971 offered a number of historic angles.
Eleven men were on hand in 1939, the year the red-brick museum opened its doors on Main Street, as 23 players, managers and pioneers were inducted from the first four classes -- elected beginning in 1936. Last year, the three inductees elected by the Pre-Integration Committee -- seminal Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, catcher Deacon White and umpire Hank O'Day -- were all deceased.Maddux and Glavine are the first set of first-ballot pitchers to be elected together since Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson were part of the inaugural Class of 1936, along with Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner. They are the first living pair of 300-win pitchers to be elected in the same year and only the third pair in Hall of Fame history. The last starter to be elected by eligible members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America was Bert Blyleven in 2011, his 14th year of eligibility."It's obviously the biggest honor you can give to a ballplayer," said Maddux, the first inductee. "To put me here in Cooperstown with all of my childhood heroes, it's sort of hard to believe I'm standing here today."I never gave a thought to the Hall of Fame as I was going through my career. My goal as a baseball player was very simple -- all I wanted to do was try and get better for my next start. And to think it all ended up here is pretty cool."Add Thomas, who played the first 16 seasons of his 19-year career with the White Sox, and the BBWAA elected three players on the first ballot for the first time since 1999 -- when Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount all attained baseball immortality."I'm so humbled and honored to be a part of this historic class of first-ballot Hall of Famers," Thomas said. "I'm speechless. I want to thank you all for being great role models and making this game what it is today. Hard work, dedication, commitment, no shortcuts to success. Thanks for having me in your club."Maddux won 355 games, the eighth-highest figure in Major League history and the most of any pitcher since Warren Spahn retired with 363 in 1965. He garnered 97.2 percent of the BBWAA vote, appearing on all but 16 of the 571 ballots cast. The right-hander, called "Mad Dog," won 194 of those games over 11 years with the Braves. But his milestone 300th came for the Cubs, the team that drafted him and for which he played 10 seasons covering two tenures.Glavine -- who won 305 games, fourth most among left-handers -- was named on 91.9 percent of the ballots, while Thomas was selected on 83.7. Glavine spent 17 of his 22 seasons with the Braves, but he won his 300th game near the end of a five-year tenure with the Mets."It's hard to imagine a day like this would get any better," Glavine said. "But for me, it does. I'm honored to go into the Baseball Hall of Fame with such a great group of men. All of you guys represent what is great about the game of baseball. I'm humbled to be a part of this class."The 16-member Expansion Era Committee was even more magnanimous than the BBWAA, electing La Russa, Cox and Torre unanimously late last year. The three rank third, fourth and fifth in managerial victories in Major League history, each winning more than 2,000 games."The more you learn the game, the more you love it, and the more you love it, the more you want to learn," La Russa said.The Top 5 all-time managerial wins list reads like this: Connie Mack (3,731), John McGraw (2,763), La Russa (2,728), Cox (2,504) and Torre (2,326), whose additional 84 postseason wins are by far the most in history. The three combined to win the World Series eight times, with Torre's four in Yankees pinstripes leading the pack. La Russa won three titles -- one with the A's and two for the Cardinals -- while Cox won one with the Braves amid a record 14 division titles in a row."It was just perfect," Torre said of being inducted alongside Cox and La Russa. "Our careers just mirrored each other's. I think it would have been an injustice if we didn't enjoy this together."Cox, Maddux and Glavine, of course, were together for 10 of the 29 seasons covering two stints that Cox managed the Braves -- including their 1995 World Series victory in six games over the Indians. In the finale of that Fall Classic, Glavine pitched eight innings of one-hit ball, David Justice hit a home run and Mark Wohlers earned the save in the 1-0 victory. Maddux won Game 1 of that series: a 3-2 complete-game two-hitter in which he allowed no earned runs."To Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and I have to mention the third member of the Big Three, John Smoltz, I can honestly say I would not be standing here today if it weren't for you guys," Cox said.As far as the logos on their plaques were concerned, Cox and Glavine went in as Braves, Thomas as a member of the White Sox and Torre with the Yankees -- where in addition to the World Series rings, his clubs also won six American League pennants and went to the playoffs in each of his 12 seasons. Torre also managed the Mets, Braves, Cardinals and retired in 2010 after three seasons with the Dodgers."Might as well cut to the chase -- I'm here because of the New York Yankees," Torre said. "However, in order, as Tommy said, to be ready, you had to make stops along the way. You had to fail along the way."La Russa and Maddux opted to go in without affiliation, in deference to their distinguished careers with multiple clubs."[Not] in my wildest dreams did I ever think this would happen, but I'm sure glad it did," Cox said to end his speech.Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com
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