Dick Allen and Dave Parker highlight the list of 2025 Classic Baseball Era inductees
The National Baseball Hall of Fame added five members with the 2025 class inducted during the 53rd annual ceremony at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, New York on Sunday. Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were welcomed into baseball immortality. They were joined Dick Allen and Dave Parker, who were voted in by the Classic Baseball Era committee.
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Billy Wagner was known for closing out ballgames, and he’s now one of three Baseball Hall of Famers who never started a game. But he led off Sunday’s festivities with his speech.
“What a humbling moment standing in front of my heroes on the ultimate stage,” Wagner said to begin his speech.
Setting a fun tone for the day, Wagner thanked several of his teammates including Moises Alou for teaching him to appreciate Dominican culture “even though I can’t speak a lick of Spanish” and Jeff Bagwell for the “glare” that often set the tone in the Houston Astros’ clubhouse.
Dave Parker’s son, David Parker II, spoke on behalf of his late father, who died just a month before the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. He read a poem that his father wanted to read for this moment.
Reading from the speech his father wrote, he thanks the players who called his father “Pops,” including former Reds teammates Eric Davis and Barry Larkin. He thanked Dave Winfield for asking him to play for the Blue Jays and pursue another World Series. And he expressed admiration to Tony La Russa, who said he didn’t just want Parker’s numbers, he wanted him to provided leadership for the team’s younger players how to play baseball.
David Parker recalled seeing how famous his father was when they went out in public and were approached by so many fans. Dave Parker clarified for his son, “They ain’t fans, son. They’re friends.”
The other player elected by the Classic Baseball Era committee also unfortunately earned the honor posthumously. Dick Allen was represented by his wife, Willa.
She became emotional while recalling how much her husband wanted to speak to the Phillies fans when the team retired his No. 15 in 2020, despite being sick with cancer. He had difficulties with the fans early in his career, but came to love them.
“Thank you for finally bringing him home,” Willa Allen said to baseball fans and those who elected him to Cooperstown.
CC Sabathia began his acceptance speech by thanking his fellow Hall of Famers including former Yankees teammate Derek Jeter, who graciously praised the pitcher in a video shown beforehand. He also thanked fellow inductee Ichiro Suzuki, “who stole my Rookie of the Year trophy” in 2001.
Sabathia also expressed gratitude for becoming a Hall of Famer in the same class as Parker, who was the DH on the 1989 Oakland Athletics team he loved while growing up as a baseball fan. He also referenced Ken Griffey Jr., who was his mother’s favorite player and shared the stage with him in Cooperstown on Sunday.
He also expressed regret for not being able to win a World Series for the fans in Cleveland.
Finally, Ichiro Suzuki practically put on a stand-up comedy routine with his speech. Notably, he made the speech in English after conducting most interviews during his career, and interviews leading up to the Hall of Fame ceremony, in his native Japanese.
“For the third time, I am a rookie,” he said, referencing joining the Orix Blue Wave and Seattle Mariners as a first-timer before entering the Baseball Hall of Fame.
“I am 51 years old, so easy on the hazing,” he said, turning to the 52 Hall of Famers on stage behind him.
Suzuki also made a point to mention the one Baseball Writers Association of America voter who did not give him a first-place vote, preventing him from being the second-ever unanimous selection.
“The offer for that writer to have dinner at my home has now expired,” he said for the day’s biggest laugh.
Suzuki also thanked former Marlins president David Samson and president of baseball operations Mike Hill for signing him to play three seasons in Miami from 2015-17.
“When you guys called to offer me a contract in 2015,” he jokingly admitted, “honestly… I had never heard of your team.”
The frequent humor provided the perfect note for a day made longer by a one-hour rain delay and hot temperatures in Cooperstown that compelled Parker II to take off his jacket during his speech and Sabathia to frequently wipe his bald head with a towel.
Yet no one will likely remember those inconveniences, but instead recall some funny, touching speeches and an outstanding Hall of Fame class for 2025.
Here are the highlights from Sunday’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony as Yahoo Sports followed along with its live blog:
