Two men known for their class and reliability on and off the field took their place in baseball's holiest shrine Sunday afternoon.
With
Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and a record crowd on hand at the
Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., former
Baltimore Orioles shortstop and iron man
Cal Ripken Jr. and one-time
San Diego Padres outfielder and hit machine
Tony Gwynn were saluted for representing all that's good about baseball, while Barry Bonds tracked Hank Aaron's all-time home run record on the other side of the continent.
"This day shouldn't be all about us," Ripken said. "Today is about celebrating the best that baseball has been and the best it can be. This is a symbol it's alive, popular."
Gwynn couldn't have agreed more.
"I think the fans felt comfortable enough in us, they could trust us and how we played the game, especially in this era of negativity," he said. "I don't think there's any question about that."
75,000 fans fanned out in front of the dynamic duo, creating a sea of yellow, orange and brown.
Ripken spent his entire career in Baltimore, turning heads by playing 2,632 consecutive games and breaking Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130, even though he had 3,184 hits -- including 431 home runs -- was a two-time American League MVP and a 19-time all-star.
"I always looked at it as just showing up for work every day," he said. "As I look out on this audience, I see thousands of people who do the same, teachers, police officers, mothers, fathers, business people and many others.
Gwynn finished his stellar career with 3,141 hits and won eight National League batting titles in a 20-year career with San Diego.
"You all may not receive the accolades that I have throughout my career, but I would like to take the time to salute all of you for showing up, working hard, and making the world a better place."
Rick Hummel, longtime baseball writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, received the J.G. Spink Award for meritorious writing, and Royals announcer Denny Matthews received the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence.
Photo courtesy Getty Images