Trevor Hoffman’s emotional Baseball Hall of Fame selection

For those of you not sold on Trevor Hoffman’s selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame, maybe his reaction will change your mind on the matter…

The San Diego Padres have another Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, Trevor Hoffman, who joins the likes of Tony Gwynn and Dave Winfield among the elite 321 member group. On his third year on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, the Baseball Writers Association finally wisened up, including a man who was a Hall of Famer on and off the baseball diamond.

His reaction reveals that in spades, with his humility shining brightly in front of his closest friends and family — as well as the extended family of his MLB fandom.

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Hoffman failed at holding back the tears, where the honor no doubt hit home for the often overlooked player. Starting his career within the Miami Marlins Minor League system as a shortstop, his shortcomings as an everyday player transformed him the best closer in the history of the National League.

With nothing ever coming easy for the Padre, his Baseball Hall of Fame induction is unique than most inductees — where he was even an underdog to be among this elite group (somehow).

His career statistics are nothing short of Baseball Hall of Fame worthy — 2.87 ERA/1.06 WHIP./1,133 strikeouts/601 career saves, which are second all-time in MLB history behind only Mariano Rivera.

As an opposing team, anytime you heard the Rock and Roll anthem “Hell’s Bells” blaring from the speakers at Jack Murphy Stadium — and later Petco Park — it spelled doom for your team’s chances of winning that very night against the San Diego Padres.

Before his breakout season of 1995, I had the honor of meeting Trevor Hoffman in person. Before he signed my baseball, he made sure I understood the appropriate P’s and Q’s, teaching this youngster a lesson in manners. That crown jewel hangs on my wall of prized collectibles, with my Tony Gwynn memorabilia and massive Star Wars collection.

Next: Trevor Hoffman: San Diego Padres’ most hidden gem

Now, being a “good guy” doesn’t automatically make you a Baseball Hall of Fame member, but for men like Trevor Hoffman, it makes the selection that much sweeter, as a true underdog story.