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In joyful Hall of Fame speech, Adrián Beltré did what he’s always done

No matter the on-field criteria, he’s an all-timer. But what you’ll remember most about Adrián Beltré? Joy.

Update:
This story has been updated since it originally published

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. - It’s virtually impossible to come to this meadow on this weekend and find any fault with anything.

We’ll try anyway.

Challenging as it may be to sum up a Hall of Fame career into a 100-word bronze inscription, it doesn’t seem conceivable one on Adrián Beltré's career could be sculpted without using “joy,” or “passion.”

Oh, the plaque unveiled to dedicate Beltré's career on a dazzling Sunday afternoon was perfectly lovely. It spoke of his “formidable bat,” and “dynamic defense.” It called him a “premier third baseman.” It mentioned he is a native of the Dominican Republic. It called out that he “filled highlight reels,” with “quick hands,” and a “rifle arm.” True. True. True. And true.

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This, however, is what you will remember most about Adrián Beltré: Joy. Yes, he was a fantastic third baseman, perhaps belonging on the Mount Rushmore all time at the position. Yes, among the 52 Hall of Famers who took the stage Sunday, he is one of just three with 3,000 hits, 400 homers and 500 doubles. No matter the on-field criteria, he’s an all-timer.

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His joy stands out just as much. Play fighting with Elvis Andrus. Waving his hands wildly as he rounded first base. Jabbering with Félix Hernandez. The scowl and feigned anger when someone touched his head. Moving the on-deck circle. Swinging from one knee. We’re sure we’re leaving something out, too.

Look, the pre-induction interview with Bob Costas on Sunday centered around the whole head-touching thing. Then, when Beltré was introduced, fellow Hall of Famer David Ortiz popped out from behind the stage to get in a head rub. Got the crowd, estimated at 28,000 (more than twice last year’s total) chuckling. Beltré fed into that.

Hall of Famer David Ortiz rubs former Texas Rangers third baseman Adrián Beltré’s head as...
Hall of Famer David Ortiz rubs former Texas Rangers third baseman Adrián Beltré’s head as Beltré was about to start his speech during the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Clark Sports Center on Sunday, July 21, 2024 in Cooperstown, N.Y.(Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer)
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He’d been nervous about the speech. Doesn’t relish public speaking, to start with. Was concerned he’d leave out a necessary thank you in the speech. Wanted to make sure he did part of his speech in Spanish as a nod to the Dominican fans who’d shown up. It’s all a lot.

First, he didn’t forget anybody. Thanked everybody from his grade-school classmate who first hooked him up with an organized coach to clubhouse managers in the different places he played. Didn’t want to disrespect anybody. Thanked the media too, “even you, Emily Jones and Evan Grant.”

Second, he allowed himself to have fun. He started to ad-lib and the crowd loved it. Of the four induction speeches, Beltré's was the most fun. Manager Jim Leyland’s might have been more emotional, but Beltré's was the most fun.

“I didn’t want to just keep reading,” Beltré said after his speech. “I probably improvised about 25%. I wanted to engage with people and fans. When I started doing that, it made me feel a little bit better.”

So, he found Hernandez in the crowd and acknowledged that “the guy who calls himself King Félix,” had won the statistical portion of their individual matchups, but added “in baseball, you are only as good as your last at-bat. And I homered off him in my last at-bat.”

Then he found Andrus and found the best way to needle him - by initially ignoring him. He ran through a whole roster of former Ranger teammates.

“He thinks I’m forgetting him, but I’m not,” Beltre said before flashing his wicked smile and calling Andrus his compadre. “Playing next to you was really, really fun. Even if you tried to catch every pop up just to improve your fielding percentage. Unbelievable.”

The crowd lapped it up.

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This was Beltré being himself. It’s something he’d mentioned over the last couple of days leading up to the ceremony. When he got to the Rangers ahead of the 2011 season, one of things Jon Daniels and Ron Washington urged him was to just be himself.

As a young player with Los Angeles, Beltré had worked hard to establish himself. In Seattle, after signing a mega-contract, he’d lost himself trying to live up to his own expectations about the contract. During a year in Boston, he’d worked to re-establish himself.

But the call to simply “be himself,” allowed Beltré to play with more freedom and to show more joy on the field. It immediately endeared him to Rangers fans, a significant contingent of whom made the pilgrimage to Cooperstown.

Former Texas Rangers third baseman Adrián Beltré’s children Cassandra (from left), Camila...
Former Texas Rangers third baseman Adrián Beltré’s children Cassandra (from left), Camila and Adrián Jr. listen alongside their mother Sandra as he speaks during the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Clark Sports Center on Sunday, July 21, 2024 in Cooperstown, N.Y.(Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer)

As he was prepping the speech, perhaps that wave of self-awareness washed over him again. He didn’t need to be a terrific orator or a passionate preacher. He just needed to be Beltré.

Being himself on stage also meant that the most earnest part of his speech was saved for the end, when he thanked his wife, Sandra, and their three children, Cassandra, AJ and Camila.

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“Baseball is my passion,” he told the crowd in wrapping up. “And the best part is that I absolutely loved it. I had so much fun playing the game. Thank you to all the baseball fans, for allowing me to be part of your life for 21 seasons, I’m truly grateful.”

No, Adrián. Thank you.

It was a joy to watch, whether it says so on the plaque or not.

CORRECTION, 9:36 p.m. Sunday: An earlier version of this article misstated the end of Beltre’s speech as, “I had so much fun playing the game. Thank you for allowing me to have fun.”

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