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 Maddux and Glavine, mainstays on the Braves team that won the
1995 World Series while Cox was at the helm, went into the Hall in
Cooperstown, New York with former slugger Frank Thomas and managers
Cox, Tony La Russa and Joe Torre.
Maddux started his major league career with the Chicago Cubs, but
moved to the Braves in 1993 because, as he said half-jokingly, he
wanted to win a World Series.
"Those of us who play this great game and make a living at it are
extremely lucky," said the four-time Cy Young Award winner.
“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."
He thanked many who helped him along the way, including his high
school pitching coach who taught him the basics: "Movement,
location, the ability to change speeds and velocity, in that order.
"He (the coach) said you throw hard enough, but as you face better
hitters you're going need more than just velocity to get hitters
out."
 Maddux won 355 games, the eighth-highest figure in major league
history and the most of any pitcher since 1965. He won 194 of those
games over 11 years with the Braves.
Fellow Cy Young winner and ex teammate Glavine recalled that some
minor childhood mischief had shown he had a good arm.
"As a kid when I used to stand on the front porch of my parents
house (in Massachusetts) and throw snowballs over the trees trying
to hit cars passing by, little did I know how far my left arm was
going to take me," he said.
Glavine spent 17 of his 22 seasons with Atlanta and won 305 total
games, fourth most among left-handers.
But he almost took a different path. A talented hockey player, he
was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings at the same time as the Braves
in 1984, and had to choose between the two sports.
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"I had a difficult choice to make and as a left-handed pitcher, I
thought that was the thing that would set me apart and make baseball
the smartest decision," he said.
"Of course, I often wonder what would have happened if I’d taken up
hockey. I’m positive I made the right choice."
The most emotional speech came from Thomas, who broke down in tears
as he remembered his late father.
“Frank Senior, I know you’re watching and smiling from heaven,” the
former Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays
slugger said during a heartfelt speech.
“Without you, I know 100 percent I wouldn’t be here in Cooperstown
today. Thanks for pushing me and always preaching to me, you can be
someone special if you really work at it. I took that to heart Pops.
Look at us today.”
Thomas paused to wipe tears from his eyes before continuing to
thank, among others, his mother, Charlie May, who was in the large
crowd.
Thomas grew up in modest circumstances in Columbus, Georgia, and
played 16 years for the White Sox. He finished 19 seasons in the
major leagues with a .301 batting average and 521 home runs.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina, editing by Gene
Cherry)
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