Former Mission Elected to Baseball HOF

Legendary catcher will be ninth player with SA ties in Cooperstown

January 6, 2016

SAN ANTONIO - Late Wednesday afternoon, former Mission catcher Mike Piazza was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his fourth year on the ballot.

Piazza received votes from 365 of the 440 voters (83%) from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, exceeding the 75 percent required for election.

During that 1992 season in the Alamo City, Piazza hit .377 (43-for-114) with 11 doubles, seven homers, 21 RBI and 18 runs scored over 31 games.

"I'm extremely excited for Mike and for our fans that had a chance to see him play here in San Antonio," said Missions President Burl Yarbrough. "Having a total of nine players with San Antonio roots in the Hall of Fame speaks to the illustrious baseball history of this city."

Piazza was named the 1993 National League Rookie of the Year for the Los Angeles Dodgers after batting .318 (174-for-547) with 35 homers and 112 RBI in 149 games.

The 1993 season marked the first of 10 straight (and 12 total) All-Star appearances for Piazza, who also played for the then Florida Marlins (1998), the New York Mets (1998-2005), the San Diego Padres (2006) and the Oakland Athletics (2007).

Considered by many as the greatest hitting catcher in Major League history, Piazza batted .308 (2127-for-6911) with 344 doubles, 427 homers, 1335 RBI and 1048 runs scored over 1912 career games.

Piazza becomes the ninth player with San Antonio roots to be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame, joining OF Willard Brown (played for San Antonio in 1956), P Dennis Eckersley (1974 TL Right-Handed Pitcher of the Year), P Pedro Martinez (1991), 2B Joe Morgan (TL Player of the Year in 1964), 3B Brooks Robinson (1956-57), 3B Ron Santo (1959), OF Billy Williams (1959) and OF Ross Youngs (1913).

Joining Piazza in the 2016 HOF class is OF Ken Griffey Jr.