Alomar, Blyleven Enter Hall of Fame

Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven were inducted into Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame today, and the two players took decidedly different paths to get there.

Alomar becomes the third native of Puerto Rico to get into the Hall.  He was elected in his second year of eligiblity.  In all likelihood, he didn't get in last year because of the spitting incident involving umpire John Hirshbeck in the playoffs several years ago.  Alomar also became the first player to be inducted wearing a Blue Jays' cap.

Blyleven, in contrast, waited fourteen years to get the call.  Blyleven played on two World Series champions, in Pittsburgh and Minnesota.  He is the first Dutch-born player to be elected to the Hall of Fame and the first pure starting pitcher to get the nod since Nolan Ryan in 1999.

Former baseball general manager Pat Gillick was also inducted at Cooperstown.