The first and last appearances of the four new Hall of Famers

Whenever new Hall of Famers are declared by my esteemed colleagues (okay, “superiors” because they have votes), I like to check how each of the players began and ended their careers. I wrote about about baseball endings, so I’m always fascinated by them, but because of Hall of Famers like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Yogi Berra, I’m interested in their beginnings as well.

You do know what Mays, Aaron, and Berra have in common, don’t you?

You just need to look at the beginning and endings of their careers, and it becomes obvious.

Player’s team listed first

Willie Mays

Debut: May 25, 1951, at Shibe Park – New York Giants 8, Philadelphia Phillies 5: Mays went 0-5 with one strikeout.

Finale: September 9, 1973, at Parc Jarry – New York Mets 3, Montreal Expos 0: Mays went 0-2 with two walks and two strikeouts.

BTW: Berra managed this game for the Mets.

Hank Aaron

Debut: April 13, 1954, at Crosley Field – Milwaukee Braves 8, Cincinnati Reds 9: Aaron went 0-5.

Finale: October 3, 1976, at County Stadium – Milwaukee Brewers 2, Detroit Tigers 5: Aaron went 1-3 with one RBI.

Yogi Berra

Debut: September 22, 1946, at Yankee Stadium – New York Yankees 4, Philadelphia Athletics 3: Berra went 2-4, homering with one run scored and two driven home.

Finale: May 9, 1965, at Shea Stadium – New York Mets 2, Milwaukee Braves 8: Berra went 0-4 with three strikeouts.

BTW: Aaron played in this game for the Braves.

I presumed you noticed (or already knew):

Each of these HOFers began and ended their careers in the same city but with different teams.

Now, let’s look at the 2015 HOFers

None of them had the interesting beginnings and endings of Aaron, Mays, and Berra, but take a look at their starts and stops.

John Smoltz

Debut: July 23, 1988, at Shea Stadium – Atlanta Braves 6, New York Mets 1: Smoltz started and pitched eight innings, allowing four hits and one earned run, walking one and striking out two. He was the winning pitcher.

Finale: September 30, 2009, at Great American Ball Park – St. Louis Cardinals 1, Cincinnati Reds 6: Smoltz started and pitched four innings, allowing six hits and six earned runs, walking five and striking out three. He was the losing pitcher.

Randy Johnson

Debut: September 15, 1988, at Stade Olympique – Montreal Expos 9, Pittsburgh Pirates 4: Johnson started and pitched five innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs, walking three and striking out five. He was the winning pitcher.

Finale: October 4, 2009, at PetCo Park – San Francisco Giants 4, San Diego Padres 3: Johnson relieved and pitched one inning, allowing one hit and one unearned run, walking none and striking out two. He was charged with a blown save.

Craig Biggio

Debut: June 26, 1988, at Astrodome – Houston Astros 6, San Francisco Giants 0: Biggio went 0-2, with one run scored, walking once and striking out once.

Finale: September 30, 2007, at Minute Maid Park – Houston Astros 3, Atlanta Braves 0: Biggio went 1-4, doubling with one run scored.

Pedro Martinez

Debut: September 24, 1992, at Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Cincinnati Reds 8: Martinez relieved and pitched two innings, allowing two hits and no runs, walking one and striking out one.

Finale: September 30, 2009, at Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia Phillies 10, Houston Astros 3: Pedro started and pitched four innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs, walking one and striking out two. He was not involved in the decision.

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