The National Baseball Hall of Fame inducted three new members on Tuesday. Representing the class of 2025 include Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.
Wagner, one of the game's all-time great relievers, made the cut during the final year of his eligibility on the Baseball Writers Association of America ballot, receiving 82.5% of the vote. Wagner would've been removed from the ballot if he didn't meet the voting requirement in 2025, and it's clear just how much it meant to him to get the nod.
When receiving the call from the Hall of Fame, Wagner was reduced to tears in an incredibly emotional and heartwarming moment.
The weight of the long wait was evident for Billy Wagner when he finally got the call from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
— Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) January 21, 2025
“Dreams do come true,” he said.#HallofFame pic.twitter.com/ovLCvTANdo
That's what it's all about.
Wagner played 16 seasons in MLB, spending time with the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves. He made 853 appearances in his career and racked up 422 saves, good for eighth all time.
His first year on the ballot was in 2016, when he received just 10.5% of the vote. Last year, in 2024, Wagner just narrowly missed the cut, collecting 73.8% of the vote, just five votes shy of the required 75% threshold.
One year later, he got the nod into Cooperstown that he deserved, and it's clear how much it meant to him.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Billy Wagner Reduced to Tears After Receiving Hall of Fame Call on Last Year on Ballot.