McGriff soaks in Hall of Fame legacy in Cooperstown
Former slugger Fred McGriff, most known for his time with a bat in his hands in a nearly two-decade long career in the big leagues, on this day was in less familiar surroundings: Near the 18th green and toting around a putter.
McGriff, 60, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023, served as the celebrity host for the Pathfinder Village-Baseball Hall of Fame Golf Invitational on Sept. 9 at the Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown.
“I’ve been playing golf a lot down in Tampa, but to have an opportunity to come up here is always great. This is beautiful,” said McGriff, on the course’s green turf and overlooking majestic Otsego Lake. “And because right now when I left Tampa it was 94-95 degrees, and now I can enjoy 60- or 70-degree weather, I get a little break.”
As for his own golf game, McGriff admits to having his moments with the smaller, dimpled ball.
“I have flashes of greatness, and then I also have flashes of stinking it up. Usually, I can shoot in the 80, 81, 82 range,” McGriff said. “Some days you’re playing by yourself and you’re just hitting it good. And so now I’ll call up my buddies: ‘Hey, what are you doing tomorrow? You want to play?’ You want to play because you feel ready. And you go out there: ‘Man, I thought I was ready.’”
Proceeds from the Pathfinder Village-Baseball Hall of Fame Golf Invitational benefit Pathfinder Village located in nearby Edmeston, N.Y., a residential community dedicated to children and adults with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities. Proceeds also benefit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum educational programs, which enable the world-famous nonprofit institution to fulfill its educational mission and care for its priceless collections.
Nicknamed “Crime Dog” after the cartoon public service bloodhound McGruff the Crime Dog, McGriff spent 19 seasons in the majors and totaled 493 home runs. A five-time All-Star, he won the Silver Slugger Award for first base three times and hit 30-or-more home runs 10 times.
Asked what he thinks of when looking back on his 2023 Hall of Fame induction, McGriff said: “It just hits you. And then when you get with the guys, it’s a big fraternity. You just really see that there’s so many good people in the game.
“A lot of times playing first base, because you’re competing against this person, you really don’t really get chance to chitchat with them. But during Induction Weekend, you enjoy the guys that are here. And then after the induction, when they have the players-only dinner, the guys are joking and telling jokes. They’re like, ‘Okay, home run hitters, you’re over here. And Punch-and-Judy hitters, you’re over here. Pitchers over here.’ So, the whole experience, the whole weekend a couple of years ago, was just outstanding.”
McGriff, who returned to Cooperstown in July for the 2024 Hall of Fame induction, repeated a common refrain amongst his new fraternity members when admitting how less stressful the follow-up visit was.
“I’m laughing because I’m seeing Jim Leyland having a smoke because of the pressure of giving that speech and you know that you were that same guy last year,” McGriff recalled. “And so now you’re sitting there just relaxing, thinking, “Yeah, I don’t have to do that this year, man. I’m going to just enjoy myself.’”
While playing with the Blue Jays, Padres, Braves, Devil Rays, Cubs and Dodgers, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound McGriff reached the 100-RBI milestone eight times and six times finished in the Top 10 of his league’s MVP voting. In total, he compiled 2,490 hits, 1,550 RBI, a .284 batting average, a .377 on-base percentage and a .509 slugging percentage.
Only a week ago, on Sept. 1, McGriff became the fifth member to be inducted to the Tampa Bay Rays Hall of Fame, joining Wade Boggs (2023), Carl Crawford (2023), Don Zimmer (2023) and Dave Wills (2024). He played with Tampa Bay for five seasons (1998-2001, 2004).
“It was awesome,” said McGriff, his ever-present smile wider than ever. “It was special because being born and raised in Tampa, when I first started up in the big leagues, Tampa didn’t have a team, and then they got a team in 1998. It was great to have an opportunity to go back home and play in front of family and friends. And my parents were getting a little older, so they would get a chance to see me play every night that the Rays were in town. Mom would head to the ballpark early, and she got to know all the ushers and the concession workers, and they all knew Mrs. McGriff. She made sure she told everybody that I was her son.
“And I had to work on an induction speech again, but I was a veteran now after my Baseball Hall of Fame speech. I learned a lot from my induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, so I used that experience for my speech back in Tampa. And it turned out great.”
McGriff is the Rays all-time leader (min. 2,000 plate appearances) in on-base percentage (.380), slugging percentage (.484) and OPS (.864). He also ranks among the club’s leaders in batting average (second, .291), walks (sixth, 305), RBI (seventh, 359) and home runs (eighth, 99).
McGriff, who was also in Cooperstown for the East-West Classic held at Doubleday Field in May, makes a point to always visit his bronze plaque in the Hall of Fame Plaque Gallery.
“I went there a couple of days ago and got a chance to see it. And now they’ve added 2024 inductees Adrian Beltré and Todd Helton and Jim Leyland and Joe Mauer right around me. It’s just great,” he said. “It’s a life changer. Once you get into the Hall of Fame, your life forever changes.
“I’ve got three grandkids and I tell my wife regardless of what happens, you make sure that my grandkids get a chance to come up here and see the plaque.”
Bill Francis is the senior research and writing associate at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
