There have been countless great players to ever play professionally in North American pro sports leagues, but not one in the history of the MLB, NBA, NFL, and the NHL has managed to accomplish what former Minnesota Twins star Joe Mauer finally achieved when he got elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday.
Via OptaSTATS:
“Joe Mauer of the @Twins is the first player in MLB/NBA/NFL/NHL history to be drafted No. 1 overall by a team from his birth state/province, play 15+ seasons for that team and reach the Hall of Fame.”
It’s one thing for a player to spend his entire career with just one franchise based on the city or state he’s from, but Mauer raised the ante by proving and perhaps even exceeding expectations he carried with him after draft day as a top overall pick by putting together a career worthy of induction in Cooperstown.
For what it’s worth, two others before the Twins legend’s time nearly pulled off the same feat (via OptaSTATS).
“Two others came close: Chuck Bednarik (NFL): born in Pennsylvania, drafted No. 1 by Eagles, played 14 seasons for them and reached HOF. Guy Lafleur (NHL): born in Quebec, drafted No. 1 by Canadiens, played 14 seasons for them and reached HOF”
Mauer got 76.1 percent of votes to get elected into the Hall of Fame, while two others will join him in the induction in July, with Todd Helton and Adrian Beltre getting 79.7 percent and 95.1 percent of votes, respectively.
In 15 years in the big leagues, Mauer hit .306/.388/.439 with 143 home runs and 923 RBIs. He also got six All-Star nods and was the American League Most Valuable Player of the 2009 season.
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