The 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame class had its day in Cooperstown on Sunday.
This year's class included Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, who were elected by the eligible voters from the Baseball Writer's Association of America, and Dave Parker and Dick Allen, who were elected by the Classic Baseball Era Committee.
Here are some of the top highlights from Sunday's induction speeches.
Parker's induction into the Hall of Fame was long overdue, and he sadly did not have the opportunity to enjoy the moment of seeing his name in the Hall of Fame as he died June 28. That left his speech in the hands of his son, Dave Parker II, who read a poem written by his dad.
Dave Parker II reads a poem that his late father wrote for his @BaseballHall induction! pic.twitter.com/xsE3BlYsvM
— MLB (@MLB) July 27, 2025
Parker spent the majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates where he was an MVP winner, two-time batting champion and World Series champion with the 1979 "We Are Family" team.
Allen was the other veterans committee inductee, and his widow, Willa Allen, spent the majority of her speech remember the kindness of Allen off the field as much as his ability on the field.
Dick Allen's widow Willa speaks on behalf of her late husband as he is inducted into the @BaseballHall ❤️ pic.twitter.com/pz7nTWS91c
— MLB (@MLB) July 27, 2025
Allen is going into the Hall of Fame as a Phillie but won the 1972 American League MVP with the Chicago White Sox. He led the league in OPS four times and was the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year.
Being left-handed is a huge advantage (and money-maker) for pitchers, and Wagner was one of the most dominant left-handed relief pitchers to ever step onto a mound in the big leagues.
But he wasn't always left-handed.
Wagner was a natural-born right-handed person but taught himself how to throw left-handed after fracturing his right arm twice as a kid. It led to quite a career.
What a beautiful speech by Billy Wagner.
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 27, 2025
"Obstacles aren't a roadblock. They're a stepping stone.
"I wasn't the biggest. I wasn't left handed. I wasn't supposed to be here." pic.twitter.com/F4dqw14pTE
Wagner made a name for himself with the Houston Astros but also spent years with the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox.
Sabathia accomplished a ton in his 19-year big league career. He won 251 games, won the 2007 American League Cy Young Award, was the 2009 ALCS MVP and a World Series champion. He still has apparently not gotten over the one individual award he did not win — the 2001 American League Rookie of the Year Award, which went to fellow 2025 inductee Ichiro.
Sabathia made sure to make a playful dig at that.
"I am so proud and humbled to join you as a hall of famer... even Ichiro, who stole my rookie of the year award in 2001"
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) July 27, 2025
CC Sabathia pic.twitter.com/LkLge39k8X
Sabathia was the only American League rookie outside of Ichiro — who also won the American League MVP that year — to get a first-place vote. He received one. The others all went to Ichiro.
Ichiro stole 509 bases in his Hall of Fame career, and on Sunday, he added one more steal to his list of accomplishments by absolutely stealing the show at Cooperstown.
He delivered two of the best lines of the day, first by calling out the one lone writer who did not vote for him, keeping him from being just the second unanimous Hall of Fame inductee ever (after Mariano Rivera).
Ichiro Suzuki: "3,000 hits or 262 hits in one season are achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one of you. And by the way, the offer for that writer to have dinner at my home has now expired." ⚾️️#MLB #HallofFame pic.twitter.com/xj3OqFbNmf https://t.co/8MiiCLsFZQ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 27, 2025
His best line of the day, however, might have been when he referenced his brief time as a member of the Miami Marlins toward the end of his career.
"And to the Miami Marlins--
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 27, 2025
Honestly, when you guys called to offer me a contract for 2015...
I had never heard of your Team." pic.twitter.com/3TszuOJIVR
Ichiro played 14 of his 19 seasons with the Seattle Mariners while also spending time with the Marlins and Yankees.
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