Fred McGriff's Hall of Fame plaque won't feature a team logo, Scott Rolen's will have Cardinals cap
Fred McGriff and Scott Rolen picked which team logos, or lack thereof, will be on their respective Baseball Hall of Fame plaques. Both 2023 inductees enjoyed tremendous careers with multiple teams during their time in the league, McGriff with the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves and Rolen with the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds.
McGriff elected not to have any one team logo on his plaque in order to "equally represent these cities."
“Fifteen of my 19 major-league seasons were split, playing half a decade with the Blue Jays, Braves and Devil Rays,” McGriff said. “At each stop, I was lucky to be a part of memorable teams and to play in front of some of the best fans in baseball."
McGriff, 59, was elected by the contemporary baseball era committee in December. He played 19 seasons from 1986 to 2004 as a first baseman. He was a five-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger winner, and he won a World Series with the Braves in 1995. McGriff finished his career batting .284/.377/.509 with 493 home runs, 1,550 RBIs and 72 steals.
As for Rolen, 47, he picked the Cardinals — a team with which he made five consecutive All-Star squads from 2002 to 2006. Rolen, a third baseman, also won three of his eight Golden Gloves with St. Louis and a World Series with the Cardinals in 2006. He hit .281/.364/.490 with 316 home runs during his 17 MLB seasons. This was Rolen's sixth year on the Hall of Fame ballot.
“I believe this decision accurately represents a pivotal portion of my career based on our teams’ successes in St. Louis," Rolen said of his choice. "I am grateful to Philadelphia, St. Louis, Toronto and Cincinnati for the opportunities given to me as a player, but more importantly, for how they embraced me and my family. I am truly honored that my plaque will hang among the legends in Cooperstown."
The class of 2023 will be formally inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, on July 23.
