Beltrán, Kent, and Jones Honor Roots at Hall of Fame Ceremony

WHO:

MLB.com - Carlos Beltrán, Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones, Dusty Baker, Henry Jones

AP News - 12,000 fans, 59 Hall of Famers

WHAT:

AP News - Andruw Jones is a 10-time Gold Glove winner and five-time All-Star.

AP News - Jones stated, “There’s no easy way to get here from the small island of Curaçao, more than 2,000 miles away,” during his speech.

AP News - Kent shared that he needed tissues to wipe the tears from his eyes after looking at his parents in the crowd.

AP News - Kent said, “I was more emotional for the 35, 40 minutes of sitting down than I was for the speech.”

AP News - Kent recalled a deal with his father: if he earned a college scholarship, he would receive a pickup truck, which he still has.

AP News - Kent described the pickup truck as “a simple reminder that some of the simplest things can change the entire direction of your life.”

MLB.com - Carlos Beltrán delivered a 17-minute acceptance speech during his Hall of Fame induction.

MLB.com - Beltrán is the sixth Hall of Famer from Puerto Rico and the third player to enter the Hall with a Mets cap on his plaque.

MLB.com - Jeff Kent is a five-time All-Star and the record holder for home runs by a second baseman with 351 at the position and 377 total.

AP News - Andruw Jones is the first player from Curaçao to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

AP News - Beltrán received 84.2% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) for his Hall of Fame induction.

AP News - Jones garnered 78.4% of the vote in his ninth year of eligibility.

AP News - Kent was elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee after dropping off the BBWAA ballot in 2023.

WHERE:

MLB.com - The Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place in Cooperstown, New York.

AP News - The event was held at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown.

WHEN:

AP News - The Hall of Fame induction ceremony occurred during the 2026 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend.

WHY:

MLB.com - Beltrán expressed gratitude for the mentors who guided him throughout his career.

AP News - Kent shared a story about how his father motivated him to focus on baseball and education, which changed the direction of his life.

HOW:

MLB.com - Beltrán delivered his speech in both Spanish and English, alternating between the two languages.

AP News - Jones paid tribute to his father by recounting how he taught him to track the ball and build strong wrists.

Andruw Jones, a ten-time Gold Glove winner and five-time All-Star, shared his journey from the small island of Curaçao, emphasizing the challenges he faced along the way. During his emotional speech, Kent revealed that he needed tissues to wipe away tears as he looked at his parents in the crowd, admitting he felt more emotional during the 35 to 40 minutes of sitting down than during the speech itself. He also reflected on a deal with his father that promised him a pickup truck if he earned a college scholarship, describing it as “a simple reminder that some of the simplest things can change the entire direction of your life.”