NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jim Leyland left his living room in Thornburg, Pennsylvania, and had gone upstairs to lie down, convinced the call to Cooperstown wasn’t coming
He stated, “They had told us it would be between 6:30 and 7:15, but I thought when I didn't get it by a quarter to 7, it wasn't going to happen, so I went up just to rest a minute, kind of get my thoughts together.”
When son Pat got upstairs, the phone rang. Two weeks before his 79th birthday, Hall chairman Jane Forbes Clark voted in Leyland.
Leyland, an entertaining and sometimes grumpy manager who guided the Florida Marlins to a 1997 World Series triumph and won 1,769 regular-season games over 22 seasons, garnered 15 of 16 votes Sunday from the current period committee for managers, executives, and umpires He becomes the 23rd hall manager.
Leyland portrayed the prickly baseball veteran with a gruff but intelligent voice, honest, vulgar, and always smoking. He ranks 18th in manager victories but second behind Joe McCarthy among non-MLBers. He was ejected 73 times, tying with Clark Griffith for 10th in MLB history.
Leyland’s players included Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, Larry Walker, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.
“I think young people, young players are searching for discipline,” Leyland added. I think even great athletes have insecurities. I think they're always seeking leadership.
I told them what it was like to be a pro and how hard this game is. I told them they were great virtually daily.”