Jim Kaat tours Hall of Fame as electee in 'most humbling experience'
Jim Kaat has walked into the Hall of Fame many times over the years, but this one was a little different.
This was the first time he entered Cooperstown as a Hall of Famer.
The Zeeland native completed his two-day orientation at the Hall of Fame this past week as he prepares for July's induction ceremony.
"It was just one of the most humbling experiences," Kaat said. "Everybody keeps telling me I have to start thinking I belong with these guys. It is such a gift to be included with those guys. Less than 1% of the players to play Major League Baseball make the Hall of Fame.
"My niece asked me if it was more real after going to Cooperstown, but I think it is more surreal. It was such a great two days. They really make you feel like you are part of a new family."
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Kaat's day started in the plaque gallery, among the baseball legends he is joining. He signed the spot where his plaque will go, just as the other living members of the Class of 2022, Tony Oliva and David Ortiz, did in the past few weeks.
"I got a chance to touch Lefty Grove's plaque and get my picture taken with it because that was my dad's hero and he went to Grove's induction in the 1940s," Kaat said. "Signing the back of where your plaque is going to go was amazing. Tony (Oliva) is on the right and Ted Simmons is on my left from last year's class. Being next to Tony is cool. We have a 60-year friendship and that is amazing."
Then Kaat toured the museum.
"Going through the tour, when I started getting into the 1940s I could relate to a lot of it. I was really impressed how they respect the history of the game, not just about the star players. It is a museum as well as a Hall of Fame," he said.
When Kaat returned home, Tom Schieber, the head curator of the museum arrived to decide what artifacts should go on display for Kaat's induction.
"They got my old glove, a picture of my dad standing in front of the Hall of Fame in 1947. They have a ball of my first shutout in 1962 and my first Gold Glove from 1962. They have an All-Star trophy from the Pioneer League. I got the Ken Hubbs Award in 1975, which was the forerunner of the Roberto Clemente Award," Kaat said. "They will take the artifacts and use it to tell my story."
Kaat will be inducted in July, along with Oliva, Ortiz, Bud Fowler, Gil Hodges, Minnie Minoso and Buck O'Neil.
— Contact Sports Editor Dan D'Addona at Dan.D'Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona and Facebook @Holland Sentinel Sports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Jim Kaat tours Hall of Fame as electee in 'most humbling experience'
