On Sunday, Jeff Kent, the second baseman with the most home runs ever, was voted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The committee for the modern baseball era named Kent, 57, on 14 out of 16 ballots—two more than he required to be inducted.
The names of others who did not receive enough support, such as all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, 354-game winner Roger Clemens, two 1980s MVPs, Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy, and Gary Sheffield, who hit 509 career home runs, were just as notable as Kent’s decision.
Less than five ballots mentioned Bonds, Clemens, Sheffield, and the legendary Fernando Valenzuela of the Dodgers.
Due to their connection to performance-enhancing drugs, Bonds and Clemens’ candidacies have long been among the most contentious among Hall of Fame enthusiasts. They are now one step closer to being permanently barred from the sport’s highest honor according to Sunday’s findings.
Jeff Kent’s stellar career
During his now-Hall of Fame career, which ended in 2008, Kent played 17 seasons in the major leagues for six teams. At times, he became emotional as he remembered the many destinations.
A five-time All-Star, Kent won the NL MVP in 2000 while playing for the Giants, where he recorded 33 home runs and 125 RBIs, setting a career high with a.334 average. Kent set a record for the position with his 377 career home runs, including 351 as a second baseman.
Kent is the 62nd Giants player to be elected to the Hall of Fame. In addition, he was a player for the Dodgers, Toronto, Cleveland, Houston, and the New York Mets. He will now play metaphorically for the most exclusive squad in baseball, the people whose plaques are displayed in Cooperstown, New York.
