Baseball’s Hall Of Fame Class Includes Michigan Native

Former Detroit Tigers prospect John Smoltz is among four elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today. Also elected were Craig Biggio, Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez.

Smoltz was traded by the Tigers to the Atlanta Braves in the 1987 season while playing for AA Erie for Braves starter Doyle Alexander. Alexander went 9-0 for the Tigers in the stretch run to help them win the American League East, but compiled just a 20-29 record over his final two seasons with the Tigers in 1988 and 1989. Smoltz, meanwhile, made his debut in the majors the next year to finish his career with 215 wins, 154 saves, the 1996 Cy Young Award, and the 1992 NLCS Most Valuable Player award. Smoltz earned a World Series ring with the Braves 1995 World Series championship. He was an eight-time All-Star and even won the National League Silver Slugger award as the best-hitting pitcher in 1997.

Smoltz is the first Michigan native elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame since Charlie Gehringer of the Detroit Tigers in 1949.