Blue Jays Enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame

Sep 30, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor (4) watches from the dugout in the second inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Molitor Inducted In 2004 With 85.2 % Of The Votes

Paul Molitor, the St. Paul, Minnesota native, was one of the greatest hitters of his generation. He played 21 seasons in the big leagues with three teams, leading him to become the third Minnesota-born player to become a member of the Hall of Fame.

Molitor was inducted into Cooperstown in 2004, earning 85 percent of the vote. “The Ignitor” is most remembered for his time with the Milwaukee Brewers, but he did something in Toronto he never got a chance to do anywhere else, win a World Series.

After playing 15 seasons in Milwaukee, Molitor became a free agent at the end of the 1992 season and decided to join the team that won the World Series the year before, the Toronto Blue Jays. The Brewers won the pennant in 1982, however, lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series and after that season, Molitor never got a chance to play in the postseason again, until he joined the Blue Jays.

After a .332/.402/.509 year, finishing second in MVP voting, Molitor helped lead the Blue Jays to the World Series in his first year with the team, and made a memorable appearance. The Blue Jays’ designated hitter hit .500 including a home run and a triple in game six, winning World Series MVP honours.

Paul Molitor finished his career with over 3000 hits and more than 500 stolen bases as well. He may be a Hall of Famer for the Brewers, but he will always be well-remembered by Blue Jays fans for his excellence in the ’93 series, and standing on first base when Joe Carter hit the World Series winning home run.

Authored by Jesse Levine

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