BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

Larkin: Induction ultimate validation

Barry Larkin (right) is welcomed Sunday by fellow Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum induction ceremony.
Barry Larkin (right) is welcomed Sunday by fellow Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum induction ceremony.

— Barry Larkin lost it before he even started. Vicki Santo never wavered as she honored her late husband, Ron.

Larkin, the former standout shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds, and Ron Santo, a former third baseman for the Chicago Cubs and later a beloved broadcaster for the team, were inducted Sunday into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

After wiping away tears as his teenage daughter sang the national anthem, Larkin began a list of thank-yous to the important people who helped him along his journey, none more important than his mom, Shirley, and father, Robert, who were seated in the first row.

“If we were going to do something, we were going to do it right,” Larkin said. “Growing up, you challenged me. That was so instrumental.”

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Larkin was a two-sport standout at Moeller High School and thought he might become a pro football player after accepting a scholarship to play at Michigan for Bo Schembechler. That changed in a hurry.

“He [Schembechler] redshirted me my freshman year and told me that he was going to allow me just to play baseball,” said Larkin, who never played football for the Wolverines but was a two-time All-American for the baseball team. “Occasionally, I’d call him while I was playing in the big leagues and told him that was the best decision he made as a football coach. He didn’t like that too much.”

Drafted fourth by the Reds in 1985, Larkin finished seventh in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 1986.

Two years later, Larkin was an All-Star with a .296 average, 91 runs scored, 32 doubles and 40 stolen bases. And with a host of older players to guide him - Eric Davis, Ron Oester, Buddy Bell, player manager Pete Rose, slugger Tony Perez and shortstop Dave Concepcion, the man he would replace - Larkin’s major-league career quickly took off.

“I played with some monumental figures in the game,” said Larkin, who was introduced to baseball by his dad at the age of 5. “They helped me through some very rough times as a player.”

Larkin heaped special praise on Rose and Concepcion.

“I wouldn’t be in the big leagues if it weren’t for Pete,” Larkin said, eliciting applause from the fans. “And Dave Concepcion, understanding that I was gunning for his job, understanding that I was from Cincinnati, he spent countless hours with me preparing me for the game. I idolized Davey Concepcion as a kid. Thank you, my idol.

“My inclusion in the Hall of Fame is the ultimate validation. I want to thank you all for helping me along the way.”

Larkin, who played his entire 19-year career with the Reds, retired after the 2004 season with a .295 career average, 2,340 hits, 1,329 runs scored and 379 stolen bases.

Ron Santo didn’t live to experience the day. Plagued by health problems, he died Dec. 3, 2010, at the age of 70. His long battle with diabetes cost him both legs below the knees, but he ultimately died of complications from cancer.

A member of the Chicago Cubs organization for the better part of five decades as a player (1960-1974) and then a broadcaster (1990-2010), Santo was selected by the Veterans Committee in December, exactly one year after his death.

Vicki Santo said she cried a lot while practicing her speech, but she was poised when it counted most.

“It just feels right, a perfect ending to a remarkable journey,” she said. “Ron left an awful hole for many of us today.

“This is not a sad day. This is a great day. I’m certain that Ronnie is celebrating right now.”

In 15 major league seasons, all but one with the Cubs, Santo was one of the top third basemen in major-league history. He compiled a .277 batting average, had 2,254 hits, 1,331 RBI and 365 doubles in 2,243 games.

As a broadcaster, Santo was known for unabashedly rooting for the Cubs, a trait that endeared him to fans who never saw him play.

“I want you to know that he loved you so much, and he would be grateful that you came here to share this with him,” Vicki Santo said.

Two inductees were honored Saturday in a ceremony at Doubleday Field. Former catcher Tim McCarver received the Ford C. Frick Award for his contributions in broadcasting, while Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun was given the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for sports writing.

Sports, Pages 13 on 07/23/2012

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