Free Republic

On this, the day of his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, let's take a look at the life of Bert Blyleven. Rik Aalbert Blijleven was born in Zeist, Netherlands on April 6, 1951. His family moved to Canada when he was just two years old, and then to Garden Grove, California when he was five. He was raised in Garden Grove, where he listened to Vin Scully on the Dodgers' radio broadcasts and pitched on a mound that his father had built in the family's backyard.

Finally, Bert Blyleven is headed to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The longtime Minnesota Twins pitcher received 463 votes (79.7%) from the Baseball Writers Association of America -- surpassing the 75% mark required for induction in his 14th year on the ballot. He'll be inducted along with infielder Roberto Alomar and executive Pat Gillick on July 24 in Cooperstown N.Y. Blyleven, 59, will become the fourth player in Twins history to have a plaque in the Hall, joining Harmon Killebrew (1984), Rod Carew (1991) and Kirby Puckett (2001).