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).

NEW YORK -- Andre Dawson is this year's sole electee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, it was announced on Wednesday. Dawson, an outfielder, made it on his ninth try. Robby Alomar, Barry Larkin and Bert Blyleven didn't make the cut. The right-handed pitcher Blyleven was shut out on his 13th. Alomar, a second baseman, was among 13 players on the ballot for the first time. Larkin, a shortstop, was also a first-timer. Dawson will be inducted on July 25 in Cooperstown, N.Y., along with manager Whitey Herzog and umpire Doug Harvey, who were elected in December by a...

To fully appreciate how much Bert Blyleven cherishes his place in the history of the game of baseball, you have to see the balls. There are about 330 of them, regulation horsehide, individually mounted on little stands and arrayed in tiered rows in a huge glass display case along the wall behind the television and the trophies.