00:00What a moment it's going to be this weekend for number 52. That is CeCe Sabathia, the ace, the warrior, the workhorse is officially headed to Cooperstown, elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2025. And he did it on the first ballot. Yeah, that's right. First ballot Hall of Famer. And look, it's only right. He did his thing for years in this game from Cleveland to Milwaukee to the Bronx.
00:27Sabathia left the mark on the game, but in pinstripes, he became a legend, a cornerstone of the 2009 World Series championship team, a six foot six bulldog who never backed down from the moment, who took the ball every fifth day and gave the Yankees a chance to win, even when his body was breaking down. His will, it never did. He won 251 games over his 19 year career, struck out over 3000 batters, only the 17th pitcher to do that.
00:54Six time All-Star 2007 AL Cy Young Award winner. And when the bright lights of October hit Sabathia, he shined even brighter. 10 career postseason wins, including a dominant run in that 2009 title year.
01:09But Sabathia's legacy isn't just about stats. It's about presence, impact, culture. He was the heartbeat of the clubhouse, a mentor to the next generation, a symbol of toughness and authenticity.
01:22He brought swagger to the bump and accountability to the locker room. He was New York to the core, loud when he needed to be, relentless when it mattered the most.
01:31And now he joins a rare company. Sabathia becomes just the third black pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, alongside the legendary Bob Gibson and Ferguson Jenkins.
01:43That's it. That's the list. And yes, he's a proud member of the Black Aces, the elite group of African-American pitchers who've won 20 or more games in the season.
01:52C.C. did it in 2010, and he never took that distinction lightly. He carried that history with him in every start, every interview, every moment that he represented the game.
02:04For kids who look like him and the dream of pitching under the bright lights, C.C. Sabathia, he's a North Star, a symbol that it can be done, that it has been done, that it will continue to be done.
02:15C.C. Sabathia isn't just a great Yankee. He's a baseball giant. Now he's immortal.
02:20Salute, big man. The Hall of Fame honor is well-deserved.
Be the first to comment