Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek selected to Red Sox Hall of Fame

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Winslow Townsend

The National Baseball Hall of Fame inductions are past, but the Red Sox announced that Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield, both 2-time World Champions with the Red Sox, are among 4 guys inducted into the team Hall of Fame.

Jason Varitek holds the team record for games caught (1488 from 1997-2011), was a 3-time All Star and Red Sox captain from 2005-11. Tim Wakefield spent 16 years with the team (1995-2011), starting 430 games, winning 186 games and striking out 2,046 hitters among other things. Both guys are very deserving of the recognition, as both had excellent careers with the Red Sox. I grew up with these guys, and they were 2 of my favorite players to watch. Both guys were great team players and exemplified what being a Red Sox player should be.

On a personal note, I had the good fortune of meeting Tim Wakefield on 2 separate occasions, once back in 2004 and once in 2014. I had the pleasure of interviewing Wake in 2014, and he couldn't have been nicer. It was a brief encounter, but he was thorough and thoughtful with the questions I asked (the whole interview is below). He was a real pleasure to sit down with and talk to, and I can think of no one more deserving.
Ira Flagsted and Larry Lucchino were also named to the team Hall of Fame. Flagsted played for the team for 6 years, and led the league in assists (115). Lucchino has owned the team for 14 years and presided over an 820-game sellout and 3 World Series Championships (04,07,13). Congratulations to all, and I can't wait to see the ceremony. The formal induction takes place on the 19th of May, with a ceremony before the Red Sox home game the next day.