Red Sox Great Pedro Martinez Enshrined in Hall of Fame

The once dazzling ace of the Boston Red Sox and three-time Cy Young Award winner, Pedro Martinez, was forever enshrined as one of the greatest players in baseball history Sunday afternoon. Martinez entered the Hall of Fame as a member of the 2015 class, becoming the first ever Red Sox pitcher to make it to Cooperstown.

In seven seasons in Boston, Martinez won 117 games and two Cy Young Awards. Most importantly, the native of the Dominican Republic helped pitch the Red Sox to a World Series championship in 2004, snapping an agonizing 86-year drought.

Martinez finished his career 13th on the all-time strikeout list with 3,154. He finished with an impressive 2.93 ERA and 219 wins over the course of his 18-year career. Martinez pitched for the Dodgers and Expos before being traded to Boston in 1997.

The Hall of Fame selection makes Martinez just the second native of the Dominican Republic to make into the hall. Juan Marichal is the other.

Martinez delivered a heart-felt, emotionally moving speech at the induction ceremony.

“Don’t look at me as numbers, as baseball, as achievements,” said Martinez during his speech. “I’d like you to see me as a sign of hope for a third world country, for Latin America, someone you can look up to to say, ‘I’m proud of you.’ ”

Nearly 45,000 fans attended Sunday’s ceremony. John Smoltz, Craig Biggio and Randy Johnson were also inducted Sunday.

Photo Credit: Getty