Legendary Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher and Montoursville, Pa., native Mike Mussina will earn his iconic bronze plaque this summer as he has officially been named a member of the 2019 National Baseball Hall of Fame Class by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. A dedicated Little League® volunteer and Little League International Board of Directors member, Mr. Mussina will join fellow inductees and former Little Leaguers, Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez, and Mariano Rivera, as well as Today’s Game Era ballot winners, Harold Baines and Lee Smith, in this year’s induction.
Joining Little League® at the age of eight and playing until he was 15, Mr. Mussina pitched his first game ever for the Johnny Z’s Restaurant team in the Montoursville (Pa.) Little League at the age of 10. From that memorable day, he embarked on a baseball career that took him from the blue and gold of the Montoursville High School Warriors, to the Cardinal Red of Stanford University, to Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees. While his career took him to the highest level of baseball, Little League has always been near to Mr. Mussina’s heart. In 2001, he was elected to the Little League International Board of Directors, where he helped in the establish Little League as a leader in arm safety, and has been an active coach and local league board member for Montoursville Little League. He was enshrined in the Little League Hall of Excellence in 2014.
“On behalf of the entire Little League Board of Directors, we would like to congratulate Mike on this well-deserved honor,” said Hugh E. Tanner, Little League International Board of Directors Chairman. “Mike has always served as a tremendous role model for Little Leaguers everywhere and exemplifies what it means to work hard both on and off the field. His commitment to the growth and development of the Little League program and to the games of baseball and softball is truly inspiring and we are honored to congratulate him on this incredible accomplishment.”
A five-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner, Mr. Mussina spent his MLB career in the American League East, playing for the Baltimore Orioles from 1991-2000 before joining the New York Yankees from 2001-2008, where he played in both the 2001 and 2003 World Series. Throughout his postseason career, Mr. Mussina posted a 7-8 record and a 3.40 ERA while recording 142 strikeouts in 22 games. In 1997, Mr. Mussina led the Orioles through four postseason games with a 2-0 record and 1.24 ERA, posting up 41 strikeouts in 29 innings of work. Along with a career .638 winning percentage, Mr. Mussina won at least 11 games in 17 consecutive seasons, and won an impressive 15 games in a season 11 times, including a 20-win season in 2008.
“It is both a personal and professional honor to congratulate Mike on his election into the Baseball Hall of Fame and for solidifying his place in baseball history after an incredible career,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “Along with his many accomplishments on the field, equally important, Mike continues to serve as a dedicated volunteer within the Little League program, both at the local level in his hometown of Montoursville and as a member on our Board of Directors. We are proud of Mike for earning this remarkable honor and will be excited for him and his family on induction day this July.”
Mr. Mussina’s Little League connection can be found on full display throughout the World of Little League® Museum and Official Store. In the Second Inning of the Museum, a game-used glove, ball, and jersey from his final season with the Yankees is on display as part of the brand new MLB Exhibit while visitors can enjoy an interactive exhibit featuring Mr. Mussina in the Fourth Inning. Rounding out the exhibits in the Museum is a personal collection of memorabilia and artifacts from Mr. Mussina’s time in Little League, including a homemade baseball card and glove, which can be found in the Sixth Inning Hall of Excellence display area.
The official induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame will take place in Cooperstown, N.Y., on July 21, 2019.