Kirby Puckett Marquee Hall of Fame 2001

He hit no home runs at all as a rookie, in 557 at-bats, then four the next year and thirty-one the year after that. He led the American League in hits four times, in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1992, with a high of 234, and he drove in 112 in 1994 to lead the league in that as well.

He played center field for Minnesota for all twelve of his seasons, won six Gold Gloves and six Silver Sluggers, and was picked for ten All-Star teams. The Twins won the World Series in 1987 and again in 1991, when he ended the sixth game with a home run.

He had batted .314 in his last season; the sight in his right eye failed the following spring, and he never played again. The writers elected him in 2001, the first year he was eligible, with 423 of 515 votes. He died of a stroke in 2006 at forty-five.