Watch Scott Rolen tell his parents he’s a Hall of Famer (Video)

The call from Cooperstown only comes once, and no one is ever ready for it. Scott Rolen’s initial reaction to finding out he’s a Hall of Famer was to find his parents.

In most years, Scott Rolen probably wouldn’t have reached the necessary threshold to make the Baseball Hall of Fame, but this isn’t most years. Rolen shouldn’t be penalized for a relatively weak 2023 class, as he had a fine career, making the All-Star Game seven times and winning eight Gold Gloves.

Rolen was named on 76 percent of the ballots cast by the BBWAA this year, which was just over the 75 percent needed for enshrinement. Colorado Rockies slugger Todd Helton just missed out at 72 percent.

“You don’t think about this,” Rolen said on MLB Network, per ESPN. “You think about trying to do the best you can, play for your team and play the game as best you can, and there’s such a long road. I never thought that the Hall of Fame was going to be the answer.”

Scott Rolen celebrates Hall of Fame induction the right way

After hearing the news, Rolen went right to those responsible for much of his career success, his parents. Rolen’s mother and father drove him to baseball practice as a child, and attended games all over their hometown and beyond in his adolescence. It’s the story of most baseball families, and they deserve credit.

I’m not crying, you’re crying.

“There was actually never a point in my life when I thought I was going to be a Hall of Fame baseball player,” Rolen said.

Rolen took pride in his baserunning and defensive abilities, but he had a capable bat as well. The third baseman had over 2,000 hits and 300 home runs. He was no slouch, but played the game the right way.