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Bud Selig inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame

Selig: "(It) really is an overwhelming day"
Posted at 5:29 PM, Jul 30, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-30 20:03:59-04

Former Commissioner Bud Selig was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame Sunday.

Selig, who turned 83 on Sunday, left a large imprint during more than 22 years as the leader of the game. He was instrumental in the approval of interleague play, the expansion of the playoffs, splitting each league into three divisions with wild cards, instituting video review and revenue-sharing in an era that saw the construction of 20 new ballparks.

His tenure also included the Steroids Era and the cancellation of the 1994 World Series amid a players' strike, but he left baseball in excellent shape economically without labor strife and with a strict drug-testing policy that has helped clean up the game.

Selig thanked his mother and father, his wife and family. He also cited the late commissioner Bart Giamatti, the late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, and Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson for their contributions to the game.

Selig says it "really is an overwhelming day. What you've seen here today is a little boy's dreams come true."

The Milwaukee Brewers also honored Selig, showing his entire speech on the big screen following Sunday's game.