Hustle Hall of Fame Inductee: Mike Schmidt

If you’ve been keeping up with the Hustle Hall of Fame over the last few weeks, you are aware of what’s happening. Fan voting has decided the first of two entrants for each MAC member to craft an inaugural Class of 2017 for the Hustle Hall of Fame. Next up to be inducted to the Hustle Hall of Fame is former member of the Ohio University Bobcats, Mike Schmidt!

In the conversation about “Greatest Third Basemen of All-Time” there’s Mike Schmidt and then there’s everyone else. His accolades in Major League Baseball are eye-popping: 12x All Star, 3x MVP, 10x Gold Glover, World Series Champion, and MLB Hall of Fame member. But all that started on campus at Ohio University!

Schmidt’s connection to the MAC is through his undergrad career in Athens. He took Ohio to the College World Series and was an All-American. It would be the spring board to his 1971 MLB Draft selection by the Philadelphia Phillies. He would go on to spend his entire career with that organization, and currently holds the record for most homeruns by a player with one team.

All that contributed to Schmidt being named to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 1995. At the time, his 96.2% of votes was the fourth-highest ever. Simply put, one cannot talk about baseball in the modern era without Mike Schmidt. He defined a team, a position, and an era. And his roots were in MACtion!

Welcome Mike Schmidt to the Hustle Hall of Fame!