On July 21st of this year, Minnesota Twins baseball player Joe Mauer will be formally inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Of the votes cast, 76.1 percent were in his favor. Mauer is the thirteenth person in the history of the Minnesota Twins baseball team, which dates back to 1901, to be entered into the Hall of Fame. This is an extremely big accomplishment, celebration-worthy for Mauer’s teammates, friends, family, and especially his old high school — Cretin-Derham Hall.
A member from the Class of 2001, Joe Mauer wasn’t always the famous professional athlete that he is now. He was a popular student at school with a unique desire to connect with fellow classmates who preferred to stay out of the spotlight. Mauer was known by his classmates as someone caring, genuine, and humble, despite his enormous athletic success. He played football, basketball, and notably baseball throughout his high school career, and did exceptionally well. During his senior year, Mauer became the USA Today High School Player of the Year in both football and baseball, a title which he alone holds.
This athletic success didn’t come from pure talent, however. As a child, Mauer’s dad built him a device that would automatically pitch baseballs at varying speeds for him to practice hitting. Since he had a very short ranged swing, Mauer was able to gauge the incoming pitch for slightly longer since his swing took up less room. Consistent training from a young age helped form his incredibly successful career in high school and in the MLB.
Mauer struck out only once during his four high school baseball seasons. His batting average was over 0.500 each season, an incredible feat, and his skills eventually landed him at the World Junior Baseball Championship in Canada in 2000. There, he was voted the best hitter, a title that he would continue to live up to throughout his professional career. Aside from his impressive baseball career at CDH, Mauer also dominated the basketball court and the football field. As a point guard, he averaged over 20 points per game and during his last two years on the team. As a quarterback, he was responsible for completing a total of 73 touchdowns and took the Raiders to the state championship twice in a row. In 1999, for the first time, Mauer led the team to their first ever state championship victory.
Needless to say, Joe Mauer has had an extremely accomplished career. Yet what makes him special is not only his athletic success but also his character. The success and popularity that he has possessed throughout his high school and professional athletic careers has not chipped away at the kindness and humility that have made him so popular in the first place. Mauer is truly a special individual who has done an excellent job of balancing fame and humbleness and is more than worthy of his new place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
