Editing Bruce Sutter (section)

==Hall of Fame==
[[File:Newbrucesutter.jpg|thumb|upright|Sutter during the [[2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game]] Red Carpet Parade]]
Sutter appeared on his thirteenth [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] ballot in [[2006 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2006]]. Sportswriter Matthew Leach of [[MLB.com]] referred to this ballot as Sutter's best chance for induction; he pointed out that Sutter would only be eligible for two more Hall of Fame ballots. Nearing the end of his eligibility, Sutter said he did not think about induction very often. "It's just an honor to be on the ballot, but it's not something I think that much about. I have no control over it. ... It's out of my hands. It's the voters, it's in the voters' hands. There's nothing I can do about it. I can't pitch anymore... There's a lot of guys that I think should be in that aren't in. It's for the special few people to get into the Hall of Fame. It shouldn't be easy to get in", he said.<ref name=Leach>{{cite web|last=Leach|first=Matthew|title=Sutter braces for latest Hall chance|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051220&content_id=1284771&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb&partnered=rss_mlb|work=[[MLB.com]]|access-date=November 1, 2013}}</ref> On January 10, 2006, Sutter was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his 13th year of eligibility by receiving 400 votes out of a possible 520 (76.9%). He was the fourth relief pitcher inducted, and the first pitcher inducted without starting a game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2286997|title=Sutter elected to baseball Hall of Fame|date=January 10, 2006|website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref name=WaPo>{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Brian |title=Bruce Sutter, ace relief pitcher who pioneered role of closer, dies at 69 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/10/15/bruce-sutter-reliever-cardinals-dies/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=6 November 2022}}</ref>

MLB.com columnist Mike Bauman attributed the delay in Sutter's Hall of Fame election to several factors. He pointed out that Sutter's first five strong seasons were with the Cubs, a team that did not receive much attention during those years. He also noted that the closer role was relatively new in baseball history. Finally, he wrote that Sutter's candidacy was hurt because his career was cut short by injuries.<ref name=Bauman>{{cite web|last1=Bauman|first1=Mike|title=No need to be split: Sutter deserves it|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060110&content_id=1293460&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|website=[[MLB.com]]|access-date=July 5, 2014}}</ref>

At his Hall of Fame induction that July, Sutter was the only former MLB player inducted. However, he was joined by 17 [[Negro league baseball]] players. During his induction speech, Sutter said, "I haven't played baseball for 18 years now and I'm getting more sentimental as I get older. You start losing family members and you start losing friends. There are teammates who have passed on. You start thinking of them as you put together a speech. I'm not usually an emotional guy. My kids said the first time they ever saw me cry was when I got that phone call [telling him that he was elected]. Now today. I guess a lot of people have seen me crying now."<ref name=Bloom>{{cite web|last1=Bloom|first1=Barry|title=History for Sutter, Negro Leaguers|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060730&content_id=1583812&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|website=[[MLB.com]]|access-date=July 5, 2014|date=July 30, 2006}}</ref> [[Johnny Bench]] and [[Ozzie Smith]] wore decorative beards to the induction speech in honor of Sutter.<ref name=Bloom/> Sutter's Hall of Fame plaque depicts him wearing a Cardinals cap.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bloom |first=Barry M. |date=March 27, 2014 |title=History for Sutter, Negro Leaguers |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060730&content_id=1583812&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714223212/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060730&content_id=1583812&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |archive-date=2014-07-14 |website=MLB.com}}</ref>