Summing up a career in 90 words: the art of plaque writing at Baseball Hall of Fame
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — When Vladimir Guerrero and five others are inducted into the Baseball Hall Of Fame on Sunday, they’ll find out just how they’ll be remembered on their small bronze plaque marking baseball’s best.
What they may not know is just how much care went into crafting the handful of words aimed at summarizing a lifetime of on-field accolades.
In keeping with the traditions of the game, putting together what’s finally etched on the bronze plaque is very much a team effort, says Jon Shestakofsky, vice-president of communications and education at the National Baseball Hall Of Fame.
“Usually, we’re looking at about 85 to 90 words in length (excluding the player’s teams) and that’s really tough,” Shestakofsky says. “Trying to sum up their entire career and what makes them special and worthy of this honour in that number of words is a very difficult task and it’s one we take very seriously.”