Pedro Martinez Elected Into Baseball Hall Of Fame

Pedro Martinez was small for a major league pitcher — an inch under six feet and weighing in at only 135 pounds when he joined the major leagues.

But he spent 18 years in the major league — seven of them with the Boston Red Sox — throwing hard and smart and fighting well above his weight class.

Tuesday afternoon, Pedro was voted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, along with pitchers John Smoltz, Randy Johnson and second baseman Craig Biggio.

Martinez grew up in the Dominican Republic, too poor to afford baseballs, so he threw oranges. But he moved on to baseballs and dominated the game when it was awash with steroid-juiced hitters.

Red Sox fans loved him for all the games he won — and for helping to win the 2004 World Series, which ended an 86-year championship drought.

Alex Ashlock, producer and director for WBUR. He tweets @aashlock.

WBUR: Pedro Martinez Elected To Baseball Hall Of Fame