NEW YORK (AP) — John Franco has been inducted into the New York Mets’ Hall of Fame.
The former closer and team captain was honored in a 35-minute ceremony before Sunday night’s game at Citi Field against the St. Louis Cardinals. Franco, who grew up in Brooklyn, says his dream came true when he got a chance to play for the team he rooted for as a kid. The pitcher’s family and several former teammates from the Mets and nearby St. John’s University were on hand for his big night.
Franco is the club’s career leader in saves (276) and games pitched (695). He joined the Mets in 1990 after a trade from Cincinnati and stayed in New York until 2004, making him the second-longest tenured player in team history, behind Ed Kranepool.
The four-time All-Star finished his career with 424 saves, the most by a left-hander.
