St. John's University Athletics
St. John's Legend John Franco Inducted Into Mets Hall Of Fame
6/5/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 5, 2012
QUEENS, N.Y. - One of the greatest names in St. John's baseball history and a four-time MLB All-Star, Brooklyn-product John Franco was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame with an on-field ceremony at Citi Field on June 3. Among the special St. John's guests in attendance in support of Franco were Athletics Director Emeritus Jack Kaiser, Hall of Fame Basketball Coach Lou Carnesecca, Director of Athletics Chris Monasch and former baseball head coach Joe Russo.
"It's humbling, and I'm very honored," said Franco, who now joins his childhood heroes in the Mets Hall of Fame. "To be on the wall with those guys means an awful lot to me."
Before Franco delivered his acceptance speech, Kaiser, Carnesecca and Monasch presented him with a framed St. John's baseball jersey with No. 45 on it - Franco's uniform number with the Mets.
"John is a perfect example of what we want our student-athletes to embody," Kaiser said. "He was a good student, an outstanding pitcher, and a tremendous competitor. He's brought a great honor to himself, to his family, and to St. John's."
Franco recognized his former college coach, Russo, as well as to his college pitching coach, the late Howie Gershberg, during his acceptance speech.
The induction could not have come on a more appropriate night as the Red Storm baseball team made program-history by defeating No. 4 North Carolina to clinch its first-ever Super Regional berth. Franco watched closer Stephen Rivera collect the game-ending strikeout in Citi Field's Modell's Clubhouse via a live web stream.
Franco pitched for St. John's from 1979-81 and helped lead the team to the 1980 College World Series as well as three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
The lefty was a two-time NL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year (1988, 1990) and was also the recipient of the 2001 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award. Franco made his major league debut with the Cincinnati Reds before spending 14 seasons with the New York Mets and finishing his major league career with the Houston Astros. The reliever led the NL in saves three times and his 424 career saves remain the most by a lefty in major league history.
