University of Minnesota Athletics
Molitor Elected to National College Baseball Hall of Fame
8/6/2020 10:16:00 AM | Baseball
MINNEAPOLIS – Former All-American Gopher infielder Paul Molitor will be inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2020 class, as announced by the College Baseball Foundation on Thursday.
"We are happy to recognize another outstanding group," said Mike Gustafson, president and CEO of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. "This class touches so many levels of college baseball."
With his eventual induction, Molitor (1975-77) will become the second Gopher player and third member of the Minnesota Baseball program to be enshrined into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. Dave Winfield (1971-73) was previously inducted as a player in 2006, while the legendary Dick Siebert was inducted as a head coach posthumously in 2007.
Already a member of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, Molitor adds yet another feather to his cap with Thursday's announcement. From 1975-77, Molitor excelled on the diamond for the Gophers, finishing with a career .350 batting average, 18 home runs, 11 triples, 159 hits, 245 total bases, 112 runs scored, 99 RBI and 52 stolen bases. In both 1976 and 1977, Molitor was honored as a First Team All-American as well as a First Team All-Big Ten recipient. In the latter of the two years, Molitor batted .325 with a team-high 20 stolen bases while leading Minnesota to a Big Ten Championship and an appearance at the College World Series.
Following his standout Gopher career, Molitor was selected third overall by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1977 MLB Draft. Over the course of his 21-year Hall of Fame career, he collected 3,319 hits, which ranks ninth all-time in the history of the sport. Molitor also stands among the best to ever play the game in the following categories: 605 doubles (T14th), 1,782 runs (20th) and 504 stolen bases (39th).
As a seven-time All-Star, Molitor is one of 32 players to amass the 3,000 hit threshold and one of just six players to record 3,000 hits as well as 500 steals. Molitor was also named World Series MVP in 1993 while capturing a title with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The 2020 College Baseball Hall of Fame class will be inducted as a part of a virtual College Baseball Night of Champions ceremony later this month. More information about the virtual Night of Champions will be released soon at www.collegebaseballhall.org.
"We are happy to recognize another outstanding group," said Mike Gustafson, president and CEO of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. "This class touches so many levels of college baseball."
With his eventual induction, Molitor (1975-77) will become the second Gopher player and third member of the Minnesota Baseball program to be enshrined into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. Dave Winfield (1971-73) was previously inducted as a player in 2006, while the legendary Dick Siebert was inducted as a head coach posthumously in 2007.
Already a member of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, Molitor adds yet another feather to his cap with Thursday's announcement. From 1975-77, Molitor excelled on the diamond for the Gophers, finishing with a career .350 batting average, 18 home runs, 11 triples, 159 hits, 245 total bases, 112 runs scored, 99 RBI and 52 stolen bases. In both 1976 and 1977, Molitor was honored as a First Team All-American as well as a First Team All-Big Ten recipient. In the latter of the two years, Molitor batted .325 with a team-high 20 stolen bases while leading Minnesota to a Big Ten Championship and an appearance at the College World Series.
Following his standout Gopher career, Molitor was selected third overall by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1977 MLB Draft. Over the course of his 21-year Hall of Fame career, he collected 3,319 hits, which ranks ninth all-time in the history of the sport. Molitor also stands among the best to ever play the game in the following categories: 605 doubles (T14th), 1,782 runs (20th) and 504 stolen bases (39th).
As a seven-time All-Star, Molitor is one of 32 players to amass the 3,000 hit threshold and one of just six players to record 3,000 hits as well as 500 steals. Molitor was also named World Series MVP in 1993 while capturing a title with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The 2020 College Baseball Hall of Fame class will be inducted as a part of a virtual College Baseball Night of Champions ceremony later this month. More information about the virtual Night of Champions will be released soon at www.collegebaseballhall.org.
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