New York City, N.Y., Jul 29, 2016 / 02:02 am
Mike Piazza, the newest inductee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, has given a shout-out to Pope Benedict XVI and his mother Veronica.
"She gave me the gift of my Catholic faith, which has had a profound impact on my career and has given me patience, compassion and hope," Piazza said in his induction speech Sunday.
"Pope Benedict XVI said, 'One who has hope, lives differently.' Mom, you raised five boys, and you were always there for me."
Piazza, 47, played catcher for the New York Mets and other teams. He hit 427 home runs in his professional career. He began his professional baseball career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1992 and played with the Mets from 1998-2005. He was a 12-time All Star player and a 10-time Silver Slugger Award winner. He retired in 2007.