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Fame sweeps you away. I had to go home every six months to remember who I am.

But what I'd really like to tell you is I never dreamed of being in the Hall of Fame. Standing here with all these great players was beyond any of my dreams.

I'm not really into the fame thing. I've met so many celebrities now, and everybody's just the same. I'm a bit of a family bird.

Fame doesn't make me any different. I am the same man now who grew up in the hard streets of Panama. I am just myself. I always will be. Whoever wants to talks to me, talks to me. Whoever loves me, loves me for who I am.

I don't think about my fame very much.

I'm a ballplayer. I know how hard the game is... and anybody that makes it in the Hall of Fame, I support. They become a member of our special fraternity.

I don't think fame is that important to me.

When I started playing the game of baseball, the more I played and the better numbers I got, the more I started thinking about the Hall of Fame. But I never thought I had a chance to be there.

When I was a little boy, I didn't know what the Hall of Fame was. I was just playing the game of baseball, and I wanted to be just like my dad.

I owe all of this to the guys I've played with and all the coaches that have helped me get to where I'm at right now. I'm honored to be here.