Bill Mazeroski was always known as a team player, and after fellow 2001 Hall of Fame inductee Dave Winfield gave a rather lengthy speech leading off the day Sunday, "Maz" kept everything on track with one of the shortest, yet most well received speeches in induction history.

Also inducted Sunday were former Minnesota Twins outfielder Kirby Puckett and Negro Leagues star Hilton Smith.

The first speaker was Winfield, and after quipping that it had been a long time since he'd been a leadoff man, his speech focused on three main topics- values and character; continuous learning and self-improvement and dealing with adversity in a positive manner.

"Everyone faces obstacles," the 6-foot-6 inch outfielder, who entered the Hall as San Diego Padre, said. "The secret is to give the best you have. You can't buy success, and no can give it to you, you have to earn it. I gave the game my best, and baseball gave it back to me."

Winfield began his career with San Diego in 1973, before moving to the New York Yankees for 10 tempestuous seasons with Yankee owner George Steinbrenner. Steinbrenner was Winfield's biggest obstacle, labeling him "Mr. May" after a disappointing 1981 World Series performance.

But Winfield thanked Steinbrenner Sunday for bringing him to the Yankees, saying his time in New York helped mold him into the man he is today.

Winfield's main message was that people need heroes to give them something to strive for in life. He said players like Hank Aaron, Hank Greenberg, and Bob Feller were people who turned missions into results, and were inspirations in his own life.

Winfield was drafted by all three major sports, but said he chose baseball because it was the best game of all.

"Baseball is simple but complex, you're going to fail most of the time," Winfield, who amassed over 3,000 hits and 460 home runs during a 23-year career, said. "It's the adjustments you make and how you deal with adversity that make you a great player."

After the presentation of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for sports writing was presented to Ross Newhan, it was Mazeroski's turn, and the shy former Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman did not last long before breaking down.

Known for his famous home run to end the 1960 World Series against the powerful Yankees, Mazeroski was the premier second baseman of his time, turning a record 1,706 double plays during his career.

"Defense belongs in the Hall of Fame, I think it should get as much credit as offense," Mazeroski managed before becoming overcome with emotion. After trying to gather himself, with help from fans, Mazeroski added that his election was the "highest honor in baseball."

Although he said he had 12 pages written, Mazeroski apologized to those who drove all the way from Pittsburgh to "listen to this crap" thanked everyone and said "that's it."

The induction day crowd and the Hall of Famers on the dais responded with a standing ovation.

DeMorris Smith, son of former Negro League star pitcher Hilton Smith, who died in 1983, said his father was a quiet and humble man whose first baseball was a sock, and first bat was a tree limb.

"He made do with whatever was available because he just loved baseball," Smith said. "He wasn't allowed into the major leagues, but he played with and against the best and more than held his own. He told me that playing in the major leagues was not even a goal of his, he just wanted to play baseball, and if he had his life to live over again, he'd do it the same way."

Like Winfield, Puckett also had baseball heroes while growing up in the projects of Chicago's South Side.

"I was determined not to be a product of my environment," Puckett said. "And when I was five, I saw guys like Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Willie Mays on television, and I knew right then I wanted to be a ballplayer."

The 5-foot-8 inch Puckett went on to lead the Twins to two World Series titles in 1987 and '91, and his .318 lifetime batting average is the highest for a right-handed hitter since Joe DiMaggio. Puckett was always told he was too short to be a major league player, but had a message for kids in the crowd.

"Don't ever let any person tell you that you can't do it," he said. "You can be whatever you want to be. Anything is possible."

Puckett's career was cut short by glaucoma, which has left him blind in one eye, but he said adversity has never left him feeling sorry for himself.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, It's cloudy in my right eye, but the sun is shining brightly in my left eye," he said.

Notes: The Hall could be adding three more inductees next year, as Andre Dawson, Ozzie Smith and Alan Trammel become eligible...With the changes in the Veterans Committee voting (see story above) the Veterans committee will not meet again until 2003, meaning only Baseball Writers of America electees will be inducted next summer...Former pitcher Ralph Branca sang the National Anthem before the ceremony.