Joe Mauer reflects on journey to Cooperstown ahead of Hall of Fame induction Sunday

"A lot of people to thank and you’re reflecting on a lot of different things that happened over your journey."

Aug 5, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; 2023 member of the Minnesota Twins hall of fame class Joe Mauer salutes the fans in a pre-game ceremony before the match with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports / Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

This Sunday, Joe Mauer becomes the seventh Twins player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

"You want to touch on a lot of different things because it takes more than just me to get to where I’m at," Mauer told MLB Network's Robert Flores in an appearance on the MLB Network Podcast on Friday. "A lot of people to thank and you’re reflecting on a lot of different things that happened over your journey. You want to recognize that and try to do the best you can to articulate that.”

Mauer earned 76.1% of votes earlier this year to become a first ballot inductwee. He will join Dave Winfield, Paul Molitor and Jack Morris as the fourth St. Paul, Minnesota native to be enshrined in Cooperstown.

The Twins legend retired in 2018 after a glittering 15-year career, all in Minnesota, that included winning the 2009 MVP, three Gold Glove awards, five Silver Slugger awards and three batting titles.

Speaking on his life after stepping away from the game, Mauer said: "It's been great."

“It was a lot busier than I imagined," he continued. "So, I retired at 35, my girls were 5 and I retired on a ... Monday in November and that Wednesday Chip [Mauer] was born. So, my son, my third child, was born on that Wednesday. So, I dove right in, both feet in, with Chip. I haven’t stopped since."

In looking back at his journey to baseball, Mauer recalled his passion for playing multiple sports in high school.

“I love football. I was a quarterback and I have friends of mine and they like to say I like to be in the middle of everything on a field," said Mauer. "Having the ball and trying to decide where to go with it and working with all your teammates, I always liked the position of your teammates looking for you to make a play. At catcher, shooting guard, point guard in basketball, I just enjoyed it. Enjoyed competing. Had a ball playing all three sports.”

Mauer was a multi-sport star for Cretin-Derham Hall, playing football, baseball and basketball. Before choosing baseball, Mauer was a highly recruited football star, earning a scholarship offer from Florida State to play quarterback. When asked about then FSU head coach Bobbie Bowden's recruitment overtures, Mauer reflected saying Bowden was "very involved" in trying to get him to commit.

"He, in fact, was the only college (coach) to come up to Minnesota to watch me play basketball. He came up, and I remember it was the middle of the winter. I remember my dad asking him why he was so adamant about coming to watch me play basketball and he said ‘Well, number one I’m looking for athletes.’ He goes ‘I could teach your son how to play football,’" recalled Mauer. "He wanted to see how I moved on the court, how I interact with teammates and how I dealt with all sorts of things thrown at you on a basketball court.

"Getting to know Coach Bowden was a tremendous honor. I’ll never forget the story of when I was on my official visit down there. I was in his office, and obviously I had baseball and that option. He told me, ‘I’m going to go out there and still get the best quarterbacks available because you might not be here this fall.’ I in-turn told him ‘Get whoever you want. If I’m here this fall, my intention is to win this job and a job like this isn’t handed over. But if I’m here this fall, I’m going to compete and try to win this job.’ I remember him smiling and looking at me, [he] leaned back in his chair and said, ‘Boy I sure hope you can’t hit a curveball.’”

Ultimately, he chose to join the Twins after Minnesota selected him with the first-overall pick in the 2001 MLB Draft. Mauer said Bowden wrote him "the nicest letter" offering to hold a scholarship for him if baseball didn't work out.

On what his dad, who passed away in 2023, would think of Mauer's induction into the Hall of Fame, Mauer said: "He'd love it."

"He'd have a big smile on his face. My Dad would never say a whole lot, my Grandpa would. My Dad would kind of sit back and smile, take it all in. Yeah, I think he’d absolutely love it. Definitely thankful for all the lessons he’s taught me over the years.”

The 2024 National Baseball Hall of Fame induction takes place this Sunday, starting at 12:30 p.m. and can be watched on MLB Network.