It is no surprise to any major fans of the sport to see these types of players being inducted into the major league baseball hall of fame.

Greg Maddux was one of the three players to be inducted into the Cooperstown Hall Of Fame in 2014, and he is also joined by one of his former teammates.

Greg Maddux is a former pitcher for the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs. On the Atlanta Braves, he spent much of his career with the legendary John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine, who also earned a spot in the hall of fame this year.

Maddux has earned multiple nicknames throughout his career, including “Mad Dog” and “The Professor.” Maddux was inducted in his first year of eligibility of the sport’s hall of fame.

In a historic year, it also marks the the first time that three first-ballot candidates were elected at the same time since Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount in 1999.

Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine were the first pair of teammates to be elected in the same year in the past 68 years.

Humbled by my HOF selection, congrats to Greg Maddux and Frank Thomas as well, honored to go in with you guys

— Tom Glavine (@Tom_Glavine) January 8, 2014

I'd like to know how some of these guys don't get 100% on their hall of fame ballot. Who honestly thinks Greg Maddux isn't a Hall of Famer

— Anthony Capizzi (@ACAPNY) January 9, 2014

Two former stars for the Atlanta Braves are joined by Frank Thomas, who was a legendary first-baseman and designated hitter for the Chicago White Sox. He had such a strong swing that he even earned the nickname of “The Big Hurt.”

With the use of steroids, and a variety of other changes, the sport of baseball is certainly not what it used to be. Greg Maddux is the type of player that fans are not able to see anymore, and was one of the pioneers of his time, and was not recognized for it.

Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Frank Thomas welcome to the family. See ya in July. Well done!!

— Wade Boggs (@ChickenMan3010) January 8, 2014

Leo Mazzone spoke very highly of the former pitcher when saying “We will never see anyone like him again. He was the greatest. His ability to hit a target was as good as anybody who ever pitched. In any decade. In any century. In the history of baseball.”

He was ignored throughout his career, and was not showcased as some stars have been. However, his stats prove that should not have been the case with the numbers that he continued to put up.

Tough to imagine anybody not considering Greg Maddux a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Guy could even hit, too.

— James Van Der Beek (@vanderjames) January 9, 2014

Greg Maddux won 355 games, the second-most since 1930. He won four consecutive Cy Young awards. He also won at least 15 games in a record 17 consecutive seasons.

Image via Wikimedia Commons