Joyful Pence added to Giants Wall of Fame

SAN FRANCISCO -- Four years ago, Hunter Pence appeared to ride off into the sunset on a custom motorized scooter given to him by the Giants. The farewell gift turned out to be a little premature, as Pence went on to play for two more seasons, including a brief reunion with the Giants in 2020.

Even after retiring from baseball, Pence held on to the scooter with the hope that he might be able to use it to return to Oracle Park someday. That opportunity finally presented itself on Saturday night, when Pence used the scooter to make a grand entrance to his Wall of Fame induction ceremony.

After a video tribute played on the Oracle Park scoreboard, Pence emerged from a cloud of smoke in the left-field corner, zooming around the ballpark and waving to fans before taking a seat on the infield alongside his family and former teammates.

“It was perfect timing,” Pence said. “I held on to it for that moment. It’s still riding pretty good.”

Pence, a four-time All-Star and a key member of the Giants’ World Series championship teams in 2012 and '14, became the 55th individual to earn a plaque on the Wall of Fame, which lines the brick wall of Oracle Park along King Street and serves as a living tribute to the organization’s greatest players and influential figures.

“It really is an honor,” Pence said. “I found where I belong. I love the Giants franchise and the city of San Francisco. To be part of the history of this storied franchise is humbling. It means the world to me. I know I wasn’t the best player, but I played with a lot of heart. If you felt a little bit of the joy that I felt playing, that means the world to me.”

Pence, who currently works as an analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area and Apple TV+ broadcasts, was the first inductee to have his plaque unveiled during an on-field ceremony. Acquired from the Phillies in a midseason trade in 2012, Pence quickly became a fan favorite due to his boundless energy and his inspirational speeches, memorably leading fans in a “Yes! Yes! Yes!” chant before the beginning of the ‘14 postseason.

He batted .265 with a .750 OPS and 95 home runs over his eight seasons with the Giants, earning the Willie Mac Award in ‘13 and an All-Star selection in ‘14.

To be honored on the Wall of Fame, players must have played a minimum of nine seasons for the Giants or five seasons with at least one All-Star selection in San Francisco. Players who won three World Series championships with the club and other individuals who have “made a remarkable impact on the franchise” are also eligible for induction.

Barry Bonds, Orlando Cepeda, Will Clark and Jeffrey Leonard were among the Giants legends in attendance for the special pregame ceremony, with Michael Morse, George Kontos and Gregor Blanco each giving speeches to honor their former teammate.

“Hunter has taught me a few things over the years,” Kontos said. “He’s taught me how to be an eternal optimist. No matter what situation we might be in, Hunter’s got a positive outlook on it, and he’s going to will positivity into the clubhouse and whatever is going on. I also have learned that Hunter defies human capabilities of the amount of milligrams of caffeine that one human being can take in a day. You see all the coffee, you see all the eyes really wide, and you just want to play the game like Hunter Pence does.”

Pence confirmed that he was quite caffeinated on Saturday, having drank a full pot of coffee and two shots of espresso prior to the festivities.

“Everyone says play it cool, but I’ve had too much caffeine,” Pence said after taking the podium.

Pence went on to give a gracious speech, thanking his wife, Lexi, and the rest of the supporting cast that helped guide him through his 14-year career in the Majors. He closed with yet another inspirational message, encouraging fans to not be afraid of failure and predicting a bounce-back year for the Giants following their disappointing 2022 campaign.

“You can’t stop someone who keeps coming and never quits,” Pence said. “Even if you stop me, you didn’t stop me. The Giants are coming back next year. They’re going to finish strong. We’re not going to the playoffs, but they’re going to get better because of this season. The Giants will never quit.”