After four attempts in the last eight years, Billy Wagner has finally succeeded in his bid for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

With his last chance for induction into Cooperstown, NY, Wagner surpassed the required 75% benchmark, securing an impressive 82.5% vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. This achievement comes just one year after he narrowly missed out by five votes.

Since the Hall of Fame reduced the eligibility period from 15 years to 10 before the 2015 elections, it has become somewhat routine for players to make a late push for induction.

In 2017, for instance, center fielder Tim Raines dramatically increased his support to 86% in his tenth year. Just four years later, designated hitter Edgar Martinez garnered 85.4%, a significant rise from 70% in his ninth year.

In 2020, Larry Walker, perhaps the strongest candidate among those listed, barely crossed the threshold at 76.6%, up from 54.4% the previous year.

Wagner didn’t need a dramatic surge, merely a bit of favorable momentum. However, for a relief pitcher with a total of 422 saves—still not high enough on the leaderboard—and a strikeout rate of 11.9 per nine innings (achieved in shorter appearances), the wait was excruciating.

When Wagner learned he would finally be headed to Cooperstown, it felt like a huge emotional release.

The process of having his accomplishments examined, scrutinized, and debated—statistical numbers, successes, and the elusive “makeup” factor that fans and scouts often weigh—was highly taxing. The tenth attempt was particularly challenging.

It also turned out to be the most rewarding.

“When you start looking at character and aspects beyond your control, that’s the hardest part,” Wagner shared during a media conference on Tuesday evening. “It’s not an objective process. Given how much analysis is possible today, it’s complicated. I’m a passionate person, so this feels very personal, especially after all I’ve fought through.

“For me, I’m just relieved that it’s finally over.”

Wagner makes history as the first left-handed reliever inducted into the Hall of Fame, embracing the unlikely journey that brought him here. He played college baseball at the Division III level with Ferrum College.

His background is far from the baseball-rich areas near the Chesapeake Bay, where many All-Stars emerge. Instead, he hails from a part of Virginia closer to West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, away from the big lights that inspire young athletes to chase their dreams.

He didn’t play in his first major league game until he made it into the Cape Cod League and managed to catch a game at Fenway Park.

This week, he will visit the Hall of Fame for the first time for media engagements.

Although he came close before—Wagner kicked off his professional career in the New York-Penn League, playing seven games for Auburn, including one at Oneonta, a Yankees affiliate located about thirty minutes from Cooperstown.

The fact that he moved through four different minor league levels to reach the major leagues, pitched for 16 years, earned 422 saves, struck out an impressive 12 batters every nine innings, made seven All-Star appearances—and still needed nine years to reach the pinnacle of baseball?

Yes, the process is fraught with challenges and, at times, frustration, particularly when he retired after the 2010 season to spend more time with family and influence their baseball paths.

His son Will is currently an infielder with the Blue Jays, and Wagner frequently acknowledges how vital his family has been in getting through the Hall of Fame process. He has never regretted stepping away, despite missing out on a few prominent statistics that could have enhanced his Hall of Fame portfolio.

It all culminated on Tuesday afternoon, filled with various activities and lunch plans.

And yet.

“I felt like time stood still,” Wagner recalled of the anticipation leading up to the Hall’s announcement, “and at times throughout the day, emotions ran high.

“From around 2 o’clock until about 5:15, it felt like time dragged on. It was very challenging to manage my thoughts. This day is a celebration for all of us—we’ve navigated this journey, and now I can finally relax a bit and enjoy the upcoming days.”

This is a tough process, one that outfielder Andruw Jones—who received 66.2% of the votes on Tuesday—might face in two years as he prepares for his own final chance at induction.

For Wagner, though, he will forever be known as a “Hall of Famer,” signing autographs for fans bearing that coveted title. While it was a long and challenging wait, the ultimate reward is now his.

Now coaching baseball at a private school in Charlottesville, Wagner will always serve as an inspiration—for shorter pitchers, for those who played at Division III schools, and for athletes from areas that often get overlooked by scouts.

“Those achievements,” he expressed, “hold significant meaning.”