After the Minnesota Twins drafted LaTroy Hawkins out of high school in 1991, the right-handed pitcher had to choose between professional baseball and a college basketball scholarship offer.  What tipped the scales was advice from his grandfather.  Not surprising, considering his grandparents have always had an impact on his life.     

Hawkins, who spent 21 years in the major leagues, is one of five members of the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018.  He was inducted during ceremonies in Indianapolis on January 27 along with high school coaches Pat Murphy (Valparaiso) and Rich Andriole (Cathedral/Guerin), Indianapolis Indians broadcaster Howard Kellman, and the late Colin Lister, who contributed to youth baseball programs in Fort Wayne.     

Now a resident of Prosper, Texas, an affluent Dallas/Fort Worth suburb, Hawkins was born in Gary in 1972.  He was raised by his mother and his grandparents.  “My grandmother, Lesley Cannon, said I was a natural-born leader,” Hawkins recalled.  “She told my mother, ‘We have to get LaTroy out of the projects, or he’s gonna be the leader of a gang.’”

 

Hawkins took to sports at an early age.  His grandmother was the first to notice his talent.  “She saw I had this gift that whatever I picked up a ball and threw at, I could hit,” he said.  

Using makeshift equipment, Hawkins played baseball with the other boys in his neighborhood.  “We didn’t have any bats,” he said.  “We used broom handles and we made tape balls.  We didn’t get gloves until we got to Little League.” 

At Gary’s West Side High School, Hawkins starred for the basketball team, often matching up against Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson of cross-town rival Roosevelt High.  Robinson went on to play for Purdue and spent 11 years in the National Basketball Association.  “I had some good games against him,” said LaTroy.  “We always battled each other.”  

Hawkins also pitched for the West Side baseball team.  For two seasons, his catcher was his half-brother, Ronald Sewood.  As a prep, the basketball court took precedence over the baseball diamond.  “Iloved basketball,” said LaTroy.  “I wasn’t working toward being a major league ballplayer at all.”   

In high school, others began to notice the lanky 6-foot-5 kid’s leadership potential and athletic ability, and they wanted to make sure he didn’t squander those talents.  During a basketball game in his sophomore year, Hawkins and his West Side teammates headed to the locker room at halftime with a substantial lead.  “We were feeling pretty good about ourselves,” said LaTroy, “but our coach started laying into me about not being a leader and not pushing my teammates.  He told me, ‘Come here!  Bend over!’  And he paddled me, even though we were up by 16 points! 

When Hawkins came out of the locker room, he spotted his grandfather, Eddie Williams.  “He could see something was wrong, and he said, ‘Hey, homeboy, what’s wrong with you?’  And I told him: ‘Coach just paddled me and said we should be up by 20.’  My grandfather said, ‘You guys are playing well.  He shouldn’t have paddled you.  But it looks like you’ve got a lot of work to do!’  So not only was I getting double-teamed on the court, but my coach and my grandfather double-teamed me as well.”    

By his senior year in 1991, Indiana State University was offering Hawkins a full scholarship for basketball – a tantalizing proposition for a red-blooded Hoosier.  But matters were complicated that June, when the Minnesota Twins selected him in the seventh round of the baseball draft.  What decided the outcome for Hawkins was a conversation with his grandfather.  “He told me I was a better baseball player than a basketball player,” said LaTroy.  “And the rest is history.” 

The Twins gave Hawkins a $47,500 signing bonus and assigned him to their rookie team in Florida’s Gulf Coast League.   He won four and lost three in his first pro season.  After spring training the following year, he hoped to move up a notch to the Minnesota’s advanced rookie club in the Appalachian League.  

Instead, the Twins sent him back to the Gulf Coast League, and the 19-year-old Hawkins began to wonder if he’d made the right choice.  Discouraged, he called his grandfather.  “I told him I was going to quit and come home,” said LaTroy.  “He said, ‘Where are you going to stay?’  I told him I thought I’d stay with him.  He told me:  ‘I don’t let quitters stay in my house!’  I got the message.” 

Hawkins reported to the Gulf Coast League, but after six starts the Twins promoted him to their Appalachian League affiliate.  After winning honors as Minnesota’s top minor league player in 1993 and 1994, he joined the Twins in 1995.  Over the years he pitched for Minnesota (1995-2003), the Cubs (2004-2005), Giants (2005), Orioles (2006), Rockies (2007), Yankees (2008), Astros (2008-2009), Brewers (2010-2011), Angels (2012), Mets (2013), the Rockies again (2014-2015) and the Blue Jays (2015).    

Against the Florida Marlins on September 11, 2004, Hawkins pitched an immaculate inning, striking out the side on nine pitches – a feat accomplished to date by just 84 big-league pitchers.  When he joined Team USA for the first World Baseball Classic in 2006, LaTroy became the first Indiana native to play in the international event.  On August 5, 2015, when he was major league’s oldest pitcher, Hawkins became the 13th player to record a save against all 30 teams.  

“Hawk” made it to post-season play five times, including a trip to the World Series with Colorado in 2007.  His 1,042 career appearances are tenth on the all-time list.  

His charitable work over the years indicates Hawkins hasn’t forgotten his roots.  He once donated $30,000 to Gary Youth Baseball to help rejuvenate the city’s Little League programs.  In 2010 he and his wife Anita worked with Gary’s Embassies of Christ Ministries to distribute 250 Thanksgiving turkeys.     

Prior to last season, Hawkins began working as a special assistant in the Twins organization.  He plans to return to Indiana next summer.  “I’ll be back when Rochester (the Twins’ top farm club in the International League) comes to play Indianapolis,” he said.