Cole Hamels honored with entry to the Athletics Hall of Fame

Cole Hamels joins ranks of Philadelphia Athletics immortals

7.6.24

As part of the Independence Day week-long celebration during which fans at the Navy Yard enjoyed a smashing shutout victory over the Saint Louis Cardinals and a massive fireworks demonstration, the Philadelphia Athletics also welcomed a new member to the franchise Hall of Fame.

Left-handed pitcher Cole Hamels, who starred with the club as a member of the starting rotation for seven years from 2007-13, was enshrined in an emotional ceremony at the South Philly ballpark. The now 40-year-old Hamels looked like he could still pitch today as he was introduced formally be former teammate Roy Oswalt.

"Cole was a young guy just beginning to realize how good he could really be when we won the 2008 WFBL Championship, and he was all business," said Oswalt, who was enshrined himself back in 2014. "He was a great teammate and a great friend to Doc (the late Roy Halladay) and I during those years. It is my honor to welcome him to the A's Hall of Fame."

Hamels becomes the fifth pitcher and just the third starting pitcher in the organization's Hall of Fame, joining his former teammates Oswalt and Halladay.

"To be a part of this is incredible," said Hamels. "Pitching with guys like Doc, Roy, Timmy Lincecum, Stephen Strasburg, Cliff Lee, and others. We had a great rotation over those years and did a lot of winning. It was great fun back then. But this is great fun now as well, and it's an honor that I will never forget. I'll be back a lot, Philly, for these ceremonies...and to help you celebrate when this outstanding young group we have today wins it as well."

Hamels is the all-time franchise career leader in both innings pitched (1,116.2) and strikeouts (1,020). His 66 career wins with the club are tied with Oswalt, behind only Halladay's 69 career victories. He was the 2011 Lefty Grove Award winner as the team's top pitcher that year. 

This was the third straight year in which the Athletics honored a member of the 2008 WFBL champions, following Jose Reyes and Francisco Rodriguez the last two. That title-winning club's manager, Buck Showalter, was also honored back in 2021. In all, there are now seven players from that team enshrined. The others are Oswalt, Halladay, Chase Utley, and Billy Wagner.