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It's the ninth inning. Close game with one-to-three runs separating the participating clubs. In comes the dominant closer, trotting in from the bullpen to a thunderous ovation and a booming theme song blaring over the stadium speakers.
Who are you thinking of in this scenario? Possibly Mariano Rivera, the Yankees hero who for years emerged from beyond the outfield fence to Metallica's chugging "Enter Sandman."
But you just as well might be picturing longtime Padres right-hander Trevor Hoffman, who has been recognized with a spot in Cooperstown this week after being voted into the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA.
Hoffman, who spent almost all of his 16-year career with San Diego, notched 601 saves, his dastardly changeup (christened a 'Bugs Bunny Pitch' by his Padres teammates) baffling many hitters along the way (to the tune of 1,133 strikeouts).
You know that -- but you might be surprised to find out that It was Hoffman who actually established himself as the first closer in the game to have his own theme song -- yes, before Rivera.
Hoffman taking the hill to the ominous tones of AC/DC's "Hells Bells" is a tradition that, coupled with the popularity of Rivera's "Enter Sandman," led to a league-wide phenomenon that has become bigger and bigger over the years. Hoffman, however, was the true pioneer of the movement.
Hoffman started using "Hell's Bells" at Qualcomm Stadium in July of 1998 during a personal hot streak, just months before he and his Padres wound up battling Rivera's Yankees in the World Series.
After New York dispatched San Diego in the Fall Classic, that's when Rivera's close ties to the Bay Area's preeminent thrash/metal band were formed. Michael Luzzi (then an employee of the Yankees) told Bleacher Report what went down:
What happened after the '98 World Series was that ownership saw the cool reaction that [then-Padres closer] Trevor Hoffman was getting with AC/DC's "Hell's Bells." So they sort of tasked the director at the time-a man named Mike Bonner-with coming up with something that would have the same kind of effect.
Once out of the 'pen, Hoffman routinely did things that left hitters scratching their heads.
(GIF of strikeout)
And this:
(GIF of strikeout)
… As if he were out there ringing Hell's Bells themselves with his deceptive delivery and imposing presence, peering out toward the plate from his perch high atop a pronounced leg kick:
Many hitters simply couldn't handle the entire package Hoffman threw at them, and he used that to his advantage throughout his career. Rivera may hold the all-time saves record with 652, but Hoffman is next in line at 601 -- their success obviously closely tied to their respective musical selections, right?
Right.