SF Giants announce plans to honor Hunter Pence
Pence will become 55th member inducted to SF Giants' Wall of Fame in pregame ceremony Sept. 17.
The Giants on Monday announced plans to honor one of the most beloved and eccentric parts of their World Series dynasty.
Outfielder Hunter Pence will receive a plaque on the team’s Wall of Fame on Sept. 17 and, in a new twist, it will be unveiled during an on-field ceremony before the Giants’ game against the Dodgers that night.
September 17: @hunterpence will be enshrined on the @OracleParkSF Wall of Fame pic.twitter.com/FUcekwvx6I
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) August 8, 2022
Pence, currently a color commentator for Apple TV+, will become the 55th member of the organization recognized with the honor and the first to receive his plaque on the field before a game.
“I’m truly humbled by this honor,” Pence said in a statement. “To be included among people who I consider legends of the organization is surreal and I’m overwhelmed with gratitude to even be considered. The Giants organization and the San Francisco community are my family. This honor wouldn’t be possible if not for the love, support and dedication I’ve shared with them. I can’t thank the club, my teammates and the fans enough for the unforgettable memories.”
Although the club recently loosened the requirements to be honored, Pence met the original qualifications by spending eight seasons in San Francisco and earning one of his four career All-Star nods with the Giants in 2014.
Until 2018, the honor was reserved for players who spent nine seasons in San Francisco or five seasons with at least one All-Star selection. But it has since been expanded to include anyone who has won three World Series with the Giants or “who have made a remarkable impact on the franchise.”
Pence suited up for San Francisco from 2012 to 2018 and again in 2020 and won two World Series titles (2012, 2014) while batting .265 with 391 runs scored, 135 doubles, 26 triples, 95 home runs and 412 RBIs in 789 games. He was voted the club’s Heart and Hustle Award recipient the same season as he earned his lone All-Star bid in San Francisco. In 2013, he won the Willie McCovey Award as the team’s most inspirational player.
“The Giants Wall of Fame is a place where we permanently honor both players and individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the organization and Hunter is definitely one of those players,” Giants president and CEO Larry Baer said in a statement. “His pivotal role in our two World Series Championships will forever be remembered by our fans and his connection to this great city is a special one.”
In an ode to Pence’s famous “Yes! Yes! Yes” speech during the 2014 postseason, when Pence hit safely in 15 of his 17 games, the Giants will also hand out a pair of foam fingers to the first 20,000 fans on the day of the ceremony.