Today baseball honored one of the game’s greats, a man whose contributions both on and off the field have long transcended sports. That’s right, 25 years after his heroic pinch hit/hit-by-pitch performance led the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant to the 1992 softball championship, the Hall of Fame has “inducted” Homer Simpson. Woohoo!

A legendary reunion to celebrate Homer's "induction" into the Hall of Fame. #HOFHomer #HOFClassic pic.twitter.com/JcVGPJNlBB

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum âš¾ (@baseballhall) May 27, 2017

The festivities focused on the iconic Simpsons‘ episode “Homer at the Bat,” which premiered over 25 years ago on Fox on February 20th, 1992 (which I love so much I spent months researching if Smithers could have put together an even better team), with Homer being joined by his softball teammates and fellow Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith and Wade Boggs. The two took part in a round-table discussion, which also included the episode’s director Jim Reardon, executive producers Al Jean and Mike Reiss, story editor Jeff Martin, and casting director Bonnie Pietila. They also opened a new Simpsons exhibit in the museum portion of Cooperstown.

Homer Simpson, welcome to "immortality." #FirstLook #HOFHomer #HOFClassic @TheSimpsons pic.twitter.com/PFapQbfruz

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum âš¾ (@baseballhall) May 27, 2017

However, as any die-hard Simpsons fan will tell you, Homer’s history with baseball goes all the way back to 1990, when he was the mascot Dancin’ Homer. He first started with the minor league Springfield Isotopes, followed by a brief stint with the major’s Capital City Capitals, which his plaque also pays tribute to.

“Baseball is recognized as our National Pastime due to its wide intersection with American culture over the last two centuries, evident in literature, theater, language, art, music, film and television,” said National Baseball Hall of Fame Jeff Idelson, “The Simpsons is a perfect example of that connection to Americana.” Yes it is.

Of course, Darryl Strawberry, who stole Homer’s spot in right field for the championship game, before Homer heroically pinch hit for him in the 9th, is not a member of baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Maybe if he had shown a little more hustle, skip.

What other fictional characters deserve their spot in the Hall of Fame? Step up to the bat in our comments section below and swing away with your best candidates.

Images: Fox