COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Lee Smith had seen the Hall of Fame several times. This visit was completely different.
"I'm still in awe," Smith said after the tour Tuesday, in preparation for his July induction. "Whenever I sign an autograph and someone says, `Hey, put Hall of Fame on it,' I don't know if the Hall of Fame goes first or the year goes first."
Smith, who emerged as an ace reliever with the Chicago Cubs in the 1980s, and former White Sox star Harold Baines were voted into the baseball shrine in December by a select committee.