On Sept. 29, 2002, at a venue then known as Pro Player Stadium, Tim Raines played the final baseball game of his 23-year career. He reached base once, for the 3,935th and last time, before a defensive substitute replaced him. Raines exited the sport as a potential candidate for the Hall of Fame, but by consensus he seemed a Cooperstown long shot.
Raines had fallen well short of traditional milestones such as 3,000 hits, 400 home runs or a .300 career batting average. He had never produced more than 71 RBI in a season and only once led the league in average.