Sutter will sport Cards cap on plaque

~ The newest Hall of Famer recorded the final out in St. Louis' victory in 1982 World Series.

NEW YORK -- Bruce Sutter is going into the Hall of Fame wearing the cap of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Sutter seemed in a state of shock Wednesday, one day after he was elected to the Hall.

"It's something I thought was never going to happen," he said. "I'm humbled. It still doesn't sound right."

He spread his fingers across the baseball, index all the way to one side, middle finger all the way to the other, thumb positioned under it. And that, he explained, is how he gripped the split-fingered fastball, a pitch that made life miserable for hitters and one that Sutter rode into the Hall.

Sutter developed the splitter out of necessity when an elbow injury and surgery after just two minor league games threatened his career. He used the pitch to save 300 games as the dominant closer of his time.

Sutter credited two baseball journeymen, pitcher Fred Martin and catcher Mike Roarke, both pitching coaches in the Chicago Cubs organization, with helping him master the splitter.

After having elbow surgery, Sutter came to spring training in 1973 and realized his fastball was gone. Martin, a Cubs minor league pitching coach, introduced him to the new pitch.

"Most everyone, the middle finger is dominant. With me, it was this one," Sutter said, holding up his index. "That made it easy to throw. I got it to break real quick."