The two players endured racism and personal hardship during their time in baseball but were finally honored as legends by the Classic Era Committee on Sunday.

When Jim Kaat got his Hall of Fame call three years ago, it was incredible. The Zeeland native would go into the Hall of Fame with his teammate Tony Oliva, both of whom waited for more than 30 years to be enshrined in Cooperstown.

What took so long? That was the question that echoed through the night Sunday, along with so many powerful emotions.