COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- The atmosphere in Cooperstown on the eve of the anticipated induction ceremony was reminiscent of any professional baseball game in the dog days of summer -- the smell of hotdogs, peanuts and Cracker Jack filled the air, while fans donned their favorite baseball jerseys as they walked the streets -- but to the 2014 inductees, it was more than just another summer day.

Tom Glavine spoke of the butterflies in his stomach and likened the feeling to the one he would feel before Game 6 in the playoffs. Frank Thomas conveyed the deep emotional impact of the weekend, saying that he would try his hardest not to choke up during his induction speech. Joe Torre, who is no stranger to big moments, talked about how he was afraid of slipping up during his speech. Greg Maddux knew he would undoubtedly be under pressure in his speech since he was lucky enough to enter the Hall with two other members of the dominant Braves squad from the '90s. Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa, usually quiet guys, were as nervous as the rest of them.

But after all the talk and anticipation, Sunday's Induction Ceremony came and went as smoothly as the baseball world hoped it would. An estimated crowd of 48,000 people -- one of the biggest crowds ever to gather for the Induction Ceremony -- poured onto the field at the Clark's Sports Center in upstate New York. Fans of all ages tossed baseballs back and forth before the ceremony started, and if that wasn't enough to put fans in the baseball spirit, John Fogerty's "Centerfield" blared over the loudspeakers.

By 1:30 p.m., the six members of the class of 2014 -- the largest incoming class in four decades -- emerged from the darkness and stepped onto the stage to join the 54 other Hall of Famers who were in attendance. The crowd of dedicated fans stood up and roared in what seemed like a massive curtain call.

Maddux, an incredibly accurate pitcher who won 355 games and four consecutive Cy Young awards in a career that spanned 23 years, was the first of the inductees to join the list of legends. The longtime Cubs and Braves star was introduced by Commissioner Bud Selig and received a respectable round of applause from the Atlanta and Chicago faithful. He carefully crafted his speech to remain impartial since he decided not to represent himself with either team on his plaque.

"I spent 12 years in Chicago, 11 in Atlanta, and both places are very special," the 48-year-old said.  "Without the experiences in both cities, I would not be standing here today."

The other inductee who entered the hall with a blank cap was Tony La Russa. Although the four-time manager of the year retired on top of the world when he won the World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011, he also managed the White Sox and Oakland Athletics.

"There's no way to mention everybody, and that bothers me," he said.

But La Russa's speech wasn't riddled with frustration. As he continued to speak, he remained as humble as ever, refusing to give himself too much credit while reflecting on his journey through the ranks.

"From managing parts of two years in the minor leagues, after thinking about all the other young managers who paid a lot of dues in the minor leagues, and I get a chance and then I go into the big leagues with three organizations," he explained. "All that equates to me is I'm very, very fortunate. I've never put my arms around the fact that being really lucky is a Hall of Fame credential."

The rest of the inductees -- Torre, Thomas, Glavine and Cox -- represented a team as they entered the hall, even as many of them enjoyed stints with multiple ball clubs. Perhaps the most noticeable representative of any team among inductees was Cox, who thanked his former players on the Braves for putting him in position to join the Hall.

"To Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, and I have to mention the third member of the big three -- John Smoltz -- I can honestly say I would not be standing here if it weren't for you guys."

By the time it was Glavine's turn to speak, the former Braves ace had already received multiple compliments from Cox and Maddux. While he also had plenty of kind words to say about his former teammates in Atlanta, he avoided turning the ceremony into an all-out Braves fest. He thanked several members of his family and also opted to congratulate the entire incoming class.

"All of you represent what is great about baseball," he said. "With your competitiveness, it is no surprise you'd be here."

Glavine will be remembered as a Brave, but he surprisingly enjoyed a five-year stint in New York with the Mets. During a press conference on Saturday, he said he initially planned to return to Atlanta but it never worked out.

"When I got to New York, I enjoyed playing there," Glavine said of his time in Flushing. "I made a lot of friends, enjoyed my teammates. I think everyone should play in New York for at least a year."

Glavine's career might not have been defined in New York, but another inductee will go down as one of the most significant stars in the city's history. Torre, now 74, focused on the sport of baseball as a whole when he stepped to the podium on Sunday afternoon.

"Baseball is a game of life. It's not perfect, but it feels like it is," he said. "That's the magic of it. We are responsible for giving it the respect it deserves. Our sport is part of the American soul, and it's ours to borrow -- just for a while."

The unusually large class of 2014 seemed to be overshadowed by the mix of pitchers and managers, but the one player who is already setting the scene for the future is Thomas. While he was the only slugger to make it in the Hall this year -- perhaps a sign of overall hesitation among writers to vote for sluggers in an era tainted by performance enhancing drugs -- he is becoming the person designated hitters will look to when finding success. Thomas is the first elected Hall of Famer to spend more than half of his career as a DH.

"I'm speechless. Thanks for having me in your club," Thomas said before mentioning his late father. "Frank Sr., I know you're watching. Without you, I know 100 percent I wouldn't be here in Cooperstown today. You always preached to me, 'You can be someone special if you really work at it.' I took that to heart, Pop."

The Hall of Fame will soon turn the page to 2015 as fans, teams, and writers begin thinking about possible inductees for next summer. While it might be years or decades before we see another class as large as the class of 2014, the inductees will forever have a place in the sport's history in Cooperstown.