Hall of Fame Game History
In 1939, as part of the celebration and dedication of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, current and former major league players representing the 16 clubs played a ballgame at Doubleday Field, captained by Honus Wagner and Eddie Collins.
The next year, major league team owners agreed to send two teams each summer to Cooperstown to play a benefit game. It was the beginning of an annual tradition that stretched out through the decades. Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and many other greats came to Cooperstown to play in the game and honor those being inducted into the Hall.
In 2003, the Game was moved to an earlier date on the calendar. Unlike its predecessors, the Game was henceforth played on a weekend unrelated to the induction ceremony.
In 2009, the Game was replaced with the Hall of Fame Classic, featuring former major league players.
Doubleday Field, in the center of Cooperstown and owned by the village, has always hosted the game.
1940-1949
1940 Hall of Fame Game
The inaugural Hall of Fame Game was played by the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs on June 13, 1940.
1941 Hall of Fame Game
The Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds squared off in the second Hall of Fame Game on June 13, 1941.
1942 Hall of Fame Game
The St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Athletics meet at Doubleday Field to play in the third Hall of Fame Game.
1943 Hall of Fame Game
The fourth Hall of Fame Game was played in 1943 by the Chicago White Sox and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
1946 Hall of Fame Game
The 1946 Hall of Fame Game featured the New York Giants and the Detroit Tigers.
1947 Hall of Fame Game
The 1947 Hall of Fame Game featured the Boston Braves and New York Yankees.
1948 Hall of Fame Game
The St. Louis Browns topped the Philadelphia Phillies 7-5 in the 1948 Hall of Fame Game.
1949 Hall of Fame Game
The 1949 Hall of Fame Game featured the Washington Senators and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
1950-1959
1950 Hall of Fame Game
The Red Sox topped the New York Giants 8-5 at the 1950 Hall of Fame Game.
1951 Hall of Fame Game
The 10th Hall of Fame Game featured the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Athletics.
1952 Hall of Fame Game
The Cleveland Indians defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-2 in the Hall of Fame Game of 1952.
1953 Hall of Fame Game
The Cincinnati Reds set a Hall of Fame Game record for most runs scored in a game during the 12th Hall of Fame Game.
1954 Hall of Fame Game
The New York Yankees defeated the Cincinnati Reds 10-9 at the 1954 Hall of Fame Game.
1955 Hall of Fame Game
The Boston Red Sox beat the Milwaukee Braves 4-2 thanks to a Ted Williams two-run home run.
1956 Hall of Fame Game
In the longest Hall of Fame game to date, the New York Giants defeated the Detroit Tigers with a Dusty Rhodes two-run homer in the 12th inning.
1957 Hall of Fame Game
The Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals met at Doubleday Field in the 1957 Hall of Fame Game.
1958 Hall of Fame Game
In one of the quickest Hall of Fame Games on record, the Washington Senators topped the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 in less than two hours.
1959 Hall of Fame Game
The 1959 Hall of Fame Game ended in a tie between the Kansas City Athletics and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
1960-1969
1960 Hall of Fame Game
The Chicago Cubs recorded the first-ever shutout in Hall of Fame Game history, topping the Cleveland Indians 5-0 on June 27, 1960.
1961 Hall of Fame Game
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the 1961 Hall of Fame Game.
1963 Hall of Fame Game
The 21st Hall of Fame Game featured the Boston Red Sox and the Milwaukee Braves.
1964 Hall of Fame Game
The expansion Washington Senators and New York Mets made their first Hall of Fame Game appearances in 1964.
1965 Hall of Fame Game
The Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 to win the 1965 Hall of Fame Game.
1966 Hall of Fame Game
The St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins met at Doubleday Field on July 25, 1966 in the Hall of Fame Game.
1967 Hall of Fame Game
The Baltimore Orioles defeated the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 in the 1967 Hall of Fame Game.
1968 Hall of Fame Game
The Detroit Tigers defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-1 in the 1968 Hall of Fame Game.
1969 Hall of Fame Game
The Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros played in a rain-shortened Hall of Fame Game on July 28, 1969.
1970-1979
1970 Hall of Fame Game
The Montreal Expos outhit the Chicago White Sox to win the 1970 Hall of Fame Game 10-6.
1971 Hall of Fame Game
The Cleveland Indians defeated the Chicago Cubs 13-5 in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 9, 1971.
1972 Hall of Fame Game
The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers squared off at Doubleday Field in the 30th Hall of Fame Game.
1973 Hall of Fame Game
The Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates met in the 31st Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6, 1973.
1974 Hall of Fame Game
The 1974 Hall of Fame Game featured the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago White Sox.
1975 Hall of Fame Game
The Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants met in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 18, 1975.
1976 Hall of Fame Game
The 34th Hall of Fame Game featured the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers on Aug. 9, 1976.
1977 Hall of Fame Game
The Phillies and Twins met in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 8, 1977.
1979 Hall of Fame Game
The Texas Rangers defeated San Diego Padres in the 1979 Hall of Fame Game.
1980-1989
1980 Hall of Fame Game
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Chicago White Sox 11-8 at the 1980 Hall of Fame Game.
1981 Hall of Fame Game
The 1981 MLB strike led to the first ever New York-Penn League Hall of Fame Game.
1982 Hall of Fame Game
The Mets and White Sox met in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 2, 1982.
1983 Hall of Fame Game
The Cardinals and the Orioles met in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 1, 1983.
1984 Hall of Fame Game
The Detroit Tigers defeated the Atlanta Braves 7-5 in the 1984 Hall of Fame Game.
1985 Hall of Fame Game
The 42nd Hall of Fame Game featured the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox.
1986 Hall of Fame Game
The 1986 Hall Fame Game marked the first time two teams from the same league played against each other.
1987 Hall of Fame Game
The Yankees and Braves met in the Hall of Fame Game on July 27, 1987.
1988 Hall of Fame Game
The 1988 Hall of Fame Game featured the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians.
1989 Hall of Fame Game
Plane trouble turned the 1989 Hall of Fame game into a Red Sox intrasquad matchup.
1990-1999
1990 Hall of Fame Game
The scheduled Hall of Fame Game between the Orioles and the Expos on Aug. 6, 1990, was canceled due to rain.
1991 Hall of Fame Game
The Giants and Twins met in Cooperstown on July 22, 1991, in the Hall of Fame Game.
1992 Hall of Fame Game
The Mets defeated the White Sox at the 1992 Hall of Fame Game.
1993 Hall of Fame Game
The 1993 Hall of Fame Game between the Indians and Dodgers was canceled due to rain.
1994 Hall of Fame Game
The Mariners defeated the Phillies 4-3 in the 1994 Hall of Fame Game.
1995 Hall of Fame Game
The Cubs and Tigers met at Doubleday Field in the 49th Hall of Fame Game.
1996 Hall of Fame Game
The Montreal Expos and California Angels squared off in the 50th Hall of Fame Game.
1997 Hall of Fame Game
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres on Aug. 4, 1997, in the Hall of Fame Game.
1998 Hall of Fame Game
The Orioles defeated the Blue Jays at the Hall of Fame Game on July 27, 1998.
1999 Hall of Fame Game
The Rangers defeated the Royals on July 26, 1999, at the Hall of Fame Game.
2000-2008
2000 Hall of Fame Game
The Diamondbacks defeated the Indians 12-7 in the 2000 Hall of Fame Game.
2001 Hall of Fame Game
The Brewers defeated the Marlins 6-2 at the 2001 Hall of Fame Game.
2002 Hall of Fame Game
The Colorado Rockies met the Chicago White Sox in the 2002 Hall of Fame Game.
2003 Hall of Fame Game
The Phillies defeated the Devil Rays in the Hall of Fame Game on June 16, 2003.
2004 Hall of Fame Game
The Braves and Twins met at Doubleday Field to in the 58th Hall of Fame Game.
2005 Hall of Fame Game
A two-run home run by Derek Nicholson gave the Tigers a walk-off victory against the Red Sox on May 23, 2005.
2006 Hall of Fame Game
Rain halted the 60th Hall of Fame Game after two-and-a-half innings.
2007 Hall of Fame Game
The Orioles defeated the Blue Jays in what turned out to be the final Hall of Fame Game ever played.
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