All-Stars Abound Memorial Day Weekend at Baseball Hall of Fame Classic

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – It’s an all-star game in Cooperstown, with more than 60 combined berths in the Mid-Summer Classic among the former big leaguers at Saturday’s Hall of Fame Classic.

And if the former All-Stars need a little help, they can call on six Hall of Famers – all of whom know their way around Cooperstown.

The ninth annual Hall of Fame Classic, presented by Ford Motor Company, brings legends to life and celebrates the National Pastime. Hall of Famers Phil Niekro and Ozzie Smith will put their managerial prowess on display with a deep roster on both sides, and The Knucksies and The Wizards will have coaching support from Hall of Famers Wade Boggs, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage and Juan Marichal.

The lineups for Saturday’s Classic will feature:

Knucksies (Home Team – 3B Dugout)

Phil Niekro - Manager
Wade Boggs, Rollie Fingers - Coaches

1. SULLIVAN, Cory CF
2. ROSS, Cody RF
3. BUCK, John C
4. GOMES, Jonny LF
5. FELIZ, Pedro 3B
6. SAX, Steve 2B
7. BLOOMQUIST, Willie SS
8. JOYNER, Wally 1B
9. REDDING, Tim RHP

Reserves:
BELL, Heath RHP
DiNARDO, Lenny LHP
ROWLAND-SMITH, Ryan LHP
SAMPSON, Chris RHP
SONNANSTINE, Andy RHP

Wizards (Visiting Team – 1B Dugout)

Ozzie Smith - Manager
Goose Gossage, Juan Marichal - Coaches

1. PIERRE, Juan LF
2. WILSON, Jack SS
3. CUDDYER, Michael 3B
4. MONROE, Craig 1B
5. ROWAND, Aaron CF
6. ZEILE, Todd C
7. ROBINSON, Kerry RF
8. SOJO, Luis 2B
9. HARANG, Aaron RHP

Reserves:
ADAMS, Mike RHP
MARSHALL, Sean LHP
JACKSON, Michael RHP
PARRISH, John LHP
WOODARD, Steve RHP

With the popular Night at the Museum program on Classic Weekend already sold out, the only way to see the legends of the game in Cooperstown is at the Hall of Fame Classic. Tickets are on sale at the Hall of Fame and will be available at 8 a.m. on game day at the Will Call tent in the Doubleday Field Parking Lot. Tickets for the Hall of Fame Classic are $12.50 for first and third base seats and $11 for general admission outfield seats.

The Classic, fueled by assistance from MLB, also features the pre-game Home Run Contest. First pitch of the Classic is slated for 1:05 p.m.

Four soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y. – Joshua Bone, Jesse Branson, Matthew Carnes and Nathan Curran will also participate in the Classic. The 10th Mountain Division Band and Color Guard will also be featured.

As part of Classic Weekend, fans can celebrate America’s favorite animated family – THE SIMPSONS – prior to the annual legends game at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown. Events will include the “induction” of Homer Simpson into the Hall of Fame, and the first 4,500 fans in attendance at the Classic that afternoon will receive a rally towel featuring original artwork of Homer Simpson wearing a Hall of Fame baseball uniform.

Hall of Famers Wade Boggs and Ozzie Smith – along with five-time All-Star Steve Sax – who were all portrayed in the unforgettable “Homer at the Bat” episode that featured Homer Simpson winning the championship softball game for the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant with a walk-off hit-by-pitch, will join in a roundtable discussion beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday outside the Library entrance to the Hall of Fame in Cooper Park. The discussion, which is free and open to the public, will feature the episode’s executive producer Al Jean, along with producer Mike Reiss, director Jim Reardon, executive story editor Jeff Martin and casting director Bonnie Pietila.

The episode will be shown in its entirety on an outdoor screen at 9 a.m. prior to the roundtable discussion. The roundtable discussion will conclude with Homer’s “induction” to the Hall of Fame, which will include his on-screen acceptance speech.

Also on Saturday morning, the Hall of Fame, along with Cooperstown’s Clark Sports Center, will present the annual BASE Race charity runs – a 5k fun run at 9:15 a.m. and a competitive 10k event at 9 a.m. – on Saturday, May 27 – starting and ending at historic Doubleday Field. The race events benefit the Museum’s “Be A Superior Example” program promoting healthy lifestyle choices for individuals of all ages.

Race-day registration for the 2017 BASE Race is $30 for individuals, with family registration for $65. Each registered runner will receive a race medal (for the first 300 runners to register), a goodie bag, a custom Hall of Fame bib and a free general admission ticket to the Hall of Fame Classic.

Registered runners can pick up their race packets on Friday, May 26 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Doubleday Field Parking Lot and from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 27 at Doubleday Field.

For more information on Hall of Fame Classic Weekend, please visit www.baseballhall.org/hofclassic.