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Hall of Fame Weekend 2015 to Feature Inductions of Biggio, Johnson, Martinez and Smoltz, July 24-27 in Cooperstown
Induction Ceremony, Awards Presentation Highlight Family Friendly Events During Celebration of the Game’s Elite
(COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.) – The four newest members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame will take their permanent place in Cooperstown on Sunday, July 26, highlighting four days of celebratory events and programs for baseball fans of all ages, as part of Hall of Fame Weekend 2015, July 24-27.
The Induction Ceremony will feature four electees – all from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and the most in any BBWAA Hall of Fame election in 60 years. Craig Biggio, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz will be formally inducted and deliver speeches beginning at 1:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 26 at the Clark Sports Center. The 2015 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony shown live exclusively on MLB Network.
Hall of Fame Weekend 2015 will also feature the Saturday, July 25 Awards Presentation, when Ford C. Frick Award winner Dick Enberg and J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner Tom Gage will each be honored. The Weekend will include family programming for baseball fans of all ages, including the July 25 Parade of Legends and a July 27 Legends of the Game Roundtable discussion event with the four inductees.
More than 50 Hall of Famers are expected to return for Hall of Fame Weekend, with the full list of returnees to be announced in early July, to honor the Class of 2015 at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Museum Members are afforded special opportunities throughout the Weekend. As a not-for-profit educational institution, membership support advances the Museum's programs and aids in the preservation of artifacts and archival materials that document the rich history of America's game. Additionally, membership packages are wonderful and unique gifts for friends and family. Members enjoy many privileges, including free admission to the Museum year-round. To learn more about the program and its many benefits, please visit www.baseballhall.org/join.
Additional Hall of Fame Weekend Privileges:
• Free admission to the Museum throughout the year
• A special members-only entrance to the Hall of Fame to avoid long lines
• Exclusive early access to the Museum on Saturday, Sunday and Monday
• VIP reserved seating for the Induction for Benefactor and President's Circle Members
• VIP reserved seating for the Awards Presentation for Benefactor and President's Circle Members
• Exclusive access to the Legends of the Game Roundtable program on Monday
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has teamed up with Sports Travel and Tours to offer baseball fans a one-stop opportunity to purchase Induction Weekend travel packages. For more information or to plan a trip to Cooperstown, please call 1-888-310-HALL (4255). Membership participants receive a 5% discount on all their baseball travel packages.
The Sunday, July 26 Induction Ceremony will take place on the grounds outside of the Clark Sports Center, which is located on lower Susquehanna Avenue, just one mile south of the Hall of Fame. The Ceremony is held rain or shine, unless severe weather forces the cancellation of the event. Professional interpreters will be provided for the hearing impaired. The Induction Ceremony historically lasts two-to-three hours. Lawn seating for the event is unlimited and free of charge. A blanket or lawn chair is recommended for comfortable viewing. As the weather in Cooperstown can be warm in July, it is recommended that visitors bring a cap and sunscreen. Merchandise and Museum membership packages are available for purchase at the Induction site. Refreshments are sold at the site and water is provided complimentary to visitors. For information on reserved seating options granted to Museum members, please call 607-547-0397.
The Hall of Fame Awards Presentation will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 25 at Doubleday Field and will feature the presentation of the Ford C. Frick Award for baseball broadcasting excellence to Dick Enberg and the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing to Tom Gage. The Awards Presentation will be immediately followed by the Parade of Legends, as Hall of Fame members ride down Main Street in trucks provided by Ford Motor Company at 6 p.m., concluding with a red carpet arrival on the Museum steps as Hall of Fame members make their way to the Museum for a private reception.
The Class of 2015 features pitchers who combined for nine Cy Young Awards and who are each members of the 3,000-strikeout club as well as a member of the 3,000-hit fraternity.
Biggio played his entire 20-year big league career with the Astros and was named on 82.7 percent of ballots cast in his third appearance on the BBWAA ballot. A seven-time All-Star Game selection and four-time Gold Glove Award winner at second base, Biggio is the only player in big league history to compile at least 3,000 hits, 600 doubles, 400 stolen bases and 250 home runs. He scored more than 1,800 runs and won five Silver Slugger Awards: Four at second base and one as a catcher. He was a starter at catcher, second base and center field for the Astros and helped lead the team to the franchise’s first World Series berth in 2005.
Johnson was named on 97.3 percent of all ballots cast in his first appearance on the ballot after a 22-year big league career with the Expos, Mariners, Astros, Diamondbacks, Yankees and Giants that saw him win 303 games and strike out 4,875 batters, second-most all-time and first among left-handers. Johnson won four straight National League Cy Young Awards with the Diamondbacks from 1999-2002 following his 1995 American League Cy Young Award-season with the Mariners. A 10-time All-Star and four-time earned-run average champion, Johnson helped Arizona win the 2001 World Series when he went 3-0 in the Fall Classic against the Yankees, sharing World Series MVP honors with teammate Curt Schilling. His strikeout-per-nine-innings rate of 10.6 is the top figure in baseball history.
Martinez, who was named on 91.1 percent of all ballots cast in his first appearance on the ballot, won the National League Cy Young Award with the Expos in 1997 and followed that with back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards with the Red Sox in 1999-2000. A five-time ERA champion and eight-time All-Star, Martinez won 219 of his 319 big league decisions for a winning percentage of .687, second to only Hall of Fame teammate Whitey Ford among modern-era starters with at least 200 wins. The owner of a career ERA of 2.93, Martinez helped the Red Sox end an 86-year drought in 2004, winning Game 3 of the World Series that Boston went on to sweep.
Smoltz appeared on 82.9 percent of all ballots cast in his first appearance on the ballot following a career that featured 213 wins and 154 saves – making him the only pitcher in baseball history in the 200 win/150 save club. The 1996 National League Cy Young Award winner was an eight-time All-Star whose career with the Braves stretched the entire way from 1991-2004 when Atlanta finished every season in playoff position. In 41 postseason games (27 starts) over 25 series, Smoltz posted a record of 15-4 with four saves and a 2.67 earned run average, striking out 199 batters in 209 innings.
There are now 310 Hall of Fame members, 70 of whom are living.
2015 Award winners Dick Enberg and Tom Gage will receive their recognition and deliver brief speeches during the Awards Presentation on Saturday, July 25 at 4:30 p.m. at Doubleday Field.
Enberg, who called games for the Angels in the 1960s, 70s and 80s before taking over the Padres’ television duties in 2010, will be presented with the Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting. Enberg covered the 1982 World Series for NBC Sports in addition to numerous other duties for the network during a 25-year stint at NBC before moving on to CBS Sports in a similar role in 2000.
Gage, the longtime Tigers beat writer for The Detroit News, will be presented with the 2015 J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing, presented by the BBWAA.
Throughout the Weekend, the Hall of Fame will host a series of educational programs and fan-friendly experiences designed to connect generations of all ages in activities and events featuring baseball luminaries in the timeless and pastoral village of Cooperstown. Additional programming will be announced soon. Full details of new events and schedule changes will be announced at the Hall of Fame’s website www.baseballhall.org.
Planned activities for Hall of Fame Weekend 2015 include:
Hall of Fame Weekend Events
Friday, July 24
PLAY Ball with Ozzie Smith & special guests (Hall of Famers TBA)
Plaque Gallery and On Field
8-11 a.m.
Saturday, July 25
Hall of Fame Awards Presentation
Doubleday Field
4:30 p.m.
Hall of Fame Parade of Legends
Main Street
6 p.m.
Sunday, July 26
Induction Ceremony
Clark Sports Center
1:30 p.m.
Monday, July 27
Legends of the Game Roundtable: Featuring Craig Biggio, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz
Clark Sports Center
10:30 a.m.
PLAY Ball with Ozzie Smith: Join a dream team that could only come together in Cooperstown, with Ozzie Smith and Hall of Famer guests hosting a morning experience in a fundraiser for the Hall of Fame’s educational programs. For the 14th year, PLAY Ball returns as Players, Legends and You with an interactive meet and greet, starting at 8 a.m. on Friday, July 24th during Hall of Fame Weekend 2015.
PLAY Ball features over two hours of non-stop interaction, including personalized instruction and the chance to turn double plays. Each participant receives time on the field with these baseball legends, as well as personalized photo and special mementos of the occasion. Prior to the on-field activity, participants and Hall of Famers will share a special breakfast in the Hall of Fame’s Plaque Gallery.
This event is open to fans of all ages. Space is limited and the event will be open for registration this spring. Interested participants can register by calling the Membership department at 607-547-0397. Additional Hall of Famers will be announced soon.
Hall of Fame Parade of Legends: Join the pageantry and excitement as the Hall of Famers ride in trucks provided by Ford Motor Company down Main Street on their way to a private reception at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Staging for the Parade takes place at Doubleday Field and fans are encouraged to attend the Awards Presentation prior to making their way to the Parade. Main Street, 6 p.m., Saturday.
Legends of the Game Roundtable: The Hall of Fame’s newest members will participate in a Legends of the Game Roundtable event. This event is for Museum Members only and tickets will be available starting Monday, June 8 by visiting the Membership desk in the Museum or by calling 607-547-0397. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12. Clark Sports Center, 10:30 a.m., Monday.
The Museum maintains the following Hall of Fame Weekend hours: Friday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday: 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Monday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Advance tickets are not necessary but are available by contacting the Hall of Fame at 607-547-0397. For Hall of Fame Members, doors open at 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and at 8 a.m. on Monday. As always, Hall of Fame Members receive free admission. A special Members’ only entrance eliminates the need to wait in line. Interested parties may enroll in the membership program in advance at www.baseballhall.org, by calling 607-547-0397 or at the Museum.
Accommodation information is available through the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce at 607-547-9983, or by visiting the Chamber website at www.cooperstownchamber.org. The Chamber of Commerce site provides detailed information about what to see, where to stay, places to eat and where to shop in Cooperstown and nearby towns. For driving directions from major cities, area cities and local airports, visit the directions page at the Hall of Fame’s website for more information: www.baseballhall.org.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is open seven days a week year round, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. From Labor Day until Memorial Day Weekend, the Museum observes daily regular hours of 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The Museum observes summer hours of 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. from Memorial Day Weekend until the day before Labor Day. Ticket prices are $23 for adults (13 and over), $15 for seniors (65 and over) and $12 for juniors (ages 7-12) and for those holding current memberships in the VFW, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion and AMVets organizations. Members are always admitted free of charge and there is no charge for children 6 years of age or younger. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. For more information, visit our website at baseballhall.org or call 888-HALL-OF-FAME (888-425-5633) or 607-547-7200.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an independent not-for-profit educational institution, dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of baseball and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to our National Pastime. Opening its doors for the first time on June 12, 1939, the Hall of Fame has stood as the definitive repository of the game’s treasures and as a symbol of the most profound individual honor bestowed on an athlete. It is every fan’s "Field of Dreams," with its stories, legends and magic shared from generation to generation.
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