1996 Hall of Fame Game

In the 50th renewal of the Hall of Fame Game at Doubleday Field, the Montreal Expos and the California Angels played to a 6-6 tie on Aug. 5, 1996.

It was the first time a Hall of Fame Game had ended in a tie since 1988.

The teams combined for 10 home runs in the contest, setting a new Hall of Fame Game record.

Scoring began in the top of the second when Henry Rodríguez and Sherman Obando hit back-to-back home runs to give the Expos a 2-0 lead.

The Angels responded in the bottom of the inning when George Arias hit a two-run home run to score J.T. Snow and to tie the game.

Randy Velarde followed with a solo shot to give the Angels their first lead of the game.

Each team added a run – California in the bottom of the sixth and Montreal in the top of the seventh – before the Expos took a 5-4 lead by scoring two runs in the top of the eighth.

The Angels rallied back, however, when center fielder Rex Hudler hit a triple to begin the bottom of the eighth and later scored when California’s bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer – pinch-hitting for Don Slaught – lofted a two-run home run over the right field fence.

Expos’ catcher Tim Spehr hit a leadoff home run in the top of the ninth to tie the game.

Ten different players hit home runs, and Ryan McGuire recorded Montreal’s only multi-hit game.

Hudler totaled two hits for the Angels.

Of the six pitchers in the game, only Montreal starter Jeff Juden escaped without allowing a run, pitching just the first inning and walking two batters.

The game marked the fifth tie in Hall of Fame Game history, with the American League holding an overall 27-18 lead in the series.

Ties had previously occurred in 1959, 1978, 1982 and 1988.

Only the 1988 tie between the Cubs and the Indians had gone the full nine innings.