Kids get tips, players get memories at Classic Clinic
Doubleday Field has played host to some of the sport’s greatest players over the decades, including Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle and Ken Griffey Jr.
Thanks to some big league instruction, baseball’s next generation took the field at the historic ballpark in hopes that someday they, too, could make the grade.
The day before the 13th edition of the Hall of Fame Classic legends game, approximately 200 youngsters, aged 7-12, participated in the first Cooperstown Classic Clinic held since 2019 on a sunbaked afternoon. The two-hour event gave youth participants a chance to receive hands-on tips and advice from several former major leaguers.
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The kids would move from station to station throughout the session, receiving instruction on pitching, catching, outfield play, hitting, bunting, throwing and baserunning. There was even a station devoted to bubblegum blowing.
Instruction on this day was provided by six recently retired major leaguers, including pitcher Matt Thornton, infielders James Loney, Pokey Reese and Brendan Ryan and outfielders Terrence Long and Rajai Davis.
“I’ve never been to Cooperstown, but I’m really excited. I’m really looking forward to doing it. I came with my nine-year-old son Monroe, and he’s really excited too,” said Thornton, who appeared in 748 games as a reliever from 2004-16. “I can’t wait. I’m really excited to go in there (the Hall of Fame) and go wander around and look at things I was a part of.
“It’s a full day of travel from Phoenix, but definitely going to be worth it. We got in yesterday and wandered around town today – card shops, coffee shops and ice cream everywhere.”
Thornton, 46, a 6-foot-6 southpaw, is ready to take the mound again at the Classic.
“I was trying to joke with these guys – all the hitters are in the bus with me – and I’m like, ‘No swinging hard. I’m dialed in for nine-year-old like velocity right now,’” he said. “So I just don’t want to hurt myself. I feel pretty good, so it’ll be fun.”
Loney, who spent the majority of his 11 seasons in the big leagues as a Dodgers first baseman, will be looking to see a No. 42 Jackie Robinson jersey from 2008 he donated to the Hall of Fame during his first trip to Cooperstown.
“I’m looking forward to the weekend and looking forward to the Home Run Derby (held prior to the legends game). It will be my first home run derby ever,” said Loney, 39. “I was always trying to be my best, whatever that meant. I don’t know if I ever looked at it as necessarily the Hall of Fame, but I just always was like, ‘What can I do to make myself the best player out there?’ I don’t think I necessarily had one thing that always stood out, but I always definitely tried to be well-rounded.
“I remember when they asked me for the No. 42 jersey after the game. You don’t think about it too much then, but now when you look back, it’s pretty cool to have that here.”
Remaining in the game doing pregame and postgame spots for the Dodgers on TV, Loney’s hope is that the kids come away from the skills clinic having had fun.
“And maybe they’re coming out of this learning something that they didn’t know about baseball, like footwork around the base or getting in position to throw or hitting,” Loney said. “Just something that they can take away that they didn’t have before they got here.”
Long, 47, who spent half of his eight-year career in the Oakland outfield, has played in multiple Hall of Fame Classics, even donating the bat he used in the 2016 game.
“It’s exciting to know you’re coming back to Cooperstown,” Long said. “If you’re if you’re a baseball fan, there’s nothing like it. And it’s a good experience for me to catch up with some of the guys that I played against. Just enjoy the weekend.
“Just to be a part of the baseball fraternity is good enough for me. This is a blessing. It’s just an unbelievable feeling.”
Davis, 42, ended his 14-year big league career with eight different clubs in 2019. Since 2021, he’s been working in the baseball operations department of Major League Baseball.
“I work as a liaison for the teams, constantly at the field, talking to players and coaches, managers, GMs. Just to be that bridge for the commissioner’ office and relay concerns, issues or ideas to help make the game grow and make it better,” Davis said. “As for this year’s new rule changes, I think Major League Baseball is happy, I think the fans are happy with the 28 minutes off the clock, and the more action on the field.”
For Davis, the trip to Cooperstown also included his wife and young son and daughter.
“My son is seven-year-old switch-hitting ballplayer who loves the game,” Davis said. “I don’t know if my son remembers my playing in the big leagues but he does remember that one time when I hit that home run off Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. I showed him enough times.”
Bill Francis is the senior research and writing specialist at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
