Inductions of Baines, Halladay, Martinez, Mussina, Rivera and Smith Highlight Hall of Fame Weekend 2019, July 19-22

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – Two powerful hitters, two dominant starters and two lights-out relievers.

Six Hall of Fame legends, all a part of the Class of 2019 at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Hall of Fame Weekend is less than 50 days away, with new classics and old favorites throughout the event lineup as the game’s newest immortals take their bow July 19-22.

More than 50 Hall of Famers are scheduled to be in Cooperstown to honor the Class of 2019 at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, honoring Harold Baines, Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith will be held Sunday, July 21, at 1:30 p.m. ET on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center – located one mile south of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Halladay, Martinez, Mussina and Rivera were elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in January. They’ll be recognized on the Induction Stage by Today’s Game Era electees Baines and Smith.

Baines played 22 seasons for the White Sox, Rangers, Athletics, Orioles and Indians, earning six All-Star Game selections and twice winning the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award. An eight-time .300 hitter who reached the 20-homer mark in 11 seasons, Baines drove in 90-or-more runs eight times and ranks 34th on the all-time list with 1,628 RBI. Baines recorded 2,866 hits and 1,628 RBI, making him one of only 17 players in MLB history to have reached both 2,800 hits and 1,600 RBI.

Halladay, who earned votes on 85.4 percent of all BBWAA ballots cast, pitched 16 seasons for the Blue Jays and Phillies, winning Cy Young Awards in 2003 and 2010 and finishing in the Top 5 of his league’s Cy Young Award voting in five other seasons. An eight-time All-Star, Halladay led his league in complete games seven times. Halladay threw two no-hitters for the Phillies during the 2010 season, the first a perfect game against the Marlins on May 29 and then a no-hitter against the Reds in Game 1 of the NLDS.

Martinez, who received 85.4 percent of the BBWAA vote, played 18 seasons, all with the Seattle Mariners. A seven-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Martinez was a two-time American League batting champion who led the AL in on-base percentage three times. He was named the AL’s outstanding designated hitter five times, an award that is now named after him. When he retired, Martinez was one of only six players in history with a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage, .500 slugging percentage, 500 doubles and 300 home runs.

Mussina, who pitched for the Orioles and Yankees for 18 seasons, earned 76.7 percent of the BBWAA vote. A five-time All-Star, Mussina finished in the Top 6 of the AL Cy Young Award voting nine times and won at least 10 games in 17 seasons. He totaled 2,813 strikeouts, 19th-most in history at the time of his retirement, and is one of only four Live Ball Era pitchers with at least 270 wins and a .625 winning percentage. Mussina made 59.5 percent of his regular season starts in Fenway Park, Oriole Park at Camden Yards or Yankee Stadium, pitching for teams in the AL East for his entire career.

Rivera, the first unanimous BBWAA electee in history, pitched 19 seasons in the big leagues, all with the New York Yankees, retiring after the 2013 season with a record 652 saves and 952 games finished. A 13-time All-Star, Rivera helped the Yankees win five World Series titles and seven American League pennants. Rivera led the AL in saves three times and finished with 40-or-more saves nine times, a record he shares with Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman. Rivera’s career ERA of 2.21 is the lowest of any Live Ball Era pitcher with at least 1,000 innings pitched, and his career WHIP of 1.0003 ranks third all-time behind Hall of Famers Addie Joss and Ed Walsh.

Smith pitched 18 seasons for the Cubs, Red Sox, Cardinals, Yankees, Orioles, Angels, Reds and Expos and retired as MLB’s all-time saves leader, a title he held for 13 seasons. Smith’s 478 saves currently rank third all-time, as do his 802 games finished. A seven-time All-Star, Smith led his league in saves four times and reached the 30-save mark in 10 seasons. Of Smith’s 478 saves, 169 required at least four outs and 94 required two-or-more innings pitched.

The Induction Ceremony will be shown live on MLB Network, which has televised the event every year since its launch in 2009. The Induction Ceremony will also be shown via webcast at MLB.com.

The Hall of Fame Awards Presentation will be held at 4:30 p.m. on July 20 at Doubleday Field and will feature presentation of the J.G. Taylor Spink award for writers to The Athletic’s Jayson Stark and the posthumous honoring of Al Helfer with the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasters. The Awards Presentation is free and open to the public.

Also on Saturday, July 20, the Hall of Fame Parade of Legends returns for the ninth year to provide fans with more thrills. Hall of Famers will ride down Main Street in trucks provided by Ford Motor Company en route to a private reception at the Museum during the 6 p.m. parade.

The Sunday, July 21 Induction Ceremony will take place on the grounds outside of the Clark Sports Center, which is located on lower Susquehanna Avenue, unless severe weather cancels the event. Free shuttles will transport fans from the corner of Main and Fair streets in the village of Cooperstown to the Induction Site starting at 8 a.m. Follow the Hall of Fame on Twitter @baseballhall for the latest updates.

The site of the Induction Ceremony is located just one mile south of the Hall of Fame, and the short walk provides a picturesque view of the homes of Cooperstown. Please note that professional interpreters will be provided for the hearing impaired. The event will be held outdoors rain or shine, unless severe weather forces the cancellation of the Ceremony.

The Ceremony is expected to last approximately three hours. Lawn seating for the event is unlimited and free of charge. Reserved seating options are available at the Museum’s Contributor, President’s Circle and Benefactor Membership levels – call 607.547.0397 for more information. 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. The Commemorative Hall of Fame Weekend Program, ball caps, Yearbooks and Museum memberships are available for purchase at the Induction site, which features two retail locations open from 9 a.m. until the end of the Ceremony. Refreshments are sold at the site and water is provided complimentary to visitors.

Family activities scheduled throughout Hall of Fame Weekend 2019 include the following special events:

Hall of Fame Weekend Events

Friday, July 19 PLAY Ball with Ozzie Smith & Hall of Fame Guests
Plaque Gallery and On Field * Registration fee required 8 a.m.

Saturday, July 20 Hall of Fame Awards Presentation, Doubleday Field 4:30 p.m.
Hall of Fame Parade of Legends, Main Street 6 p.m.

Sunday, July 21 Induction Ceremony, Clark Sports Center 1:30 p.m.

Monday, July 22 Legends of the Game Roundtable, Clark Sports Center 10:30 a.m.
Featuring Harold Baines, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith

PLAY Ball with Ozzie Smith – with special guests: Ozzie Smith returns in a fundraiser to support the Hall of Fame’s educational mission with a unique opportunity for fans, featuring three additional Hall of Famers to be announced. This two-hour event features non-stop interaction at each station with a living legend and includes special mementos. Space is limited. The donation is $1,000 per person, with Hall of Fame Members admitted for $750. To reserve your spot, please call 607-547-0385. 8 a.m., Friday.

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. 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 living members of the Class of 2019, Harold Baines, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith, participate in the Legends of the Game Roundtable event on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown. Free shuttles will transport fans from the corner of Main and Fair streets in the village of Cooperstown to the Induction Site starting at 8 a.m. This event is for Members only and costs $10 for adults and $5 for juniors (under 12 years old). Tickets are available to members starting June 10 by calling 607.547.0397. Clark Sports Center, 10:30 a.m., Monday.

Museum Members are afforded special opportunities throughout the Weekend. As a nonprofit institution, membership support advances the Museum’s commitment to preserve the National Pastime 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 Hall of Fame year-round. To learn more about the program and its many benefits, please visit. www.baseballhall.org/join.

Additional Hall of Fame Weekend Privileges for Members
• 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 Contributor, President’s Circle and Benefactor Members
• VIP reserved seating for the Awards Presentation for Contributor, President’s Circle and Benefactor Members
• A complimentary copy of the Commemorative Hall of Fame Weekend Program
• Priority access to the Legends of the Game Roundtable program on 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. (Plaque Gallery closes at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday); 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 888-425-5633 or by visiting www.baseballhall.org/planyourvisit. 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 or at the Museum.

Parking will be extremely limited in Cooperstown during Hall of Fame Weekend. As is the case throughout the summer, the village will make parking and trolley service available at three trolley lots in Cooperstown. The Cooperstown Trolley will provide transit to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Doubleday Field from three different locations: the Red Lot on Route 28 (Glen Avenue) at Maple Street; the Blue Lot on Route 28 just south of Cooperstown; and the Yellow Lot on Route 80 at the upper parking lot of the Fenimore Art Museum. All-day passes are available for $2 per adult and free for children 5 and under. The Trolley will operate throughout Hall of Fame Weekend daily from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Follow the trolley’s stops at www.followthetrolley.com.

Three special paid parking lots will be available only on Sunday, July 21. These lots are located adjacent to the Blue Trolley Lot (paid lot is Cy Young Lot), on Route 33 just east of the Induction Site (paid lot is the Hank Aaron Lot) and on Route 33 south of the Induction Site (paid lot is the Babe Ruth Lot, which also includes shuttle service to the Induction Site).

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 Hall of Fame 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.

If you need help with accommodations during your stay, please visit www.thisiscooperstown.com/lodging. 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/visit.