Inductions of Dick Allen, Dave Parker, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki and Billy Wagner Highlight Hall of Fame Weekend 2025, July 25-28

(COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.) – Their baseball journeys spanned generations and crossed continents. Now, with a final stop in Cooperstown, those legacies will be cast in bronze as the Class of 2025 is formally inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Dick Allen, Dave Parker, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki and Billy Wagner will be enshrined as the eyes of the sports world turn to Cooperstown for baseball’s best weekend. More than 50 Hall of Famers are expected to return to honor the newest members of the game’s most exclusive fraternity.

The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held Sunday, July 27, 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.

Allen and Parker were elected by the Classic Baseball Era Committee in December, and a month later Ichiro, Sabathia and Wagner earned election via the annual Baseball Writers’ Association of America vote.

Allen played 15 big league seasons with the Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers, White Sox and Athletics, earning seven All-Star Game selections while annually ranking among the top power hitters of his era. A landslide winner of the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year Award, Allen would reach the 20-home run mark for the first of 10 times that season, including nine in a row. Allen led the American League in home runs (37), RBI (113), walks (99), on-base percentage (.420) and slugging percentage (.603) in 1972 en route to league MVP honors with the White Sox. He led his league in slugging percentage three times, extra base hits three times, on-base percentage twice and home runs twice. Allen passed away on Dec. 7, 2020.

Parker played 19 seasons with the Pirates, Reds, Athletics, Brewers, Angels and Blue Jays and retired as one of only five players with at least 500 doubles, 300 home runs, 150 steals and 2,700 hits. A seven-time All-Star, Parker won back-to-back National League batting titles in 1977-1978, also earning league MVP honors in the latter year. A three-time Gold Gove Award winner in right field (1977-79), Parker won the 1979 All-Star Game MVP Award after throwing out two runners on the bases in that game at the Kingdome in Seattle. He amassed six seasons with at least 300 total bases, nine seasons with at least 20 home runs and earned three Silver Slugger Awards. Parker passed away on June 28, 2025.

Sabathia pitched 19 seasons for the Indians, Brewers and Yankees, retiring as one of five pitchers in history with at least 250 wins, a .600 winning percentage and 3,000 strikeouts. He finished second in the 2001 AL Rookie of the Year balloting after going 17-5 for Cleveland. In 2007, Sabathia earned the AL Cy Young Award after going 19-7 with an AL-best 241 innings pitched. He was traded to the Brewers during the 2008 season and went 11-2 with seven complete games and a 1.65 ERA in 17 starts, finishing fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting and sixth in the NL MVP race. Sabathia joined the Yankees in 2009 and won an AL-high 19 games. He amassed 3,093 strikeouts, 18^th on the all-time strikeout list, and is one of just four left-handers with at least 3,000 strikeouts.

Ichiro played 19 seasons for the Mariners, Yankees and Marlins following a nine-season career in the Japan Pacific League with the Orix BlueWave. He made his major league debut in 2001 with Seattle and became the second player in history to win the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Awards in the same season. Ichiro won the first of 10 Gold Glove Awards for his outfield play as a rookie and was also named to the first of 10 All-Star Games that year, including nine starts for the American League. He led MLB in hits seven times, including a single-season record of 262 in 2004. Ichiro topped the 200-hit mark 10 times, becoming the only player in MLB history with at least 10 straight 200-hit seasons. Ichiro totaled 4,367 hits over 28 seasons in NPB and MLB.

Wagner pitched 16 seasons for the Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox and Braves and totaled 422 saves, the second-best mark by a left-hander in MLB history. He was a natural right-hander who transitioned into a lefty after a childhood accident. Wagner’s career walks-plus-hits-per-innings-pitched ratio (WHIP) of 0.998 is lowest among all retired relievers with at least 700 innings pitched. He owns a career 2.31 ERA which is lowest among retired left-handed pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched in the Live Ball Era. Wagner was a seven-time All-Star who recorded 12 seasons with 20-plus saves, nine seasons with 30-or-more and two with 40-or more. He led the NL in games finished twice and finished among his league’s top five in saves four times.

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 3 p.m. on July 26. It will feature the presentation of the BBWAA Career Excellence Award to Thomas Boswell and the Ford C. Frick Award to Guardians voice Tom Hamilton.

Also on Saturday, July 26 at 6 p.m., the Hall of Fame Parade of Legends returns to provide fans with more thrills. Hall of Famers will ride down Main Street en route to a private reception at the Museum.

The Sunday, July 27 Induction Ceremony will take place on the grounds outside of the Clark Sports Center, which is located on lower Susquehanna Avenue. 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 social media @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 two-and-a-half hours. Lawn seating is 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, Museum memberships and official Class of 2025 merchandise are available for purchase at the Retail and Membership Tent located at the Induction site, open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Refreshments are sold at the site and water is provided complimentary to visitors.

Family activities scheduled throughout Hall of Fame Weekend 2025 include the following special events:

Friday, July 25

Turn Two with Ozzie Smith & Hall of Fame Guests Joe Mauer and Jim Thome; Plaque Gallery and On Field at Doubleday Field—8 a.m. (Registration fee required)

Saturday, July 26

Hall of Fame Awards Presentation, Alice Busch Opera Theater—3 p.m. (Ticket required)
Hall of Fame Parade of Legends, Main Street—6 p.m.

Sunday, July 27

Induction Ceremony, grounds of the Clark Sports Center—1:30 p.m.
Fireworks over Otsego Lake—9 p.m.

Monday, July 28

The Road to Cooperstown Live Taping Featuring CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki and Billy Wagner, Doubleday Field—10:30 a.m. (Ticket required)

Turn Two 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 Ozzie’s Hall of Fame teammates Joe Mauer and Jim Thome and additional special guests. This 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. 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 down Main Street on their way to a private reception at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Main Street, 6 p.m., Saturday.

Fireworks: On Sunday evening, fireworks will light up the night sky over Otsego Lake. The fireworks will originate from Fairy Springs Park, one mile north of the Village of Cooperstown. 9 p.m., Sunday.

The Road to Cooperstown Live: Class of 2025 members CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki and Billy Wagner will share memories of their careers and reminisce about Induction Weekend with MLB Network’s Jon Morosi during a live taping of The Road to Cooperstown podcast at 10:30 a.m. at historic Doubleday Field. This roundtable event is for Members only and tickets are $10 apiece. Tickets are available to members online or by calling 607-547-0397. Doubleday Field, 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 baseballhall.org/join.

Additional Hall of Fame Weekend Privileges for Members       

• Free admission to the Museum throughout the year
• Exclusive early access to the Museum on Saturday and Sunday
• VIP reserved seating for the Induction Ceremony for Contributor, President’s Circle and Benefactor Members
• A complimentary copy of the Commemorative Hall of Fame Weekend Program 
• Priority access to The Road to Cooperstown live taping on Monday

The Museum maintains the following Hall of Fame Weekend hours: Friday: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Plaque Gallery closes at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday); Sunday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Monday: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Advance tickets are not necessary but are recommended. You can purchase tickets by visiting baseballhall.org/planyourvisit or by contacting the Hall of Fame at 888-425-5633. As always, Hall of Fame Members receive free admission. For Hall of Fame Members, doors open at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 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.

A special paid parking lot will be available only on Sunday, July 27. This lot is located on Route 33 just east of the Induction Site (paid lot is the Hank Aaron Lot). Neither trolley service nor bus service extends to the Hank Aaron Lot.

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 thisiscooperstown.com/places-to-stay. 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: baseballhall.org/visit.