Hall of Fame Weekend 2018 to Feature Inductions of Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, Jack Morris, Jim Thome, Alan Trammell, July 27-30 in Cooperstown

Induction Ceremony, Awards Presentation Highlight Family-Friendly Events During Celebration of the Game’s Elite

(COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.) – Six former big league heroes – the most living major leaguers to be honored at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in almost 50 years – will receive baseball’s highest honor in Cooperstown during Hall of Fame Weekend 2018, July 27-30 to highlight four days of celebratory events and programs for baseball fans of all ages.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2018 Induction Ceremony will feature Baseball Writers’ Association of America electees Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones and Jim Thome along with Modern Baseball Era electees Jack Morris and Alan Trammell. The Class of 2018 will be formally inducted and deliver speeches during the event beginning at 1:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 29 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown. The 2018 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be shown live exclusively on MLB Network.

Hall of Fame Weekend 2018 will also feature the Saturday, July 28 Awards Presentation, when Ford C. Frick Award winner Bob Costas and J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner Sheldon Ocker will each be honored. The Weekend will include many family programs, including the July 28 Parade of Legends and a July 30 Legends of the Game Roundtable discussion event with the six 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 2018 at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Becoming a Museum Member is the best way to experience Hall of Fame Weekend, as Members are afforded special perks during Hall of Fame Weekend. Museum Members play a major role in preserving baseball history and ensure that generations of fans will always have a home to celebrate the history of baseball. Members always enjoy a great line-up of benefits, including Memories and Dreams magazine, a Hall of Fame Yearbook and free admission to the Museum year-round. To learn more about the program and its many benefits, please click here.

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 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 29 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 28 at Doubleday Field and will feature the presentation of the Ford C. Frick Award for baseball broadcasting excellence to MLB Network’s Bob Costas and the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing to Sheldon Ocker. 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 Famers make their way to the Museum for a private reception.

The Class of 2018 features six players who left indelible marks on the game.

Guerrero, who earned votes on 92.9 percent of all BBWAA ballots cast, played 16 seasons for the Expos, Angels, Rangers and Orioles, earning nine All-Star Game selections and winning the 2004 American League Most Valuable Player Award. An eight-time Silver Slugger Award winner for his work in right field and at designated hitter, Guerrero hit .300-or-better 13 times, drove in 100-or-more runs 10 times and topped the 30-home run mark in eight seasons. The owner of two 30 home run/30 stolen base seasons, Guerrero is one of only eight players in big league history to have at least a .318 career batting average and a .553 slugging percentage, a list that includes Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Stan Musial, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. Guerrero never struck out more than 95 times in any season, and of all the players in baseball history with at least 449 career home runs, only Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig and Mel Ott struck out less frequently that Guerrero. Those five batters are the only players in MLB history with at least 400 home runs and fewer than 1,000 strikeouts.

Hoffman, who appeared on 79.9 percent of all BBWAA ballots cast, pitched 18 seasons for the Marlins, Padres and Brewers, spending 16 seasons in San Diego. The first pitcher to reach both the 500-save and 600-save milestones, Hoffman ranks second in MLB history with 601 saves and second with 856 games finished. A seven-time All-Star who finished in the Top 10 of the NL Cy Young Award voting four times, Hoffman led the NL in saves twice and saved 40-or-more games nine times, tied with Mariano Rivera for the most such seasons all time. He ranks seventh all-time – and first among relief pitchers – in fewest hits per nine innings pitched with a career average of 6.989. His career WHIP of 1.058 ranks ninth all-time and fifth all-time among pitchers whose careers started after 1920.

Jones played 19 seasons, all for the Atlanta Braves, including 12 years where the Braves made the postseason. The first overall pick in the 1990 MLB Draft, Jones – who appeared on 97.2 of all BBWAA ballots cast – becomes the second No. 1-overall selection to earn Hall of Fame election, following Ken Griffey Jr. in 2016. An eight-time All-Star and the 1999 NL Most Valuable Player, Jones topped the 100-RBI mark nine times and had eight seasons with at least 100 runs scored. Among players who appeared in at least half their games at third base, Jones is the only major leaguer to record at least 1,600 RBI and score at least 1,600 runs. His 1,623 RBI are the most of any player whose primary position was third base. As a rookie in 1995, he led the Braves to the World Series title. Jones is one of only nine players in big league history with at least 400 home runs, a .300 batting average, a .400 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage, along with Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Mel Ott, Stan Musial, Manny Ramirez, Babe Ruth, Frank Thomas and Ted Williams.

Morris, elected by the Modern Baseball Era Committee, pitched 18 seasons for the Tigers, Twins, Blue Jays and Indians, earning 14 Opening Day starts and four World Series rings. A five-time All-Star, Morris finished in the Top 5 of his league’s Cy Young Award voting five times and led all pitchers in the 1980s with 2,444.2 innings pitched and 162 wins and all American League pitchers in strikeouts with 1,629. Among pitchers whose careers began after 1976, Morris recorded the most complete games with 175. In Game 7 of the 1991 World Series for the Twins, Morris pitched 10 shutout innings, earning the victory in the bottom of the 10th when Gene Larkin’s single drove home Dan Gladden with the winning run. Morris was named the World Series MVP after going 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three starts against the Braves.

Thome, who received votes on 89.8 percent of all BBWAA ballots cast, played 22 seasons for the Indians, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers, Twins and Orioles. One of nine members of the 600-home run club, Thome’s 612 long balls rank eighth on the all-time list, and his 1,747 walks rank seventh all-time. Thome recorded 100-or-more RBI nine times and scored 100-or-more runs in eight seasons. Thome, who ranks fifth all-time in at bats per home run with a mark of 13.76, began his career as a third baseman before moving to first base. A five-time All-Star, Thome led the league in walks three times and in homers once. He is one of only five players in big league history – along with Barry Bonds, Mel Ott, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams – with at least 500 home runs, 1,500 runs scored, 1,600 RBI and 1,700 walks. Thome’s career slugging percentage of .554 ranks No. 23 all-time, and career OPS of .956 ranks 18th all-time.

Trammell, elected by the Modern Baseball Era Committee, played 20 seasons for the Tigers, earning six All-Star Game selections, four Gold Glove Awards and three Silver Slugger Awards at shortstop. A seven-time .300 hitter, Trammell scored 100-or-more runs three times, topped the 30-double mark six times and stole 20-or-more bases three times. His 2,139 games at shortstop rank 11th on the all-time list, and his .977 fielding percentage ranks sixth among shortstops with at least 2,000 games played. The clubhouse leader of the 1984 Tigers that won the World Series title, Trammell was named the Fall Classic MVP after hitting .450 with two homers and six RBI in Detroit’s five-game victory. In 1987, Trammell – batting out of the cleanup spot – hit .343 with 28 home runs and 105 RBI, the first season by a shortstop in history with at least a .340 batting average, 25 homers and 100 RBI.

There are now 323 Hall of Fame members, 77 of whom are living.

Award winners Bob Costas and Sheldon Ocker will be honored and deliver brief speeches during the Awards Presentation on Saturday, July 28 at 4:30 p.m. at Doubleday Field.

Costas, the 42nd winner of the Frick Award who has passionately and poignantly called games and narrated the baseball experience for four decades, learned his trade at local stations while at Syracuse University, Costas graduated in 1974 and landed the play-by-play duties with the Spirits of St. Louis of the American Basketball Association on KMOX-AM. After handling regional NBA and NFL telecasts for CBS in the late 1970s, Costas moved to NBC in 1980. In 1982, Costas was paired with Sal Bando on the backup broadcast of NBC’s Major League Baseball Game of the Week package, then teamed up with 2009 Ford Frick Award winner Tony Kubek in the same role from 1983-89. Along the way, Costas handled play-by-play of the American League Championship Series in 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989 along with pregame duties at the All-Star Game those same years as well as pregame assignments at the World Series in 1982, 1984, 1986 and 1988. NBC and ABC formed The Baseball Network following CBS’ handling of the MLB contract from 1990-93, and Costas worked the 1994 All-Star Game as well as the 1995 ALDS, ALCS and World Series for TBN. When The Baseball Network dissolved, Costas called the World Series for NBC in 1997 and 1999, the 1998 and 2000 ALCS, the 1999 NLCS and the 2000 All-Star Game. In 2009, Costas – a 28-time Emmy Award winner – returned to baseball when he joined the new MLB Network, where he has called games and served as a documentary host for nine seasons.

Ocker, the 69th winner of the Spink Award who covered the Cleveland Indians for 33 seasons, began chronicling the Indians for the Akron Beacon Journal after 10 years of covering the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. He was one of only three Indians beat writers at the ABJ since 1930 and covered the team from 1981 through 2013. Ocker was national president of the BBWAA in 1985 and served as chair of the Cleveland Chapter 11 times. Ocker was named Ohio Sports Writer of the Year in 1997 and 2000 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

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 baseballhall.org/hofw.

Planned activities for Hall of Fame Weekend 2018 include:

Hall of Fame Weekend Events

Friday, July 27: PLAY Ball with Ozzie Smith & special guests (Hall of Famers TBA): 8-11 a.m.; Plaque Gallery and On Field
Saturday, July 28: Hall of Fame Awards Presentation: Doubleday Field, 4:30 p.m.; Hall of Fame Parade of Legends, Main Street, 6 p.m.
Sunday, July 29: Induction Ceremony: Clark Sports Center, 1:30 p.m.
Monday, July 30: Legends of the Game Roundtable: Doubleday Field, 10:30 a.m.; Featuring Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, Jack Morris, Jim Thome and Alan Trammell

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 17th year, PLAY Ball returns as Players, Legends And You with an interactive meet and greet, starting at 8 a.m. on Friday, July 27 during Hall of Fame Weekend 2018.

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. Registration for this Museum fundraiser is $750 for participants in the Hall of Fame’s Membership Program, $1,000 for non-Members. Space is limited. For questions or to sign up call 607-547-0310. 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. Tickets to this event will be available for purchase to Museum Members starting Monday, June 4 by visiting the Membership desk in the Museum or by calling 607-547-0397. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12. Doubleday Field, 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 baseballhall.org, by calling 607-547-0397 or at the Museum.

Accommodation information is available through thisiscooperstown.com/lodging and through the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce at 607-547-9983. 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/cooperstown.

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 nonprofit 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.