Vietnam Veteran Al Bumbry to Appear at Hall of Fame Military Classic

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – Al Bumbry returned from Vietnam in 1971 as a hero, long before he ever joined the legendary Baltimore Orioles teams of that era.

His service to the country – along with baseball’s longtime connection to the military – will be celebrated Memorial Day Weekend in Cooperstown.

Bumbry, the 1973 American League Rookie of the Year and key member of the 1983 Orioles team that won the World Series, will appear at the Hall of Fame Military Classic: A Tribute to Service and Sacrifice on May 23 at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown. Bumbry, who served in the United States Army in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970 and was awarded a Bronze Star, will be joined by two dozen former big leaguers, including David Robertson – the owner of 179 big league saves who was active in the majors just last year.

Bumbry will be on a roster with two additional players who served as active duty military members prior to their big league careers: Mitch Harris, a United States Naval Academy graduate; and Chris Rowley, a West Point alumnus.

The May 23 Hall of Fame Military Classic: A Tribute to Service and Sacrifice will feature Hall of Fame managers and coaches along with recently retired MLB players in a seven-inning legends game at Doubleday Field in honor of baseball’s longtime connection to the military.

The Hall of Fame Military Classic will feature Hall of Famers Wade Boggs, Rollie Fingers, Todd Helton, Fergie Jenkins, Tony La Russa, Scott Rolen and Joe Torre along with the two dozen former big leaguers and include a pregame home run hitting contest.

Fueled by assistance from Major League Baseball, the Hall of Fame Military Classic rosters will also feature Jeremy Affeldt, Nick Ahmed, Ryan Dempster, Mark Dewey, Jonny Gomes, Edwin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, Jonathan Lucroy, Charlie Morton, Jake Peavy, Josh Reddick, Zach Reks, Todd Zeile and Brad Ziegler, with more players announced this spring.

Also participating will be 1981 World Series champion Rick Monday, whose rescue of the American flag at Dodger Stadium in 1976 became a rallying point for the country during that bicentennial year. The flag Monday rescued will be on exhibit at the Hall of Fame from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend.

The Louisville Slugger Warriors amputee baseball team will have four representatives on the roster as well as head coach Curtis Pride, who overcame hearing loss en route to an 11-year career in the big leagues. The Louisville Slugger Warriors are a competitive amputee baseball team that consists of U.S. Military Veterans, Active Duty personnel, Wounded Warriors and current and former amputee college baseball players. They have suffered either loss of limb, partial limb, digits, eye and serious limb deformities. Others have prostheses due to congenital, disease, or trauma-related reasons.

Brittany Apgar and Alyssa Zettlemoyer, who will play in the Women’s Pro Baseball League historic debut season this summer, will also suit up for the Hall of Fame Military Classic.

Tickets for the Hall of Fame Military Classic are on sale now online or at 1-888-325-0470 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

Memorial Day Weekend in Cooperstown will also feature the Hall of Fame’s popular Night at the Ballpark program. Hall of Fame legends and former players will greet fans throughout Doubleday Field on Saturday, May 23, beginning at 6 p.m., with Hall of Famers participating alongside other former major league stars. While the Night at the Ballpark program is not an autograph session, fans should remember to bring their camera to capture their special memories.

Tickets for Night at the Ballpark are on sale now priced at $100 each and limited to 12 tickets per order. Click here to reserve tickets.

The Cooperstown Classic Clinic for children aged 7-12 will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 22, at Doubleday Field. Hall of Fame Military Classic participants will lead the Clinic, with registration information available here.

Also as part of the weekend, guests can golf with legends at historic Leatherstocking Golf Course on Otsego Lake. Participants will enjoy an unforgettable day of golf. Individuals, pairs or foursomes of all skill levels are welcome to join the Hall of Fame Memorial Day Weekend Golf Tournament. A Hall of Fame member or former major leaguer will join each foursome and serve as the team captain.

A fundraiser for the Museum, the scramble-format tournament highlights a full lineup of activities for participants during this unforgettable weekend. For more information on supporting the Hall of Fame through this exclusive golf outing, please call 607-547-0310.

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 Military Classic 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.