Historic Class of 2019 to be Inducted July 21

(COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.) – Six for 19. It’s more than a .316 batting average.

It’s what’s on the way for the July 19-22 Hall of Fame Weekend.

The six-member Hall of Fame Class of 2019 will be inducted on Sunday, July 21, in Cooperstown. A record 54 Hall of Famers are scheduled to return to Central New York to honor Harold Baines, Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s annual Induction Ceremony at 1:30 p.m. ET July 21 at the Clark Sports Center – located one mile south of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

The election of Halladay, Martinez, Mussina and Rivera by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in January, along with the election of Baines and Smith by the Today’s Game Era Committee in December, brings the total number of elected Hall of Famers to 329.

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

The Hall of Fame Awards Presentation will be held at 4:30 p.m. on July 20 at Doubleday Field and will feature the presentation the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for writers to Jayson Stark and the posthumous honoring of Ford C. Frick Award winner Al Helfer.

The Awards Presentation, which will be hosted by MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger, is free and open to the public.

Also on Saturday, July 20, the Hall of Fame Parade of Legends returns for a 10th year to provide fans with a unique and unforgettable way to celebrate their favorite Hall of Fame members. Hall of Famers will ride down Main Street in trucks provided by Ford Motor Company during the 6 p.m. parade, en route to a private reception at the Museum. The Parade of Legends will immediately follow the Awards Presentation.

The Sunday, July 21 Induction Ceremony, hosted by MLB Network’s Brian Kenny, will take place on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center, which is located on lower Susquehanna Avenue, unless severe weather cancels the event. Follow the Hall of Fame on Twitter @baseballhall for the latest updates.

Please note that professional interpreters will be provided for the hearing impaired. The event will be held outdoors rain or shine.

As of July 12, a record 59 Hall of Famers, including living Class of 2019 members Harold Baines, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith, are scheduled to be part of Hall of Fame Weekend festivities in Cooperstown:


The Ceremony is expected to last three hours. 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 quite warm in July, it is recommended that visitors bring a cap and sunscreen. Induction merchandise, ball caps, Induction Programs, Yearbooks and Museum membership packages are available for purchase at the Induction site. Refreshments are sold at the site.

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 & special guests, Plaque Gallery and On Field
(with Trevor Hoffman, Jim Thome & Alan Trammell) * 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 & Lee Smith

PLAY Ball with Ozzie Smith – with special guests Trevor Hoffman, Jim Thome and Alan Trammell: Ozzie Smith returns in a fundraiser for the Hall of Fame’s educational mission with a unique opportunity for fans, featuring fellow Hall of Famers Trevor Hoffman, Jim Thome and Alan Trammell. This two-hour event features non-stop interaction at each station with a living legend and includes special mementos. Spaces are limited to 60 participants. 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 Hall of Fame’s newest living members, Harold Baines, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith, participate in the Legends of the Game Roundtable event at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown. This event is for Members only and tickets are available now by visiting the Information Desk in the Museum or by calling 607-547-0397. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12. Clark Sports Center, 10:30 a.m., Monday.

Hall of Fame Members are afforded special opportunities throughout the Weekend. As a nonprofit educational institution, membership support advances the Museum's programs 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 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 Museum maintains the following Hall of Fame Weekend hours: Friday: 9 a.m. - 10 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 baseballhall.org. For Hall of Fame Members, doors open at 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 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.

Spectator Information for Hall of Fame Weekend
Access to the Induction Site closes at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, and re-opens at 7 a.m. on Sunday, July 21. Chairs and blankets can be left at the Induction Site during the day Saturday before 4 p.m. for Sunday, but no coolers, backpacks or large items will be permitted until the site re-opens on Sunday morning.

Vehicular traffic on Susquehanna Avenue from Walnut Street to Bowerstown Bridge/County Route 52 and on Brooklyn Avenue will be limited to PERMIT/LOCAL TRAFFIC only beginning at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 20 until the end of the Induction Ceremony on Sunday, July 21.

Additionally, the use of drones is not permitted in the area of the Clark Sports Center and Induction Site. All packages are subject to search, and all items carried into the site should be in a clear, see-through style backpack/bag.

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 $5 per person. 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).

If you need assistance with accommodations during your stay, please visit www.cooperstowngetaway.org. For driving directions from major cities, area cities and local airports, visit the directions page here.