I love Cooperstown. One day, if I make enough money, I would love to live there from May-November. It's such a beautiful place during the summer and since they play up the "birthplace of baseball" bit, I love it even more. Some people say that Abner Doubleday didn't really invent the game there, but does that really matter? It's the idea that this little town in the middle of New York state was the place the national pastime was born and thus it fits perfectly.
The Baseball Hall of Fame is easily the best of all the Halls of Fame, because of its history and how it's run. Jeff Idelson is the president of the Hall and I've spoken with him on several occasions. He seems like a good enough guy, but most importantly, under his guidance, the Hall is constantly evolving. If you go to the museum every year, it won't be the same from visit to visit and that's what's so cool. They have exhibits that come for a year then leave, ones that have been around for years but change given new artifacts and results of the current MLB season.
The Hall of Fame Classic was an idea that came to fruition two years ago, probably before that actually, because they couldn't do the old Hall of Fame Game anymore. That was an exhibition between two Major League teams held at Doubleday Field that was fun while it lasted, but the one time I was there, the players weren't all that keen on it, especially the media session. At the HOF Classic, the ex-players seem pretty stoked to be taking part and that shows in the interviews I've conducted in the game's first three years. Mike Timlin, one of the key relievers on the 2004 Red Sox World Series team, made his second appearance. "The Spaceman" Bill Lee was here two years ago and I got a hilarious quote from him then and another one this year. (So funny we used it to open the 11pm show Sunday.) Among the new participants I spoke with were Reggie Sanders, Frank Catalanotto, Willie Wilson and old Red Sox favorite Dave Henderson. (Hendu in 1986 was interestingly enough on the Mariners when Roger Clemens struck out 20, then on Boston later in the year for their run to the World Series, even hitting a key home run in Game of the ALCS against the Angels, to keep the Sox alive, down three games to one.)
I didn't actually talk to any of the Hall of Famers on Sunday. Instead, I went to Cooperstown on Saturday for a "Voices of the Game" program, where I grabbed Andre Dawson, Goose Gossage and Jim Rice (one of my idols growing up) before they shared memories of the game with fans at Doubleday Field. I wish I could've stayed for the entire program, but I had to get back to Utica to shoot some highlights of the Yard Dogs football game with Glove Cities. (Thank you Mike Mason for your 41 yard run at the start of the second quarter! If I didn't get that my highlights would've been pretty boring.) Rice was a challenge, because when I asked him about his expectations for the HOF Classic, he was either playing dumb or really didn't know what to expect. Good thing Dawson was right there, because they joked about being old and fat and unable to play at all. (That wasn't true with Rice. He played the entire game and got a few hits!!)
I will say that this year we seemed to have less time for interviews than usual. That's probably not true, but it felt like that. And more importantly, I didn't get to talk with Ozzie Smith, which bothered me a little. Perhaps he just didn't want to do TV interviews and I certainly wouldn't blame him if that's true. (Phil Niekro didn't do any interviews at all! Good thing I met him a few weeks back at the opening of the records exhibit.) That being said, there was plenty of time and access to the fun all the guys were having on the field before the first event on Sunday, the Home Run Derby, won by Dmitri Young. (Young also won the Player of the Game award, named after the late Bob Feller, who played in the first two Classics.)
I feel like this year there also weren't as many fans, though the folks at the Hall told me they thought there were more this year than last. Don't know if that's true, but it certainly could be. I seem to remember the weather was hot last year, but this year there was a brisk wind that kept it bearable. As we were leaving the stadium, my intern, Chelsea, suggested me get some Hawaiin ices afterward. I've never had one before, but it was very good. (Kind of a like a slush with multiple flavors, thank you Chelsea!)
The game itself wasn't actually that interesting, which is what you'd really expect from retired players. But they played up the entertainment aspect of it, (I loved Niekro's Dude Love-like knee dance and Jon Warden's goofy antics. Lee was pretty funny, too.) so overall it was another great time at the Classic.
Unfortunately this may be the last time I go to the Coop this season. I may end up there at some point during Induction Weekend this year like I did last year, though probably not for the ceremony. Even so, I've been lucky enough to visit the birthplace of baseball a lot this year. Besides, sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.
Check out the story I did on Sunday's festivities here: http://www.wktv.com/sports/Players-fans-enjoy-3rd-HOF-Classic-124169724.html.
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