Inaugural Classic a roaring success
Team Wagner comes from behind to top Team Collins, 5-4
Indians Hall of Famer Bob Feller came out of retirement to toe the rubber once more in the inaugural Hall of Fame Classic.
(Milo Stewart Jr.)
MLB Alumni News
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- The inaugural Hall of Fame Classic had a little bit of everything on Father's Day -- a home run, some sparkling defense, a come-from-behind win and even a failed attempt at the old hidden-ball trick.
"It's gonna be a bunch of guys playing a pick-up baseball game -- and that's what it should be," former Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin said before the game.
The only difference was that this pick-up game was played by Hall of Famers and Major League legends in front of more than 7,000 fans at historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.
Prior to the start of the game, Jeff Kent won the hitting contest. It didn't come as much of a surprise to fans who followed his impressive career, which made him the most prolific home-run-hitting second baseman of all time.
"This is an experience for me. I've been with these guys for a half day now, and we're just having fun," Kent said of the group of players organized by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association and the Hall of Fame.
The game, presented by Ford Motor Company, kicked off with an impressive matchup. Ninety-year-old Bob Feller, Hall of Fame Class of 1962, took the mound for Team Wagner against Team Collins' Paul Molitor -- Hall of Fame Class of 2004.
"We made a deal -- he said no bunting, and I told him I'd keep line drives out of the middle of the field," Molitor laughed after singling off Feller.
Feller was happy with his outing and relayed the key to his success as, "a fast outfield, an air-tight infield and a dead ball."
One of the early highlights was the defensive play of Zach D'Errico. Most fans had never heard of him, but that is because he is an 11-year-old from Schenectady, N.Y., who was at the game with his dad, Rich, and was brought out on the field by shortstop Steve Lyons.
Lyons let D'Errico field a ground ball -- and the youngster and and the former White Sox and Red Sox utility player promptly began a 6-4-3 double play to end the first inning.
In the third inning, speedy outfielder and hitting-contest runner-up Steve Finley missed a home run by about three inches but was on base when the next batter, Kevin Maas, smacked a two-run homer over the right-field wall to put Team Collins up, 4-0.
On the other side of the ball, Team Collins stayed tough, and Johnny Grubb made a nice stab at third base to take a hit away from Team Wagner's Kent.
But in the bottom of the fifth, Team Wagner got on the board with George Foster's RBI double, which plated Lyons. Team Wagner then scored four runs in the sixth to take the lead for good.
Joe Lahoud and Anthony Telford both singled to put runners on first and second, and Bill "Spaceman" Lee showed off his hitting skills by hitting an RBI double to start a rally.
Lyons followed with an RBI single to tie the game. When Lyons made it to second, military All-Star Cooper Brannan and second baseman Bobby Grich tried the old hidden-ball trick to pick him off, but Lyons didn't fall for it, and the game remained tied.
Two batters later, former Yankees third baseman Mike Pagliarulo hit an RBI double, and Lyons slid safely into home plate.
Although Team Collins threatened in the top half of the seventh with a single by Grubb, pitcher Rich Surhoff got Timlin, who had singled off Lee Smith earlier in the game, to ground out to end the game.
He may not have delivered in the seventh, but Timlin still felt good about his time at the plate.
"I hit that good," he laughed about his single off fellow reliever Smith.
The final score was 5-4, Team Wagner, but more importantly players and fans alike had a good time.
"This is bringing back the competitive nature I had in the game," said Kent. "Putting on a uniform with some of these guys and being a part of the history here is pretty good."
Kent went 2-for-4 and Lyons, Pagliarulo, Telford and Lee all had multiple hits for Team Wagner. Maas and Grubb had multiple hits for Team Collins. Smith got the win, and Surhoff was credited with the save.
The players signed autographs in between innings and put on a show any father would enjoy.
"The game was a success," said Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson. "We were happy to see everyone having a good time at the ballpark and connecting families as well as celebrating history today on Father's Day. Not until next year's Classic will that much talent be having that much fun on the dirt."
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
MLB Alumni News
"It's gonna be a bunch of guys playing a pick-up baseball game -- and that's what it should be," former Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin said before the game.
The only difference was that this pick-up game was played by Hall of Famers and Major League legends in front of more than 7,000 fans at historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.
Prior to the start of the game, Jeff Kent won the hitting contest. It didn't come as much of a surprise to fans who followed his impressive career, which made him the most prolific home-run-hitting second baseman of all time.
"This is an experience for me. I've been with these guys for a half day now, and we're just having fun," Kent said of the group of players organized by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association and the Hall of Fame.
The game, presented by Ford Motor Company, kicked off with an impressive matchup. Ninety-year-old Bob Feller, Hall of Fame Class of 1962, took the mound for Team Wagner against Team Collins' Paul Molitor -- Hall of Fame Class of 2004.
"We made a deal -- he said no bunting, and I told him I'd keep line drives out of the middle of the field," Molitor laughed after singling off Feller.
Feller was happy with his outing and relayed the key to his success as, "a fast outfield, an air-tight infield and a dead ball."
One of the early highlights was the defensive play of Zach D'Errico. Most fans had never heard of him, but that is because he is an 11-year-old from Schenectady, N.Y., who was at the game with his dad, Rich, and was brought out on the field by shortstop Steve Lyons.
Lyons let D'Errico field a ground ball -- and the youngster and and the former White Sox and Red Sox utility player promptly began a 6-4-3 double play to end the first inning.
In the third inning, speedy outfielder and hitting-contest runner-up Steve Finley missed a home run by about three inches but was on base when the next batter, Kevin Maas, smacked a two-run homer over the right-field wall to put Team Collins up, 4-0.
On the other side of the ball, Team Collins stayed tough, and Johnny Grubb made a nice stab at third base to take a hit away from Team Wagner's Kent.
But in the bottom of the fifth, Team Wagner got on the board with George Foster's RBI double, which plated Lyons. Team Wagner then scored four runs in the sixth to take the lead for good.
Joe Lahoud and Anthony Telford both singled to put runners on first and second, and Bill "Spaceman" Lee showed off his hitting skills by hitting an RBI double to start a rally.
Lyons followed with an RBI single to tie the game. When Lyons made it to second, military All-Star Cooper Brannan and second baseman Bobby Grich tried the old hidden-ball trick to pick him off, but Lyons didn't fall for it, and the game remained tied.
Two batters later, former Yankees third baseman Mike Pagliarulo hit an RBI double, and Lyons slid safely into home plate.
Although Team Collins threatened in the top half of the seventh with a single by Grubb, pitcher Rich Surhoff got Timlin, who had singled off Lee Smith earlier in the game, to ground out to end the game.
He may not have delivered in the seventh, but Timlin still felt good about his time at the plate.
"I hit that good," he laughed about his single off fellow reliever Smith.
The final score was 5-4, Team Wagner, but more importantly players and fans alike had a good time.
"This is bringing back the competitive nature I had in the game," said Kent. "Putting on a uniform with some of these guys and being a part of the history here is pretty good."
Kent went 2-for-4 and Lyons, Pagliarulo, Telford and Lee all had multiple hits for Team Wagner. Maas and Grubb had multiple hits for Team Collins. Smith got the win, and Surhoff was credited with the save.
The players signed autographs in between innings and put on a show any father would enjoy.
"The game was a success," said Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson. "We were happy to see everyone having a good time at the ballpark and connecting families as well as celebrating history today on Father's Day. Not until next year's Classic will that much talent be having that much fun on the dirt." This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.