Hall of Fame Game History: 1940-1949

All-Stars Descend on Cooperstown, June 12, 1939

The idea for an annual Hall of Fame Game originated with baseball's centennial celebration and the opening of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. To coincide with festivities, baseball took a week hiatus as all-stars from across the country traveled by train to play an exhibition following the grand ribbon-cutting ceremony and inaugural inductions of the first four classes at the Museum. With major league players appearing at Doubleday Field for the first time, the two teams featured managers, Eddie Collins and Honus Wagner, two of the first 26 men elected to the Hall of Fame in the classes of 1936-'39. Fittingly called "The Collins" and "The Wagners," the two teams were hand-picked by each manager and featured a mix of American and National League stars. The seven-inning exhibition game went in favor of the National League "Wagners," 4-2. The Cubs' Dizzy Dean started off the game by throwing two perfect innings before being relieved. Pittsburgh's Arky Vaughan led off the bottom of the sixth with a double and later scored the winning run on a double by Frankie Hayes. Babe Ruth made an honorary appearance in the game at the age of 44, four years after his retirement in 1935. Other Hall of Fame players appearing in the inaugural game: Charlie Gehringer, Joe Medwick, Lloyd Waner, Billy Herman, Mel Ott, Hank Greenberg, and Lefty Grove.

Cubs Defeat the Red Sox, 10-9, in Rain-Shortened Inaugural Game, June 13, 1940

The Inaugural Hall of Fame Game was rain shortened, but the game itself had no shortage of action or stars. The Chicago Cubs faced the Boston Red Sox in the first Hall of Fame Game featuring a team from the each of the two leagues, with the Cubs capturing a 10-9 victory in seven innings. With two future Hall of Famers at the managerial helm, Joe Cronin for Boston and Gabby Hartnett for Chicago, a dramatic ending produced 11 runs in the final inning, with the Red Sox falling short in a late rally. Tied at 4-4 entering the top of the seventh, the Cubs collected six runs on a series of hits and Red Sox errors, capped by a Bob Collins' home run. In the bottom of the inning, with threatening weather on the horizon, Boston's Ted Williams blasted his second home run of the day, a three-run shot, but the Red Sox fell one run shy as the game was called at the end of the inning. Ken Raffensberger earned the win for Chicago. Drama began unfolding in the top of the sixth inning when Boston's Dominic DiMaggio chased a fly ball to center before crashing into the bleachers. DiMaggio was sent to the hospital, sustaining several cuts and bruises on his face. Cronin managed two hits as player/manager for Boston, while Jimmie Foxx collected a double for Boston. Billy Herman started at second for the Cubs.

Cleveland Tops Cincinnati, 2-1, in Heavy Rains, June 13, 1941

With heavy rains covering Cooperstown, it appeared for awhile as if the 1941 Hall of Fame Game would not take place. Had Ford C. Frick not been in the stands, thousands of fans on hand would have gone home without seeing the Cincinnati Reds play the Cleveland Indians. Despite the rain, the president of the National League instructed the two teams to play ball. The Game would be called at the end of the sixth inning due to excessive rain, but Cleveland would pick up the win, 2-1. Two Cincinnati fielding errors in the top of the third inning lead to the Indians run, which broke a 1-1 tie. Cal Dorsett of the Indians picked up the victory, as the Reds turned four double plays through six innings.

Cardinals Top Connie Mack's A's as Musial Leads Charge, 5-2, August 3, 1942

The third annual Hall of Fame Game was the first to go the full distance of nine innings, rather than being shortened by rain. The St. Louis Cardinals would need each inning to defeat the Connie Mack-led Philadelphia Athletics, 5-2, on the heroics of a youngster named Stan Musial. Having allowed a run to Philadelphia in the bottom of the eighth to even the game at 2-2, St. Louis outfielder Musial was the leadoff hitter in the ninth inning. Musial crushed a 400-foot blast to center field that sent him into his home run trot. Umpires determined, though, that a fan had interfered with the ball, sending Musial back to second on a ground rule double. Harry Walker would provide the winning RBI single later in the inning. St. Louis' Whitey Moore pitched a complete game for the win, surrendering just four hits. Future Hall of Famers Musial and Enos Slaughter appeared for the Cardinals, while Mack was already a Hall of Famer when he skippered the Athletics. The Cardinals would go on to win the World Series in 1942.

Dodgers Ride In On Horses, Gallup Past White Sox, 7-5, July 19, 1943

Traveling to the fourth annual Hall of Fame game was different than any other year, as spectators walked, rode bicycles and traveled by horse to view the game. Even the Brooklyn Dodgers entered Cooperstown by horse, as they rode in like cowboys, defeating the Chicago White Sox, 7-5. At a time when the use of gasoline was needed for tanks and airplanes in World War II, the United States banned use of gasoline for motor vehicles domestically. Chicago wasted no time with five runs in the top of the first inning, keyed by Luke Appling's triple driving in two runs. In the bottom of the second, the Dodgers picked up four runs to cut the lead to one, 5-4. Brooklyn struck again in the bottom of the fifth, tying the game on an RBI triple by Dodger catcher Mickey Owen. Bobby Bragan would bring Owen home on a single, producing the game-winner. The Dodgers would add one more in the bottom of the eighth, giving pitcher Rube Melton the win. Leo "The Lip" Durocher skippered the Brooklyn team to a Hall of Fame game win, and would later earn a managerial berth in the Hall of Fame in 1994. Appling would earn election in 1964.

Rain Cancels 1944 Hall of Fame Game, July 10, 1944

The 1944 Hall of Fame Game was cancelled due to rain. The Detroit Tigers and New York Giants were rescheduled to meet in 1945, the year Detroit won the World Series.

War Restrictions Halt 1945 Game

The 1945 Hall of Fame game was cancelled due to war restrictions.

Giants Tower Over Tigers, 9-5, in Long-Awaited Game, June 13, 1946

Two years after the originally scheduled meeting, the New York Giants and Detroit Tigers couldn't wait to start scoring runs in the 1946 Hall of Fame Game. With rain and war restrictions canceling previous attempts, the two clubs finally met, with New York cruising to a 9-5 victory. Managed by Mel Ott, the Giants leapt to a 5-0 lead with five runs in the opening frame, with two runs scoring on a Sid Gordon home run. New York scored all nine of its runs in the first three innings. Hal Schumacher earned the win for the Giants. Ott appeared as a manager and player, collecting two hits in the game, while fellow future Hall of Famer Johnny Mize also played for the Giants.

Extras the Order for Braves and Yankees in Boston Win, July 21, 1947

The 1947 match-up featured a Hall of Fame Game first - extra innings - as the Boston Braves and New York Yankees battled in an "instant classic," with the Braves notching a 4-3, 10-inning win. The Braves took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second on a two-run double by Nanny Fernandez off Yankees pitcher Don Johnson. Johnny Lindell and Johnny Hopp traded home runs in the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth innings, respectively, as Boston maintained a two-run edge into the ninth inning, 3-1. Lindell led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, and Yogi Berra reached for New York as well. An error plated Lindell, and Berra moved to third, as Joltin' Joe DiMaggio stepped to the plate. With all fans on their feet, DiMaggio lofted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Berra and forcing extra innings. Al Lyons' errant throw in the top of the 10th allowed Bama Rowell to score the winning run. Ed Wright collected the win for Boston, as Johnson worked all 10 innings for the Yankees, taking the loss. In addition to Berra and DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto would appear for the Yankees, while manager Bucky Harris was another future Hall of Famer for the Bombers. Despite the Hall of Fame Game loss, the 1947 New York Yankees would go on to win the World Series.

Bombs Away! Browns and Phillies Blast Off, July 12, 1948

The 1948 game between the St. Louis Browns and Philadelphia Phillies could have been mistaken for home run derby. Ben Chapman's Phillies hosted Zack Taylor's Browns in the seventh edition of the Hall of Fame Game, with St. Louis collecting a 7-5 win. Gran Hamner started the home run festivities with a solo shot in the bottom of the first for Philadelphia. Eddie Pellagrini evened the ledger in the top of the second with a home run of his own. The Phillies' Del Ennis blasted a three-run shot in the bottom of the third to put the Phillies on top, 4-1. The Browns again tied the game, in the top of the seventh with three solo homeruns from Don Lund, Bryan Stephens and Andy Anderson. St. Louis scored three more runs in the final two innings, with Dick Koskos coming home on a game-winning single from Don Lund.

Senators, Pirates Play One-Run Game, June 13, 1949

Ten years after the first Hall of Fame Game, Hall of Famers Kid Nichols and Fred Clarke ushered in the 1949 event with ceremonial first pitches, before the Washington Senators nipped the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-7, before 6,500 fans. Future Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner plated the first run with a single in the top of the first. The Senators fired back in the bottom of the first with four runs, capped by a two-run home run from Clyde Vollmer. Down 5-2 entering the fifth inning, Pittsburgh grabbed a 6-5 lead, highlighted by Eddie Brockman's three-run home run. The Senators' Ed Stewart broke a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run single, as Washington would hold on for an 8-7 win. Dick Weik went the distance for the Senators for a complete game victory. Kiner would be the lone future Hall of Famer to appear in the game, as only 22 players were used between the two teams, 10 for Washington and 12 for Pittsburgh, a record that stands today. Kiner would have his best offensive season in 1949, leading the league with 54 home runs, 127 RBI and 117 walks.