Hall of Fame Game History: 1990-1999

Rain Washes Out Expos and Orioles, August 6, 1990

The scheduled game between the Montreal Expos and Baltimore Orioles was cancelled due to rain. It marked the first time since 1962 (Yankees and Braves) that a Hall of Fame Game was called off completely because of rain, and the third time overall (1944, Tigers and Giants). At the time, both the Expos and the Orioles were in third place in their respective divisions.

Twins Flash Championship Look, 6-4, July 22, 1991

1991 was a magical year for the Minnesota Twins as they captured the World Series and the Hall of Fame Game. Tom Kelly's Twins played host Roger Craig's San Francisco Giants with the Twins prevailing, 6-4. The Twins became the fourth team (Yankees twice, Tigers twice and Boston once) to play in the Hall of Fame Game and go on to the Fall Classic, and the third team ('68 and '84 Tigers) to win both. The Giants started Mike Remlinger and Twins, rookie southpaw Denny Neagle. The Twins scored the first run on a leadoff home run by Shane Mack in the last of the first inning. The Giants went ahead 2-1 on Steve Decker's two-run single in the second inning. Kent Hrbek tied the game in the Twins half of the second with a clout that went over the bleachers in right-centerfield. The Twins took the lead when Chili Davis hit a solo shot to left-center, clearing a tall pine tree. In the top of the sixth, the Giants' Dave Anderson hit a two-run homer, giving the Giants a 4-3 lead. Young flamethrower Rod Beck who had entered the game in the sixth inning, was on the hill when the Twins regained command of the game. Scott Leius and Al Newman walked and a fielder's choice placed runners at the corners. A Beck wild pitch allowed the tying run to come home. Another wild pitch enabled Jarvis Brown to bring home the go ahead run with a sacrifice fly. Minnesota added one more insurance run in the eighth inning. Greg Litton of San Francisco played all nine positions, including pitcher. Kirby Puckett was the lone Hall of Fame player to participate in the game.

One Hit Wonders: White Sox Blanked By Mets, 3-0, August 3, 1992

The New York Mets made their fifth Hall of Fame Game appearance a winning one, after losing two and tying two in four previous visits, beating the Chicago White Sox by a 3-0 margin. Three Mets pitchers combined on the only one-hitter in Hall of Fame Game history. The second best-pitched game came in 1960 when the Cubs two-hit the Indians. Gene Lamont of Chicago and Jeff Torborg of New York were both appearing for the first time as managers at Doubleday Field. Fresno, California's Bobby Jones, the Mets' first round pick in the 1991 draft, was brought in to Cooperstown to pitch, and he proved to be spectacular. He was perfect through six frames and pitched seven innings overall, allowing a hit in his final inning of work - a bad-hop single to center to minor leaguer Byron Matthews. The game was scoreless through seven innings, as Jason Bere (five hitless innings) and Scott Ruffcorn worked magic for the Pale Hose. In the last half of the eighth inning, Chico Walker led off with a home run to left field to provide the only run Mets pitchers would need. Jeff McKnight and Mackey Sasser both singled in the inning and scored on a two-run double by Daryl Boston. Tony Freitas pitched the eighth inning and was credited with the win, with Mark Dewey pitching a hitless ninth for the save. Charlie O'Brien caught the entire game for the Mets. Robin Ventura won the home run derby before the start of the game by blasting four dingers for the Cooperstown fans. Future Hall of Famer Eddie Murray made his second appearance in Cooperstown, as he played in the contest.

Rain Washes Away 1993 Game, August 2, 1993

The scheduled contest between the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers was cancelled due to rain. It marked the second Hall of Fame Game rainout in four years. The Dodgers were in third place in the NL West at the time and the Indians in sixth place in the AL East. The Dodgers had not been to Cooperstown since 1992, with the Indians last appearing five years earlier.

A-Rod and Griffey Lead Mariners to Cooperstown, August 1, 1994

Ken Griffey, Jr., rookie Alex Rodriguez, and the rest of the Seattle Mariners made their maiden voyage to Cooperstown and came out on top in a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. In one of the final games before the baseball strike that would end the season 11 days later, Jim Fregosi's Phillies came to Cooperstown with an 0-4 Hall of Fame Game record, falling to 0-5 after the loss to the Mariners. Philadelphia opened a 2-0 lead in the top of the first after Billy Hatcher reached base and John Kruk slammed a Bob Wolcott pitch for a home run, with the ball clearing the fence - and a house behind it. The Mariners scored their first run in the bottom of the third inning when Rodriguez produced what was probably the hardest hit ball of the day. The ball rocketed off the centerfield fence with Rodriguez reaching third base, later scoring on a wild pitch from Phillies starter Tommy Greene. Phillies rookie catcher Mike Lieberthal homered to center field in the fourth inning, extending the Phillies lead to 3-1. The Mariners scratched back, scoring a run in the sixth when Tino Martinez doubled and came around to score on a bloop single by Reggie Jefferson. In the bottom of the seventh, Giomar Guevara hit a two out, two-run shot into the right-centerfield bleachers, providing the margin of difference. Matt Wagner was credited with the victory. Jim Eisenreich of Philadelphia was the winner of the home run derby, hitting a record 10 long balls.

Cubs Streak Past Tigers, July 31, 1995

In their first head-to-head encounter since the 1945 World Series, the Tigers and Cubs met on Doubleday Field and this time, the Cubs won, 8-6. Future Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson, in his final managerial season, was in one dugout, with Cubs manager Jim Riggleman in the other. The visiting Cubs struck first when third baseman Howard Johnson hit a two-run homer in the top of the first inning. The Cubs added another run in the fourth to open up a 3-0 lead. In the top of the sixth, the Detroit bats came alive as they put together a rally leading to five runs. The big blows were Juan Samuel's two-run home run and Chris Gomez' two-run double. Down 5-3 in the sixth inning, Scott Bullett came to the plate for Chicago with two men on, and promptly homered giving the Cubs a 6-5 lead. The Cubs added insurance runs in the eighth inning, as Bullett and Johnson hit back-to-back home runs, each hitting their second of the game. Ben Burlingame picked up the win. Sammy Sosa won the home run derby before the game, belting seven home runs.

Fit to Be Tied: Angels and Expos Play to 6-6 Final, Aug. 5, 1996

The 50th annual Hall of Fame Game featured high drama, as the California Angels and Montreal Expos played to a 6-6 tie in a game that featured 10 home runs which accounted for all 12 runs. Felipe Alou managed the Expos and Marcel Lachemann managed the Angels for the final time, being relieved of his duties the very next day. The Expos jumped ahead 2-0, when Henry Rodriguez and Sherman Obando hit back-to-back home runs. California answered right away, as George Arias' two-run blast and Randy Velarde's solo home run gave the Angels a 3-2 lead after two innings. The game stayed quiet until the sixth inning when Don Slaught homered to give the Angels a 4-2 lead. Home runs from Ryan McGuire and Dave Silvestri gave the Expos a 5-4 lead, heading into the bottom of the eighth inning. High drama unfolded in the home half of the inning as Rex Hudler came to the plate and pointed - a la Babe Ruth - to center field. Hudler didn't clear the wall, but he came close, tripling off the wall. Bullpen catcher Mick Billmeyer, who had not been in a batter's box in three years, was called upon to pinch hit, and promptly launched a missile high into the sky and well over the right field fence to give the Angels a 6-5 lead. In the top of the ninth, Tim Spehr led off with a solo homer to account for the final score. Veteran third baseman Jack Howell won the home run derby prior to the game.

West Coast Muscle: Dodgers Outlast Padres, August 4, 1997

Doubleday Field was the venue for yet another slugfest, as the Dodgers outlasted the Padres 16-8 in a game that featured nine home runs and 31 hits. The 24 runs scored set a Hall of Fame Game record, and the 16 runs scored by the Dodgers tied the single-team record set by the Reds in 1953. The Dodgers were led to Cooperstown by manager Bill Russell to face Bruce Bochy's Padres in the first Hall of Fame game between two National League clubs. The Game MVP was a clear decision as Eric Anthony of the Dodgers was 4-for-6 with a double, three home runs, six RBI and four runs scored. The home run and RBI totals tied Hall of Fame Game records, both set previously in 1973 by the Yankees' Bernie Allen. Billy Ashley batted in front of Anthony and also contributed four hits, scored and drove in four runs, and hit a pair of home runs. Eighteen year-old rookie Adrian Beltre had two hits and rookie Paul LoDuca caught all nine innings. Onan Masaoka earned the win after pitching the fourth and fifth innings. Ken Caminiti of the Padres homered in his only at bat of the day while teammate Mark Sweeney hit two home runs. Rickey Henderson started the game for the Padres making his second Cooperstown appearance. Central New York native and fan-favorite Archi Cianfrocco won the home run derby.

Orioles Top Jays in Bird Battle, 7-1, July 27, 1998

A pair of American League East foes squared off in Cooperstown with the Baltimore Orioles beating the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-1. Toronto manager Tim Johnson sent rookie Roy Halladay to the mound to gain some professional experience, while the Orioles' Ray Miller opted for 21-year-old John Parrish. Tied 1-1 after three innings, Jim Foster homered in the fourth to give the Orioles a lead they would not relinquish. Jesse Garcia delivered a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and Lyle Mouton ripped an RBI double in the seventh inning for the Orioles, who opened up a 4-1 lead. In the top of the eighth, Rich Becker slammed the team's second home run of the game. Radhames Dykhoft pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Parrish (4IP, 3H, 1ER) to earn the win. Becker, who had a pair of hits, became the first official Hall of Fame Game MVP. Halladay pitched well (6IP, 7H, 3ER) but took the loss. Brady Anderson hit six home runs to win the home run derby before the game.

A Called Shot Heard Round Cooperstown, July 26, 1999

The day after Nolan Ryan and George Brett were inducted into the Hall of Fame, teams for whom they played met on Doubleday Field, as the Rangers and Royals locked horns. In a game called after eight innings because of rain, the Rangers slugged a Hall of Fame Game record seven home runs to outpace the Royals, 11-9. The contest marked the third time the Hall of Fame Game was played between two American League ball clubs. The Royals opened up a 4-2 lead through the first three innings, but the Rangers posted five runs in the fourth inning to take a commanding 7-4 lead. The Royals knotted the game at nine in the sixth inning, but single runs in the seventh and eighth innings provided the margin of victory for the Rangers. Game MVP Jason Grabowski of the Rangers was 3-for-3 and became the 22nd player in Game history to hit a pair of home runs. Larry Sutton of Kansas City barely missed hitting for the cycle. The crowd was thrilled most by Rangers right fielder Gregg Zaun. In the bottom of the fifth inning, to the delight of the fans, he raised his bat and pointed to the right field bleachers. On a 1-0 count, Zaun hit the ball exactly where he pointed, into the right field bleachers and the Cooperstown crowd went crazy. Juan Moreno of the Rangers pitched two and one-third innings to earn the win. With the win, the Rangers ran their Hall of Fame Game record to 4-0. Rafael Palmeiro homered for the Rangers and Ivan Rodriguez hit a double in his only at bat. Mike Sweeney of the Royals was the home run derby winner as he knocked seven pitches for long balls.