The Hall of Fame Game
Fans line Main Street outside the Hall of Fame for the 2005 Hall of Fame Game Parade. (Milo Stewart Jr.)
2008 Hall of Fame Game Coverage
| 2008 Tickets: Tickets for the 2008 Hall of Fame Game are currently sold-out. Any returned tickets will be made available on Game Day, Monday, June 16, at 9 a.m. in the Doubleday Field parking lot. |
Origins of the Hall of Fame Game
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 on June 12, 1939. To coincide with festivities, baseball took a one-day 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.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Hall of Fame Game
