Hometown Oneonta - The Otesgo-Delaware Dispatch: Instant 'Classic' Born This Afternoon In Doubleday

Instant 'Classic' Born This Afternoon In Doubleday

Sunday, June 21, 2009

COOPERSTOWN

There's an inning left in the instant "Classic" that was born in Doubleday Field this afternoon.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame "Hall of Fame Classic," featuring five Hall of Famers and 25 former Major Leaguers and designed to replace the Hall of Fame Game that ended last year, nearly filled the venerable ball park.
The first- and third-base stands were filled -- mostly packed -- all the way to the outfield field, and a few hundred fans peppered the outfield bleachers.
HoF President Jeff Idelson, in the stand with his family after the opening ceremonies, said the estimate he had at that point was 7,000 ticketholders in the 10,000 seat field. But by the fifth inning, people were still buying tickets.
"I thought it was fun," said Jackie Gregory of Burlington Flats, who was there with husband Dan and her daughter's family from Syracuse. "There were some great stories, and everybody was having a good time.
TOP CAPTION: The fathers and sons in the Doubleday Field grandstand this afternoon included Rob Robinson of Oneonta with sons Rich, left, and Scott, right. At right is the lady of the house, Elisabeth.
BOTTOM CAPTION: The crowd behind Bill Waller of Cooperstown, who was shooting Phil Niekro signing autographs in the grandstand, stretch along the first-base line all the way to the outfield fence.

posted by The Freeman's Journal @ 3:40 PM