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(COOPERSTOWN, NY): Fifty-two Hall of Famers are expected to return to Cooperstown July 25-28 for Induction Weekend at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The returning Hall of Famers will welcome the honorees who were elected last winter by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and the Veterans Committee as the Class of 2008.
Rich "Goose" Gossage, Dick Williams, Barney Dreyfuss, Billy Southworth, Walter O'Malley, and Bowie Kuhn will be honored during the 2008 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Sunday, July 27, at 1:30 p.m. ET, when they take their place among baseball's most exclusive club. Gossage and Williams, the living members of the Class of 2008, will accept their Hall of Fame plaques and address the crowd during the Induction Ceremony. Family members of the deceased honorees will accept the plaques and deliver remarks on behalf of the those honorees. Also being honored are Seattle Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus, who will receive the Ford C. Frick Award for "major contributions to the game of baseball," and late Boston Globe baseball writer Larry Whiteside, who will receive the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for "meritorious contributions to baseball writing." The first Buck O'Neil Award will honor the late John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil. The award is to celebrate "an individual whose extraordinary efforts enhanced baseball's positive impact on society, has broadened the game's appeal, and whose character, integrity and dignity are comparable to the qualities exhibited by O'Neil."
The 52 Hall of Fame members expected to return to Cooperstown, as of July 11, include: Sparky Anderson Bobby Doerr Al Kaline Joe Morgan Red Schoendienst
Luis Aparicio Dennis Eckersley George Kell Eddie Murray Tom Seaver
Johnny Bench Bob Feller Harmon Killebrew Phil Niekro Ozzie Smith
Yogi Berra Rollie Fingers Ralph Kiner Jim Palmer Bruce Sutter
Wade Boggs Carlton Fisk Sandy Koufax Tony Perez Don Sutton
George Brett Whitey Ford Tommy Lasorda Gaylord Perry Earl Weaver
Lou Brock Bob Gibson Juan Marichal Robin Roberts Billy Williams
Jim Bunning Tony Gwynn Willie Mays Brooks Robinson Dave Winfield
Steve Carlton Monte Irvin Bill Mazeroski Frank Robinson
Gary Carter Reggie Jackson Willie McCovey Ryne Sandberg
Orlando Cepeda Fergie Jenkins Paul Molitor Mike Schmidt The Induction Ceremony will be held on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, unless severe weather forces the event to be canceled. Admission to the event is free and seating is unlimited. |
Newswire 
