Story Created:
Jul 22, 2011 at 6:05 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Jul 22, 2011 at 6:30 PM EDT
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (WKTV) - There's nothing quite like Induction Weekend in Cooperstown. It brings together the greatest players in baseball history, to welcome a new class to the Hall of Fame.
"It's the icing on the cake, it's the finale," says 1991 inductee Fergie Jenkins. "Your career's done, five years later, six years later now you're in a select group of guys."
"It's a chunk of our game, it's what these players have meant to the game of baseball and more than that the excitement of the fans," adds 12 year MLB veteran Jesse Barfield, who joined Jenkins along with Gaylord Perry and Bert Campaneris to sign autographs raising money for breast cancer research through the Fergie Jenkins Foundation.
Not all of the guys hanging out along Main Street are Hall of Famers, like Barfield, but all of them love the game. Everyone, from players and fans alike, is enjoying the big weekend, which culminates Sunday in the induction of Pat Gillick, Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar.
"One time in my career I struck out I struck out three times in a game and it was against Bert Blyleven," says 2002 inductee Ozzie Smith, who was joined by Andre Dawson, Rod Carew and Whitey Herzog at the annual "Play Ball!" event, this year held at Cooperstown High School.
While the focus this weekend is on the three inductees, you can't help but notice the star power as you walk up and down Main Street in Cooperstown during Induction Weekend. Even Pete Rose, the Major League's all-time leader in hits, is in town for the weekend.
"It's just a fun weekend for the game of baseball. I'm happy for Bert and Robby, two deserving guys going into the HOF."
Rose isn't the only big name in Cooperstown who has yet to receive the big call for induction. Jim Kaat was also signing autographs for fans, and he has a direct connection to Blyleven. The two were teammates in Minnesota when Blyleven broke into the majors at 19 years old, and says Kaat was a big influence in his career.
"It's been flattering to hear him say I did a lot for him, because I think the biggest thing I did for him was stay out of his way and tell him throw your curve over the plate and you'll be fine and that seemed to work out okay," Kaat says.
But no matter who's in and who's out, this weekend is all about celebrating the national pastime in the birthplace of baseball.
STAY TUNED TO NEWSCHANNEL 2 ALL WEEKEND FOR CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE 2011 BASEBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION. MIKE LEVIN WILL HAVE MORE FROM PETE ROSE THIS WEEKEND ON SUNDAY NIGHT SPORTS EXTRA.
