NORWICH, Conn. — For 68 years, one of the components of Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown, N.Y., was a game between two of baseball’s major league teams. But following 2008, baseball decided the scheduling of an in-season exhibition game became too troublesome to continue.
It was replaced by a game played on Father’s Day in the upstate New York hamlet that features a mix of Hall of Fame and not-so famous players.
The Connecticut Tigers will face the Tri-City ValleyCats at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, N.Y.
But since 1991, one game that’s been consistent has been the regular-season contest played between two New York-Penn League franchises.
Today, the Connecticut Tigers play host to the Tri-City ValleyCats at 1 p.m. in Cooperstown. The weekend reaches its climax Sunday with the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
“It’s amazing,” said Tigers general manager Andrew Weber. Connecticut’s game with Tri-City on Friday was postponed by rain to July 31. “From my standpoint, as a player, I would have dreamed of playing there. … With it being induction weekend, that’s ultimately what every guy on that field wants — is to end a career inducted into the Hall of Fame.”
The Tigers, or at least the franchise that was based in Oneonta, N.Y., had been associated with the game since its inception 19 years ago. Oneonta, then the team closest to Doubleday Field, was the home team. Since the team relocated to Norwich last spring after the schedule was produced, the Tigers kept their place in the game.
Weber said team owner E. Miles Prentice wants to keep Connecticut involved in the tradition of the game as long as the league, the Hall of Fame or Minor League Baseball don’t say otherwise.
“I can tell you, I doubt other teams will tell you they’ll voluntarily give up a Saturday home game to play there,” Weber said.
It’s uncertain whether the team will continue its participation, but Connecticut is doing everything it can to take advantage of the rare opportunity to play in Cooperstown.
For $40 or $50 (depending upon age), the team sold packages that included a seat on a chartered bus, a ticket to the game, admission to the Hall of Fame and a bagged lunch from Panera Bread. The offering was a success; Weber said every seat on the bus was sold, and that he hopes the team can send two buses next year.
Tigers manager Howard Bushong and three of his players were part of last season’s game with the ValleyCats.
“Playing in that stadium, playing in that game, makes you appreciate where you are and the opportunities that you have,” Bushong said. “Last year’s game is something I’ll never forget. I hope this year’s game is the same thing.”
With such a unique moment at hand, Bushong plans to give his players advice to cherish the opportunity while playing the game.
And it’s pretty neat to play before nearly 10,000 fans — including Hall of Famers — at the birthplace of baseball. Not that the players, most of who are in the first years of their careers, needed any more pressure.
It’s not unusual either to see players play a little harder and with a little more emotion.
“It’s like a dream for a player to play there,” said Tigers pitcher Clemente Mendoza. “Everyone wants to play there. It’s a really good experience.”
Bushong said the fans at the game are different than at any other game. No matter what uniform a player has on, they’ll cheer for him. It is truly a celebration of baseball.
“They just cheer to watch kids play,” he said. “Every time I have the opportunity — and I’ve been to Cooperstown four times — every time has been special. It gives me chills every time I go.”
If there’s a drawback in the experience it’s that with games the next day, both Connecticut (at Lowell) and Tri-City (at Vermont) don’t have a chance to explore the Hall of Fame. Even if the schedule was amended to give the teams time to check out the exhibits, finding enough hotel rooms for 70 to 80 people on induction weekend is close to impossible.
One possible solution would be to have Connecticut play at Tri-City the night before or the day after the game in Cooperstown.
Regardless of the logistics, the Tigers’ manager hopes the players appreciate the sojourn, especially because some of them are from other countries and may never have the chance to return.
Said Bushong: “I always hope it means as much to them as it does to me.”
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