HOF predicts a big induction weekend

Local News

Related Photos

CSS41D3.jpg

Discussion

COMMENTING ON STORIES:

Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.

Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.

Disqus gives users the ability to log into our story comments feature so that they may be able to track their conversations, receive emails when their comments get a reply or to even have your comments update onto your Facebook or Twitter accounts.

For the time being, our story comments feature will continue to have the ability to post comments anonymously. We reserve the right to require registration in the future using your name and verified email address.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified at the newspaper’s discretion for a number of different reasons. Please follow our Online Rules of Conduct at all times.

RULES OF CONDUCT:

We reserve the right to remove comments that are unacceptable, to wit:

1. False and inacurate statements.
2. Personal attacks. Explicit name-calling.
3. Harassing, harmful, vulgar, obscene and defamatory language.
4. Threatening statements or statements that suggest violence.
5. Hate speech of any kind.
6. Intolerant comments on religion, race, age, gender, sexual preference or disabilities.
7. Accusations of criminal activity.
8. Content that is harmful to children and minors in any way.
9. References to any type of sexual activity and other private matters.
10. Random and inflammatory statements that are off topic.
11. Advertising of any kind.
12. Typing in all caps.

WE ENCOURAGE REASONABLE AND COURTEOUS COMMENTS THAT:

1. Create conversation on issues of interest and concern to fellow readers and local community members.
2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:

1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.

WE WELCOME:

1. Flagging violations of these rules that you observe to our attention.

MONITORING:

We monitor comments regularly Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Approval of comments outside of this time (including weekends) will be sporadic.

comments powered by Disqus

July 16, 2011

By Tom Grace Cooperstown News Bureau The Daily Star Sat Jul 16, 2011, 03:30 AM EDT

COOPERSTOWN _ Next weekend in Cooperstown, the National Baseball Hall of Fame will induct former star players Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar and former general manager Pat Gillick.

A crowd is expected and merchants said they're hoping for a boost to what some say has been a lackluster first half of the summer.

Blyleven, 60, a pitcher known for his curveball, played for the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Angels while amassing 287 victories.

Alomar, 43, a second baseman with the San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox, was an excellent hitter and fielder, winning 10 Golden Glove awards.

The players were selected by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Gillick, former general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies, was tabbed by the Hall's Expansion Era Committee.

According to Ted Hargrove, who owns T.J.'s Place on Main Street, the Expansion Committee would have helped local business by adding the late George Steinbrenner's name to those who will be honored.

Steinbrenner, the former New York Yankees owner who died last year, remains a popular figure from a nearby metropolis, Hargrove noted.

"The streets would be full with Steinbrenner on the program," he said Wednesday, as a lunch time crowd filtered in and out of his restaurant and memorabilia shop.

Hargrove said business was brisk in June, but dropped off sharply in the first half of July.

"And if it's this slow in July, it doesn't look good for the rest of the year," he said.

Across the street at Legends Are Forever, owner Jeff Foster said he also thinks Steinbrenner would have been a nice addition to the program.

"I don't think Steinbrenner would have changed the summer, though," Foster said. "We really haven't recovered from 2008 yet.

"People are much more conservative about what they're going to buy, and probably they should be," he said.

Worries about jobs, spending, and rising prices for essential goods and services have made potential customers hesitant about discretionary spending, Foster said.

"It's not just in Cooperstown; it's everywhere," he said.

In 2007, keeping his business stocked was a primary concern, Foster said. Now he's focused more on selling what's already on display.

Susan O'Handley, executive director of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, said she's looking forward to a strong induction weekend.

"We're holding our own here, and when you look at the big picture, the economy, the price of gas, that's a good thing," she said. "This is a great place for a family to go on vacation."

Internet inquiries on the Chamber's website bode well for a good-sized crowd on induction weekend and a good second half of summer, she said.

Jeff Idelson, president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, said attendance at the shrine this year has been about on par with last year, and last year was not a bad one.

"We're looking forward to a great weekend, and our bus count indicates we'll have a good crowd," he said.

Idelson noted that Steinbrenner was not selected for induction this year by the Expansion Era Committee, but that doesn't rule him out for future consideration.

Next weekend's schedule of events includes a session of playing baseball with Ozzie Smith and other Hall of Famers starting at 8 a.m. Friday, a parade down Main Street featuring Hall of Fame players starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, and the induction ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Clark Sports Center.

For a complete listing of events, see the Hall of Fame's website.