Negro Leagues Honored at East-West All-Star Classic In Cooperstown

The May 25th scheduled East-West All-Star Classic at Cooperstown's Doubleday Field quite possibly could be the most memorable event presented by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

To those thinking of attending the East-West All-Star Classic, buy tour tickets early.  There's a very good chance that Doubleday Field's seating capacity of 6,600 will be a sold-out event.  Why?  The names released of team captains, hall of fame coaches, honorary team members, and players who will fill out the roster, everything surrounding this legacy being saluted to the Negro Leagues All-Star Game, first staged in 1933 at Chicago's Comiskey Park, has success written all over it.

At noon, on May 25th, one hour prior to the first pitch of the East-West All-Star Classic, there will be a home run hitting contest. Why is it a safe bet to believe that more than a few balls will be flying out of Doubleday Field and onto Elm Street? Just take a glance at who some of the possible participants could be.

Prince Fielder, Ken Griffey,Jr, Ryan Howard, and Adam Jones were all known as sluggers during their years in Major League Baseball. Should they sign up to be in the batters box at Doubleday Field, combined these four hit 1,613 round-trippers. With dimensions being with what they are, left field at 296 feet and a cozy 312 feet straight down the line in right field, how could the participants not begin to salivate upon arrival?

Along with Junior Griffey, other hall of fame coaches expected to partake in the Classic Weekend is Harold Baines, Ferguson Jenkins, Fred McGriff, Eddie Murray, Jim Rice, Lee Smith, Ozzie Smith, and Jim Kaat.

Captains selected are former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, who threw 3,093 strikeouts during his championship 19-year career, and Chris Young.  Posting 13 seasons in the MLB for six clubs including the New York Mets and Yankees, Young is currently an on-air personality and analyst on TV for MLB Network.

Former New York Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson and three-time Gold Glove Award winner Harold Reynolds are slated to appear in Cooperstown as honorary team members.

Among those filling out the rosters of 20-plus players suiting up for the East-West Classic is Curtis Granderson, David Price, Dontrelle Willis, and Dexter Fowler.

The Hall of Fame's saluting of Black baseball, and the history of the annual Negro Leagues' East-West All-Star Game, is being supported by MLB and Boeing.

The Final East-West All-Star Game was played in Kansas City, Missouri in the summer of 1962.

Two  players named to the East-West All-Star Game at least ten times, Buck Leonard and Josh Gibson, are members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

For tickets to the East-West All-Star Classic - call 888-325-0470

Don Laible is a freelance sportswriter from the Mohawk Valley, now living in Florida. He has reported on professional baseball and hockey for print, radio, and on the web since the 1980's. His columns are featured weekly at WIBX950.com. Don can be contacted via email at Don@icechipsdiamonddust.com.