INSIDE: promoter cancels hof 75th concert/A3
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Cooperstown’s Newspaper
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, July 24, 2014
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COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND
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1808 BY
Volume 206, No. 30
INDUCTION 2014 IN
DUX, TO BBY COX D A M O GREG MAS, B TORRE O H T K JOE FRAN USSA, y, July 27 R A L Y da TON m., Sun Center . p 0 3 : 1 por ts Clark S rstown, NY Coope
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all Baseb l a n o i e nat ll of Fam INE Ha M GLAV
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For 206 Years
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HEY, FANS! Here Are 10 Things You Need To Know About 75 Years Of Induction Weekends
1. Abner Doubleday, left, is the reason the Hall of Fame is in Cooperstown, whether or not he invented baseball. This image is a spoof, put together on the Texas Vintage Baseball League website.
The Freeman’s Journal
Brothers Travis and Jacob Granger of Eastern Energy Solutions, Afton, reinstalled eight refurbished streetlights on Main Street, Cooperstown, on Wednesday, July 16, in time for the 75th anniversary Hall of Fame Induction. New asphalt was laid along the street on the 22nd, all part of a $2 million redo now underway.
By LIBBY CUDMORE
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ON TV: The MLB Network again plans to broadcast the Induction Ceremony 1:30-4:30 p.m. on the 27th. BLISSFUL SOUND: Eric Bliss, Cooperstown Central grad who sang the National Anthem when President Obama was here in May, will do so again at Induction. PLAQUES PLACED: The public is welcome to watch the new plaques hung at the Hall at 7 p.m. Sunday, after the ceremony.
Torre, Torre, Torre!
Yanks Manager Promises To Be Crowd Pleaser
1st Daughter To Broadcast From Otesaga resident George W. and First Lady Laura Bush’s daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, was scheduled to anchor NBC’s “Today” show Thursday, July 24, at The Otesaga, beginning at 6 a.m. Jenna was to be joined by correspondent Natalie Morales as the baseball world focused on Cooperstown for the start of the 75th anniversary Hall of Fame Induction Weekend.
The Freeman’s Journal
Joe Torre in front of Babe Ruth’s plaque during his orientation tour of the Hall of Fame in March.
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e may not remember what he ate at that little Bronx restaurant 15 years ago – maybe chicken marsala, but Ted remembers who was dining just a few tables over. Jim Kevlin/The Freeman’s Journal “I was probably having the 5. Satchel Paige, above, whose statue was un6. The Oakland A’s special fan, Stacey Samuchicken marsala; it’s good veiled in Cooper Park in 2006, was the first Negro els with his whirligig cap, seen above during there,” he said. League player inducted, in 1971. (Fans examinRickey Henderson’s 2009 Induction, is one of “I was there with a bunch ing the statues the other day are Hall of Famer three notable enthusiasts often in evidence of baseball guys and they Brooks Robinson and his wife, Connie.) during Hall of Fame weekends over the years. introduced me to Joe Torre,” and would not have the completion of the Hall of Fame Editor’s Note: Dennis Corcosaid Ted Hargrove, the been allowed to but Alexander Cleland made it hapran, author of “Induction Day At unofficial “Mayor of Main leave the Academy. pen. During a visit to Cooperstown in Street” who last year sold his Cooperstown,” (McFarland, 2010), Hall of Fame 1934, Alexander Cleland, who worked TJ’s Place, for years an Inshared these must-know facts about president Jeff Idelfor Clark in New York City, found 75 years of National Baseball Hall of duction Weekend gathering son addressed the out that Cooperstown was preparFame Inductions. place for Hall of Famers and “Doubleday Myth” ing to celebrate baseball’s centenfans alike. “From then on, years ago by stating, nial. Cleland suggested that his boss Why Cooperstown? we were acquaintances.” “We stopped layto consider building a museum that Cooperstown became the Torre, the player-turneding claim to being would bring tourists to Cooperstown home of baseball because World-Series-winning-man2. Alexander the birthplace of for the centennial. Clark agreed of Abner Graves and not Abner ager, is among this year’s Cleland came baseball a long time wholeheartedly. They contacted Frick, Baseball Hall of Fame Doubleday. The Mills Commission up with the ago. The game has the president of the National League, was formed in 1905 to determine if Inductees, joining Tony La Hall idea, but evolved over time, and he was completely supportive, and Russa, Bobby Cox, Frank baseball was started in America or the support it wasn’t born in one suggested a Hall of Fame be included Thomas, Tom Glavine and elsewhere. Graves wrote two letters to of this man place.” to honor baseball’s greatest stars. them claiming Doubleday, the future Greg Maddox in a celebra– CooperThe Man Who The first, 25th and 50th birth- tion that is anticipated to Civil War general, taught him how stown’s SteMade the days. to play baseball during the summer phen C. Clark bring 40,000 people to town. Hall of Fame The Baseball Centennial was “There are a lot of other noof 1839 in Cooperstown. Graves was – ensured it a Reality . happened. celebrated for several months during 71 when he wrote the letters so he tables coming, but Joe’s the When you enter 1939 and was known as the Cavalcade key,” said Hargrove. “He’s would have been five years old when Doubleday taught him. Critics discred- the Plaque Gallery you see portraits of of Baseball with the pivotal day being the New York guy.” Stephen Clark and Ford Frick. Clark June 12, 1939 when the ited him because Doubleday would Added Brad Horn, the and Frick played important roles in Please See 10 THINGS, A8 have been a freshman at West Point Please See TORRE, A7
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