National Baseball Hall of Fame Hall of Fame Games collection
Scope and Contents
A collection of scorecards, scoresheets, rosters, and tickets related to the annual National Baseball Hall of Fame games from 1940 to 2008. Of note, a scorecard, scored and signed by Vin Scully in 1951, the official scorecard from the 1960 game that was the first HOF Game shutout, and the 1991 HOF Game where Greg Litton, San Francisco utility infielder, played all nine positions. The tickets are located in BA MSS 329 Tickets collection. A 1943 drawing of the grandstand at Doubleday Field with notations of what appears to be ticket sales is located at BA MSS ovr, Box 2, folder 12.
Dates
- 1940-2008
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions but viewing materials does require an appointment. Please contact the Giamatti Research Center, research@baseballhall.org, 607-547-0330.
Conditions Governing Use
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum provides use copies of materials to facilitate private study, scholarship, and research. The Museum welcomes you to use materials in our collections that are in the public domain and to make fair use of copyrighted materials as defined by copyright law and with proper citation. Permission to publish materials must be obtained from: Giamatti Research Center, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, 25 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 13326 Phone: 607.547.0330 E-mail: research@baseballhall.org
Biographical / Historical
In 1939, as part of the celebration and dedication of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, current and former major league players representing the 16 clubs played a ballgame at Doubleday Field with the two teamscaptained by Honus Wagner and Eddie Collins.
The next year, major league team owners agreed to send two teams each summer to Cooperstown to play a benefit game. It was the beginning of an annual tradition that stretched out through the decades. Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and many other greats came to Cooperstown to play in the game and honor those being inducted into the Hall.
There were a few years where the game was rained out. In 1981, No major league teams due to strike so a game was played between Oneonta Yankees v. Elmira Pioneer Red Sox. In 1989, The Hall of Fame Game turned into an intra-squad game after the Cincinnati Reds experienced plane trouble in Montreal and were not able to reach Cooperstown in time for the 2 p.m. start.
The tradition continued until 2009 when the game was replaced with the Hall of Fame Classic, featuring former major league players.
Extent
2.15 Linear Feet (in 1 letter document box and 1 oversize flat box)
1.94 Cubic feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
A collection of scorecards, scoresheets, rosters, and tickets related to the annual National Baseball Hall of Fame games that took place from 1940 to 2008.
Arrangement
This collection is organized in chronological order.
Physical Location
Manuscript Archives, Aisle 11, Range c, Shelf 2; Aisle 23, Range d, Shelf 1
Custodial History
This collection was created through donations from various donors and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Appraisal
Due to the age of the collection, it is unknown if any materials were removed when accessioned, nothing removed when processed.
Processing Information
Not all materials offered to, or acquired by, a repository merit permanent retention. In many cases, material is not selected for permanent retention or only a sample is retained. In other cases, material not normally selected may be retained for particular reasons. Documenting appraisal decisions and the rationale for retention or destruction of selected archival materials provides significant information relevant to the interpretation of the materials being described. Document appraisal actions taken at the time of acquisition or processing, including materials which were sampled or not accessioned.
- Title
- Guide to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Games collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Claudette Scrafford
- Date
- November 2018
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Archives Repository