FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2026
-- Hall of Fame Military Classic May 23 at Doubleday Field --
(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – As the unofficial start of summer approaches, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will host a family fun-filled Memorial Day Weekend celebration of America and the National Pastime.
The Hall of Fame Military Classic: A Tribute to Service and Sacrifice will feature a seven-inning legends game at Cooperstown’s historic Doubleday Field. Hall of Famers Wade Boggs, Rollie Fingers, Todd Helton, Fergie Jenkins, Tony La Russa, Scott Rolen and Joe Torre will serve as managers and coaches as two dozen former big leaguers take the field.
The family-fun activities begin when gates open at 11 a.m., and the pregame home run hitting contest will begin at noon, followed by the 1 p.m. game. Activities will include a bounce house/slide, balloon artists, face painting, food and beverage options from local food trucks and music and giveaways, including a free 24-page commemorative program magazine. Children 12-and-under can Race Around the Bases following the game.
American flags will be given to the first 2,500 fans in attendance, with a 75-foot by 150-foot field-sized flag on display as part of the pregame festivities. Also on display will be banners from the Bob Feller Act of Valor Foundation honoring Hall of Famers who served during World War II.
As part of the celebration, award-winning announcer Gary Thorne, who served with the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General Corps in the 1970s, will lend his voice to the day as the public address announcer. Thorne served as the emcee of the annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on eight occasions.
Fueled by assistance from Major League Baseball, the Hall of Fame Military Classic rosters will feature Nick Ahmed, Al Bumbry, Ryan Dempster, Mark Dewey, Jonny Gomes, Mitch Harris, Edwin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, Jonathan Lucroy, Kevin Mench, Charlie Morton, Jake Peavy, Curtis Pride, Josh Reddick, Zach Reks, Chris Rowley, Todd Zeile and Brad Ziegler, with more players announced this spring.
Also participating will be 1981 World Series champion Rick Monday, whose rescue of the American flag at Dodger Stadium in 1976 became a rallying point for the country during that bicentennial year. The flag Monday rescued will be on exhibit at the Hall of Fame from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend.
The Louisville Slugger Warriors amputee baseball team will have four representatives on the roster as well as head coach Curtis Pride, who overcame hearing loss en route to an 11-year career in the big leagues, and coach Kevin Mench, who played eight years in the big leagues. The Louisville Slugger Warriors are a competitive amputee baseball team that consists of U.S. Military Veterans, Active Duty personnel, Wounded Warriors and current and former amputee college baseball players. They have suffered either loss of limb, partial limb, digits, eye and serious limb deformities. Others have prostheses due to congenital, disease, or trauma-related reasons.
Brittany Apgar and Alyssa Zettlemoyer, who will play in the Women’s Pro Baseball League historic debut season this summer, will also suit up for the Hall of Fame Military Classic.
Tickets for the Hall of Fame Military Classic are on sale now online or at 1-888-325-0470 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
Memorial Day Weekend in Cooperstown will also feature the Hall of Fame’s popular Night at the Ballpark program. Hall of Fame legends and former players will greet fans throughout Doubleday Field on Saturday, May 23, beginning at 6 p.m., with Hall of Famers participating alongside other former major league stars. While the Night at the Ballpark program is not an autograph session, fans should remember to bring their camera to capture their special memories.
Tickets for Night at the Ballpark are on sale now priced at $100 each and limited to 12 tickets per order. Click here to reserve tickets.
The Cooperstown Classic Clinic for children aged 7-12 will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 22, at Doubleday Field. Hall of Fame Military Classic participants will lead the Clinic, with registration information available here.
Also as part of the weekend, guests can golf with legends at historic Leatherstocking Golf Course on Otsego Lake. Participants will enjoy an unforgettable day of golf. Individuals, pairs or foursomes of all skill levels are welcome to join the Hall of Fame Memorial Day Weekend Golf Tournament. A Hall of Fame member or former major leaguer will join each foursome and serve as the team captain.
A fundraiser for the Museum, the scramble-format tournament highlights a full lineup of activities for participants during this unforgettable weekend. For more information on supporting the Hall of Fame through this exclusive golf outing, please call 607-547-0310.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has teamed up with Sports Travel and Tours to offer baseball fans a one-stop opportunity to purchase Military Classic Weekend travel packages. For more information or to plan a trip to Cooperstown, please call 1-888-310-HALL (4255). Membership participants receive a 5% discount on all their baseball travel packages.
For more information on Memorial Day Weekend programming, please visit baseballhall.org/hofclassic.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an independent nonprofit educational institution, dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of baseball and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to our National Pastime. Opening its doors for the first time on June 12, 1939, the Hall of Fame has stood as the definitive repository of the game’s treasures and as a symbol of the most profound individual honor bestowed on an athlete. It is every fan’s “Field of Dreams,” with its stories, legends and magic shared from generation to generation.
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