Worth the trip...from anywhere!
I could spend all day talking about my Cooperstown trip in '99. This was one of the last, if not the last time they played the HOF game on Induction Weekend and it was GRAND!
I had donated cards for which I received three Lifetime Passes to the Museum. We were welcomed in through a separate door while the crowd (and this was the largest to date....since passed by Ripken/Gwynn) filed in at a much slower pace though the main doors.
The museum itself had been upgraded and has since expanded quite a bit.
The HOF game was amazing! The right-field crowd was riotous and chanted 'Call Your Shot!' 'Call Your Shot' until a journeyman catcher named Greg Zaun (who played right-field that day) made just short of a William Bendex motion to the right-field stands. Believe it or not...and I have it captured on DVD (copied from the original VHS-Tape of the weekend)...he hit the very next pitch into those same right-field seats! Absolutely Amazing!
The actual Induction Ceremonies were held on a couple of soccer fields just outside of town. There were to Ben & Jerry's trucks along with about 20 porta-potties there to meet the crowd needs.
A couple of Phillies fans offered Mom an umbrella to shield her from the sun.
One amazing experience after another! The highlight of my life so far!
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