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Baseball Hall of Fame’s Negro Leagues East-West Classic a hit for fans, collectors
If you are an autograph collector you hit the sweet spot if you brought your Sharpie to Cooperstown for the Memorial Day events at the Baseball Hall of Fame.
You could even have left your credit card home as there were free autograph opportunities aplenty and I couldn’t locate a single paid signing session.
The East-West Classic Weekend was an innovative buffet of events honoring the legacy of the Negro Leagues and the history of black ballplayers, sportswriters and fans, and their contributions to the game.
The highlight of the weekend was a six-inning all-star game on historic Doubleday Field featuring recently retired MLB players, including such big names as C.C. Sabathia, Prince Fielder, Curtis Granderson, Ryan Howard, Russell Martin, Adam Jones and Dexter Fowler.
Also on the roster and making a brief appearance in the game was Mo’ne Davis, who rocketed to fame in the 2014 Little League World Series as a 12-year-old pitcher. Now 23 and a graduate student at Columbia University, she played one inning and snagged a line drive while playing center field but struck out in her one plate appearance.
In addition to such attractive names for autograph collectors, a whopping 14 Hall of Famers showed up in Cooperstown to act as coaches for the game. The turnout was the largest gathering in recent memory of Hall of Famers in town at a time other than the annual induction ceremonies.
The HOF roster on hand, most of whom signed freely for fans, included: Harold Baines, Rollie Fingers, Pat Gillick, Ken Griffey Jr., Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Fred McGriff, Eddie Murray, Jim Rice, Ryne Sandberg, Ozzie Smith, Lee Smith, Joe Torre and Dave Winfield.
On Friday evening there was a grand opening of the new Hall of Fame exhibit on black baseball titled “Souls of the Game” with the entire roster of players and Hall of Famers in town on hand. To add luster to the weekend, a new bronze statue of Hank Aaron was unveiled at the Hall of Fame museum with a ceremony including Aaron’s widow, Billye Aaron.
The Friday festivities kicked off the autograph extravaganza for fans, who staked out positions outside the museum to catch players arriving and leaving. Torre was a willing signer, along with weekend players Ian Desmond, Tony Gwynn, Jr. and Prince Fielder.
Saturday’s game was another chance to catch a few autographs. During pregame several players and Hall of Famers walked the fence line signing freely, including Jenkins, Fingers and Sabathia, a likely candidate for HOF election in 2025.
One feature of the game of interest to jersey aficionados was the decision by the Hall to give players the option of wearing a uniform of their choice from one of nine classic Negro League teams, including the American Giants, Baltimore Elite Giants, Birmingham Barons, Detroit Stars, Homestead Grays, Indianapolis Clowns, Kansas City Monarchs, Newark Eagles, and Pittsburgh Crawfords.
As a result, the players split between East and West teams in the same way Negro League all-star games had been played, showcasing a colorful array of garments. It was a reminder of the days before MLB adopted the bland American and National League uniforms for the All-Star Game, a terrible decision that wiped out team identities and their colorful variety of attire for one of baseball’s showcase events.
Uniform collectors still have an opportunity to purchase the game-worn jerseys of both the players and Hall of Famers who suited up as coaches in an MLB online auction at auctions.mlb.com. The auction ends June 2, with early action the hottest for items worn by Griffey Jr. and Sabathia. One unique feature of these jerseys is that they were a throwback wool blend, a feature commented on by several players on a hot, early summer day in Cooperstown.
The game itself was played with a mix of competitiveness and playfulness, with pitchers racking up strikeouts against decidedly rusty swings. Some hitters did connect, though, as the sellout crowd of 5,740 was treated to towering home runs by Granderson, Tony Gwynn Jr. and Ryan Howard.
The final opportunity for autograph collectors was at the golf course on Sunday morning. Although it wasn’t on the official roster of weekend events, savvy collectors know from attending the July induction weekend that many Hall of Famers jump at the chance to play golf at the world-class Leatherstocking golf course on the grounds of the Otesaga Hotel, the headquarters for all events.
More than a dozen players and Hall of Famers were out on the links on a clear day, and autograph seekers were also out in force.
Golfers were generous, signing throughout the morning. Perhaps most generous and courteous of all was Sabathia, who made a valiant if eventually futile attempt to satisfy all comers. Other players signing were Desmond, Russell Martin, Fowler, Chris Young, Jose Contreras, Jerry Hairston Jr., and brother Scott Hairston. Among Hall of Famers signing on the links were Baines, Fingers and Jim Kaat.
Curiously, it was not a weekend when your checkbook or credit card would do you any good for building your collection. On July induction weekends, the tiny Main Street in town is a crowded marketplace with dozens of Hall of Famers and lesser stars signing for a range of prices. Perhaps merchants didn’t expect enough of a crowd in town to justify the effort, but it seemed like a lost opportunity.
There was one way a fan could purchase an autograph in town, though not one signed in front of you. There is always a cornucopia of autographed, balls, bats, photos, etc. available at the several Cooperstown memorabilia shops and, of course, at the HOF gift shop (shop.baseballhall.org/).
In recent years the Hall of Fame has gone into the autograph business in a big way, and though the prices are on the high end of the spectrum ($599 for an autographed Ken Griffey Jr. ball, anyone?), the authenticity of the signatures is as good as it gets.
The HOF gift shop also is headquarters for all souvenirs of the Negro League East-West Classic weekend. Classiest of all are the replica flannel jerseys of each of the nine Negro League teams featured at the game. Made by Ebbets Field Flannels
and sporting a 50-50 wool-polyester blend, the jerseys retail at $235. Those enrolled in the HOF membership program (baseballhall.org/support-the-hall/become-a-member) receive a 20 percent discount on the jerseys.
A final item not available through the gift shop was a 32-page game program featuring articles and photos on the history of the Negro Leagues. The program, with a run of 10,000, was distributed free to all attending the game. Though it’s not available through the gift shop there were several listings on eBay at prices ranging from $4 to $25.
The weekend was certainly a hit with fans and collectors. Since 2009, the Hall of Fame has attempted to lure fans to Cooperstown on Memorial Day weekend with old-timers games with limited success. This was the first year the game was a sellout, and the large and enthusiastic crowds in the museum and on Main Street were a welcome sight for HOF officials and the town’s merchants.
The HOF has not yet made a decision as to whether the East-West Classic will be an annual event. Many fans and collectors returning from an action-packed weekend certainly hope to see it again.
