I went to this game in 1991, when Fergie Jenkins and Rod Carew went in. The Giants played the Twins, and it was a really fun game. Puckett was in CF goofing around with the fans, only about eight rows of them in the outfield. One guy from the Giants, Greg Litton I think, played all nine positions and that forced a young Rod Beck into left field for an at bat. A loose, fun vibe permeated the place and it seemed like the players had a good time. It's a shame MLB let the game die.

I went twice. In 1981 (Elmira Pioneers {Red Sox} vs. Oneonta Yankees) and 1982 (Mets-White Sox, got my only foul ball off the bat of Mike Jorgensen). I enjoyed the hell out of them.

We can thank the Players' Association for the end of the HOF Game. They complained about, and complained about it, until finally MLB agreed to cancel it.

I could believe that. Makes you wonder what MLB got from the union in exchange for this.

I could believe that. Makes you wonder what MLB got from the union in exchange for this.

I doubt the league cared enough to put up a fight. There really wasn't anything in it for MLB.

I do remember it, as one of the very few interleague games played (an exhibition, of course) after Spring Training. Another small joy lost so that we can see those exciting Indians-Pirates series nowadays.

@ SoSH, I see your point, but MLB has never been known to leave a dime on the table. If they know you want something they have, they'll get their pound of flesh. Or even with nothing in it for them, they'll somehow extract an ounce.

I know I went in 1983, '86, and '87, and there might have been one more. I'm sure it was a hassle for the teams, and the game was a glorified spring training game by the third inning (i.e., mostly bench players and minor-league call-ups), but it was a lot of fun as a young fan. I still have the Jim Palmer autograph I got in '83 and the batting gloves Jorge Orta gave me in '86, plus a slew of other autographs. Those were the good old days.

It was sad to see this annual event die, but I've heard the new HOF Classic is great for fans. Instead of two ML teams rushing in and out, I guess it's more of a relaxed, day-long event with more player/fan interaction, etc. But for young kids especially, there's nothing like seeing actual ML teams up close and personal, so it's unfortunate that almost all of these exhibition games (HOF, Triple-A) have ended.

I don't remember the HOF game really, and still have a visit to Cooperstown in the future, but I will look for the bowling alley or ask a docent if it doesn't exist anymore. However, John D'A, I did witness the debut of a certain overhyped Giants' pitching prospect in the second game of a doubleheader (Marichal pitched game 1) against the Braves.

I could never forget the Hall of Fame game, and I never went. For a lot of years, teams would fly into the middle-of-nowhere Oneida County Airport, which I lived just ten or so steps over a mile from. The Mets played in 1976, 1978, and 1982 but no matter who was playing, we always tried to ride our bikes up there to greet them and say hey and get autographs.

I know it's kind of a KIDS TODAY position, but the fact that they can't get two major-league teams to play a game for fun in front of less than 10,000 fans one random summer day a year strikes me as very very very very very wrong.

Do You Remember the Hall of Fame Game?

Is that the one that started "Honus-Honus-Bo-Bonus-Bananna-Fanna-Fo-Fonus...?"

I went to this game in 1991

I was at that game.I was sitting in the outfield asking Jarvis Brown a Twins scrub to toss me a ball. He never and he's been on my enemies list ever since.