Baseball's Hall of Fame Game Betting Odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook

» Events » MLB Hall's of Fame Game

Hall of Fame Game betting odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook

History

The tradition of the Hall of Fame Game dates back to 1940, when the first game, featuring the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox, was held.

During the summer-long celebration of baseball’s centennial in 1939, an all-star game was played on June 12, the date of the Museum’s grand opening and first Induction, as the 16 major league teams took an off-day and two members from each club traveled to play in Cooperstown.

Two additional games, exhibition contests featuring the New York Yankees versus the Newark Bears and the Philadelphia Athletics against the Penn Athletic Club, were also held that summer, prompting discussions of future tilts that would bring crowds back to Cooperstown for subsequent summers.

At the annual joint meeting of the National and American leagues, held at Chicago, Dec. 11, 1940, with Commissioner Kenesaw Landis presiding, it was decided to make permanent the playing of an annual interleague exhibition game between two major league teams, the proceeds of which would be devoted to the upkeep of the national shrine.

Thus began what Cooperstown, and the rest of the baseball world, has come to know as a rite of summer, a sunny afternoon ballgame played on the former cow pasture where Major Abner Doubleday was once thought to have laid out the first diamond and formulated the first rules of the nation’s pastime way back in 1839. Today, the game supports the village of Cooperstown and the Museum, continuing one of baseball’s longest standing traditions.

From 1940-1978, the annual Game and Induction Ceremony were scheduled to take place on the same day. Starting in 1979, the Game was moved to the day following the annual Ceremony.

Throughout the Hall of Fame Game’s history, a who’s who of the top players from the last six decades have participated. A sampling of the future Hall of Fame greats who have homered at the venerable park include: Ted Williams, Duke Snider, Mickey Mantle, Bill Mazeroski, Hank Aaron, Orlando Cepeda, Ernie Banks, Carlton Fisk, Willie Stargell and George Brett.

While the Hall of Fame Game has always been played as part of Induction Weekend, the 2003 contest between the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the 57th annual game, will instead take place on Monday, June 16, concluding three days of Father’s Day Weekend events at the Museum. As the Hall of Fame Game is now the only in-season exhibition game as part of the new Basic Agreement for Major League Baseball, scheduling precluded the annual Weekend and Game from being part of the same long weekend this year. Though historically an interleague game, the Hall of Fame Game has featured teams from the same league in recent seasons.

With two major league clubs visiting Cooperstown every summer, the playing field must be in top shape. The responsibility of making sure everything is just right falls on the shoulders of Joe Harris, the head groundskeeper at Doubleday Field since 1990.

Hall of Fame Game Linescores of the last 16 years

2006 — 60th Annual Game
May 15
Cincinnati Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates
*Stopped by rain in the third inning.*

2005 — 59th Annual Game
May 23	R	H	E
Boston Red Sox	4	9	1
Detroit Tigers	6	11	0

2004 — 58th Annual Game
June 14	R	H	E
Atlanta Braves	10	13	2
Minnesota Twins	7	11	3

2003 — 57th Annual Game
June 16	R	H	E
Tampa Bay Devil Rays	5	6	1
Philadelphia Phillies	7	12	2

2002 — 56th Annual Game
July 29	R	H	E
Colorado Rockies	18	24	2
Chicago White Sox	10	11	2

2001 — 55th Annual Game
August 6	R	H	E
Milwaukee Brewers	6	14	0
Florida Marlins	2	5	1

2000 — 54th Annual Game
July 24	R	H	E
Cleveland Indians	7	17	0
Arizona Diamondbacks	12	15	0

1999 — 53rd Annual Game
July 26	R	H	E
Kansas City Royals	9	12	0
Texas Rangers	11	14	3
*Game called after eight innings due to rain.*

1998 — 52nd Annual Game
July 27	R	H	E
Baltimore Orioles	7	11	0
Toronto Blue Jays	1	5	1

1997 — 51st Annual Game
August 4	R	H	E
Los Angeles Dodgers	16	21	1
San Diego Padres	8	10	4

1996 — 50th Annual Game
August 5	R	H	E
Montreal Expos	6	11	0
California Angels	6	10	0
*Game ended in tie after nine innings.*

1995 — 49th Annual Game
July 31	R	H	E
Detroit Tigers	6	8	0
Chicago Cubs	8	15	2

1994 — 48th Annual Game
August 1	R	H	E
Philadelphia Phillies	3	5	1
Seattle Mariners	4	10	2

1993
August 2	R	H	E
Cleveland Indians
Los Angeles Dodgers
*Rained out.*

1992 — 47th Annual Game
August 3	R	H	E
Chicago White Sox	0	1	0
New York Mets	3	5	0

1991 — 46th Annual Game
July 22	R	H	E
San Francisco Giants	4	9	2
Minnesota Twins	6	9	2

1990
August 6	R	H	E
Montreal Expos
Baltimore Orioles
*Rained out.*

Sportsbook Expert Columns
	MLB odds: Indians vs. Yankees - WagerWeb Sportsbook Sports Betting at WagerWeb Online Sportsbook The best pitching matchup heading into Tuesday's night baseball action would appear to be in the Bronx, where Cleveland's Fausto Carmona opposes New York's Andy Pettitte, with the Yankees -135 money l read full article...
	MLB odds: Phillies vs. Diamondbacks - WagerWeb Sportsbook Sports Betting at WagerWeb Online Sportsbook A battle of division leaders and 2007 playoff teams headlines Tuesday night's baseball action as the streaking Philadelphia Phillies visit Arizona, with the Diamondbacks -148 money line betting favori read full article...
	MLB odds: Red Sox vs. Tigers - WagerWeb Sportsbook Sports Betting at WagerWeb Online Sportsbook Boston and Detroit begin a four-game series on Monday night at Comerica Park in what will be the teams' last series of the season, although it's very possibly a playoff preview - the teams are nearly read full article...
	MLB odds: A's vs. Angels - WagerWeb Sportsbook Sports Betting at WagerWeb Online Sportsbook One of the top pitching prospects in baseball will make his major-league debut on Thursday night.Nick Adenhart, the 21-year-old right-hander who is the Angels' top pitching prospect, will make his debut ag read full article...