The New York Yankee’s had a famous shortstop named Derek Jeter for twenty years. During that time, he had many firsts, which continues today even when he no longer plays baseball. This year on July 25 Jeter will be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame after waiting a long year when the ceremonies were cancelled last year due to the coronavirus. The ceremony on July 25 will for the first time be held indoors without adoring fans. It will be a television event.
Yesterday the Hall officials made this announcement:
“Though we are having to cancel our 2021 Hall of Fame Classic Weekend, the Hall of Fame is maintaining its commitment to hold an Induction Ceremony on July 25,†said Jane Forbes Clark, Chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. “We had hoped to be in a position to welcome loyal baseball fans back to Cooperstown for Induction Weekend, but with the continuing uncertainties created by COVID-19, the Board of Directors has decided not to hold Induction Weekend ceremonies at the traditional Clark Sports Center location. We have prepared alternative plans to conduct our annual Awards Presentation and Induction Ceremony as television events taking place indoors and adhering to all of the required New York State guidelines.â€
The Hall of Fame’s 2021 Induction Ceremony will honor the members of the Class of 2020: Derek Jeter, Marvin Miller, Ted Simmons and Larry Walker. Being honored during the Awards Presentation will be 2021 Ford C. Frick Award winner for broadcasting excellence, Al Michaels, and the 2020 Frick Award winner, Ken Harrelson; the 2021 Baseball Writers’ Association of America Career Excellence Award winner, Dick Kaegel, and the 2020 BBWAA Career Excellence Award winner, Nick Cafardo; and the 2020 Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award winner, David Montgomery.
The New York Yankee Derek Jeter and the other inductees will get there day but not in the sun. The 2019 ceremony was held in front of a record 55,000 fans, listening and cheering. That will no longer be the case as inductees will receive their award and give their acceptance speech before a digital television camera instead of an adoring audience. It will be a very different weekend in Cooperstown, but at least the awards will go on.