Hall of Fame Induction weekend brought me and my buddy Scott to this wonderful village in upstate New York. It was a SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) meeting that brought us to this Mecca of baseball. It was Induction Sunday, so we arrived at 4pm to avoid the traffic; but since the meeting began at 7pm we had some time on our hands.

Many items of memorabilia were available from both street vendors as well as from established store-front merchants. Of course the smell of hot dogs was ever present. I bought some special catchets upon which were placed some of the new ‘All Time Baseball Greats’ stamps that had been recently issued by the US Postal Service.

A special stamp cancellation had been designed exclusively for use that day (kind of a ‘ballpark game-ticket rain/check’ design). A temporary cancellation station was set up outside the post office to accommodate the large number of fans. Fans were getting all kinds of items cancelled: baseballs, envelopes, programs, newspaper articles, posters, postcards and just about anything with a stamp. If it had a US postage stamp on it, they’d cancel it! One female fan in her 40’s didn’t quite get it — she persisted in asking to have a variety of items cancelled although they had no stamp on them!

Pete Rose had set up shop to sign autographs just ‘a Jim Grey’s question away’ from the HOF outside Tom Catale’s baseball museum (which highlights Rose, Mantle and other stars). There was no question what the fans’sentiments were regarding their approval of Rose (this was, of course, a Reds weekend).

I was fortunate to have my photo taken with three former Yankees that day:

• A pitcher who is better known for one game than his entire career
• A third baseman who set the standard for Graig Nettles to follow
• A pitcher who is remembered more for his pitching style than his on mound accomplishments (although they were nothing to sneeze at.)

I had a question for each as I waited for Scott to snap the pictures with one of those new fangled disposable cameras I bought at the store around the corner and paid too much for; (the price one pays for forgetting your camera at home).

For Don Larsen: Question "Was Yogi heavy when he jumped into your arms?"

Answer "I didn’t feel a thing; but if he did it today, well…………..!!!

For Clete Boyer: (who I had met several years earlier) Question "Do you remember meeting me at a card show in New Hartford, NY several years ago? I was set up next to your autograph booth that weekend and I showed you some 5x7 photos from my Mickey Mantle collection?" Answer " Oh yeah, I remember." (It’s questionable whether he did or not; he asked me too many questions. Clete has a ‘Hamburger Hall of Fame’ restaurant outside of Cooperstown . I plan to check it out soon. Do you think he’ll be there??)

For Luis Tiant: (as I put my arm around him for the photo and glanced into his shirt pocket) Question "May I have a cigar!? Answer (There was none). He laughed. (I didn’t get one).

That evening , Scott and I attended the SABR meeting. More on that later.