Fourth annual Hall of Fame Classic changing dates

One weekend earlier – that’s when you can expect to see Phil Niekro and Ozzie Smith lead the two teams in the Hall of Fame Classic.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will host Hall of Fame Classic Weekend on the weekend of June 15, 2012. Six Hall of Fame members will highlight the Fourth Annual Hall of Fame Classic at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, N.Y.

From the baseballhal.org:

Classic Weekend will feature a slate of family friendly activities, highlighted by the return of the Hall of Fame Classic, a seven-inning legends game featuring six Hall of Famers and 20 other retired major league stars, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 16. Other activities planned for Classic Weekend include a Hall of Fame golf tournament fundraiser for the Museum, the Youth Skills Clinic hosted by several former major league players, a special Voices of the Game program, and other unique programs throughout the Museum.

“We listened to fans about their ability to attend the game on Father’s Day, and we believe that a switch to Saturday enables a larger potential pool of families to experience this wonderful Cooperstown tradition,” said Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson. “We have experienced great success with the Hall of Fame Classic and Classic Weekend in its first three years, with the support of visitors, the game’s players, Ford Motor Company, the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association and the entire Cooperstown community. We look forward to welcoming fans back and greeting new ones as well.”

Hall of Famers Phil Niekro and Ozzie Smith will return as team captains to headline the Hall of Fame Classic, with preliminary rosters of more than 20 other former major leaguers and additional Hall of Famers to be announced this spring. The 2012 Hall of Fame Classic will once again be staged in conjunction with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.

There are also a handful of other activities for baseball fans. If you can’t swing a bat, but you can like chasing the dimpled little what ball around, the Hall of Fame golf tournament fundraiser for the museum will be that weekend. Also a youth skills clinic, and a special “Voices of the Game” program.