Who’s on First?
Homer Simpson, maybe for the first time ever.
In a baseball triumph about as unexpected as the 1991 Atlanta Braves's "worst to first" season, the usually hapless head of the Simpsons clan will be . . . brace yourselves . . . inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Saturday.
OK, well everyone involved is saying “inducted.” But, whatever, it’s happening.
The event honors the 25th anniversary of the classic Simpsons episode “Homer at the Bat.” Immediately afterwards, a Simpsons-themed exhibition case will open to the public inside the same Cooperstown museum that honors the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and of course, a number of Braves greats like Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro, and the Big Three pitching contingent, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux. (We know, Homer’s in and Dale Murphy isn’t...sigh).
RELATED: Braves Big Three: From Atlanta to Cooperstown
In the episode, which first aired in February 1992, Homer won the championship softball game for the Springfield Nuclear Power Plan by -- d’oh, how else? -- getting hit by a pitch. It featured guest-voice appearances by nine superstar Major League Baseball players, includingHall of Famers Wade Boggs, Ken Griffey, Jr. and Ozzie Smith, as well as Roger Clemens, Steve Sax, Jose Canseco, Don Mattingly, Darryl Strawberry and Mike Scioscia.
Related video: Watch Homer win the game for Springfield Power!
The festivities begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday with a screening of the full episode on an outdoor screen; then, at 9:30 a.m., Boggs, Smith and Sax will take place in "roundtable discussion" of the episode, along with its executive producer, Al Jean, and other "Simpsons" production insiders. The historic event, which all takes place outside the Library entrance to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, will conclude with Homer's "induction" ceremony (Follow along with the official hashtag #HOFHomer)
It's all part of a weekend of activity taking place at the inconic Cooperstown, N.Y. institution. At noon on Saturday, the traditional Hall of Fame Classic Home Run Derby will take place at Doubleday Field. That will be followed by the playing of the ninth annual Hall of Fame Classic. A seven-inning game, it will feature recently retired players representing all 30 Major League teams, as well as legends like Niekro, Smith, Boggs, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage and Juan Marichal.
No word on whether Homer will be playing in that (and getting hit by a pitch). However, the first 4,500 fans in attendance will receive a rally towel featuring original artwork of Homer in his Hall of Fame uniform.
Tickets ($12.50 for seats along first and third base, $11 general admission) are required for the Classic. They’re available at 1-877-726-9028 or at www.baseballhall.org.
The “Homer at the Bat” screening and roundtable discussion are free and open to the public.
