The Baseball Hall of Fame has postponed the July induction ceremony of 2020 class until next year amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
New York Yankees legendary shortstop Derek Jeter, along with outfielder Larry Walker, catcher Ted Simmons, and executive Marvin Miller, have been voted to be the next class of Hall of Famers, but their ceremony will have to wait until next July, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Board of Directors voted unanimously.
The "Induction Weekend is a celebration of our National Pastime and its greatest legends, and while we are disappointed to cancel this incredibly special event, the Board of Directors' overriding concern is the health and well-being of our new inductees, our Hall of Fame members, our wonderful fans," and the hundreds of staff it takes to present the weekend's events in all of its many facets," Hall of Fame chairwoman Jane Forbes Clark said in a statement to MLB.com. "We care deeply about every single person who visits Cooperstown."
Cooperstown is the cradle of baseball in upstate New York, which is the hardest hit state in the United States and one of the world epicenters for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jeter and company will now share the stage July 25, 2021 with next year's class, according to the report.
"Being inducted into the Hall of Fame will be an incredible honor, but the health and safety of everyone involved are paramount," Jeter told MLB.com in a statement. "I respect and support the decision to postpone this year's enshrinement and am looking forward to joining current Hall of Famers, fans, staff and my family and friends in Cooperstown in 2021."
Lesser known slugger Larry Walker, who hails from Canada and played most of his career with the Colorado Rockies, shares Jeter's willingness to wait another summer.
"I fully understand and agree with the Board"s decision," Walker told MLB.com "It is most important to do the right thing for everybody involved, and that means not putting any participants in jeopardy, whether Hall of Famers or visitors. I realize how serious this situation has become and how many lives have been lost."
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