My first induction ceremony in Cooperstown was 1966.  I was lucky.  My dad always got a bunch of free tickets from our grocery store beer salesman, Diz LaMonica.  So we all went and we even took friends with us.  We attended several Hall of Fame games in the early 1960s but I think the very first induction ceremony I attended was 1966.

This was when the ceremony was held in Cooper Park behind the museum.  That year we saw Casey Stengel and Ted Williams go in.  It was a very exciting day.  Over 7,000 attended that day.  I went to many more induction ceremonies over the years, but I think that was the first.

By the way, 53,000 attended this year's ceremony!  The second largest crowd ever.

Wow....

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