With a record number of Baseball Hall of Famers scheduled to be in attendance, MLB Network will exclusively televise the 2019 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony featuring new members Harold Baines, Roy Halladay, Mike Mussina, Edgar Martinez, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith this Sunday, July 21 in Cooperstown, New York.
MLB Network analyst and former New York Yankees catcher and manager Joe Girardi will be part of MLB Network's induction coverage for the first time as his former players Rivera and Mussina are enshrined in the renowned halls at Cooperstown. Girardi will be joined by Hall of Fame award-winning writer Peter Gammons, MLB Network analyst and Martinez's former Seattle Mariners teammate Harold Reynolds, and hosts Greg Amsinger and Robert Flores for "MLB Tonight" on Sunday live at 11:00 a.m. ET, followed by the Induction Ceremony at 1:30 p.m. ET. "MLB Tonight" coverage will also feature the acceptance speech by 2019 J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner and MLB Network insider Jayson Stark.
Three new vignettes narrated by Hall of Fame award-winning broadcaster and MLB Network host Bob Costas will air during "MLB Tonight" explaining the historical significance of the Plaque Gallery inside the Hall of Fame; how the famed Otesaga Resort Hotel has become a meeting ground for generations of baseball legends; and why the picturesque village of Cooperstown is the perfect location for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In addition to the vignettes, MLB Network will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1999 Hall of Fame Class with an all-access feature that includes rarely seen video footage from Induction Weekend two decades ago.
Leading up to each acceptance speech on Sunday, MLB Network will air new conversations with former teammates or managers from each of the inductees' careers, including:
- Jay Buhner and Harold Reynolds on how Edgar Martinez became one of the most feared hitters in the game;
- Chris Carpenter on Roy Halladay's relentless dedication to his craft and being one of the best pitchers of his generation;
- Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk on Harold Baines' consistency and productivity throughout his 22-year Major League career;
- Joe Girardi and Andy Pettitte on how Mariano Rivera became the best closer and the first unanimous Hall of Famer in baseball history;
- Rick Sutcliffe on how Lee Smith intimidated hitters on his way to 478 career saves;
- and Hall of Famer Joe Torre on the tenacity Mike Mussina demonstrated throughout his 18-year Major League career.
Hosted by MLB Network's Brian Kenny, the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be simulcast on MLB.com and available via MLB At Bat. The results of the 2019 Baseball Writers' Association of America Hall of Fame election were announced on January 22 live from MLB Network's studios for the 11th consecutive year, and aired exclusively on MLB Network and MLB.com.