Baseball HOF Induction Ceremony Draws Crowd Approaching 50,000

An estimated crowd of 48,000 attended Sunday's Baseball HOF induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y. That total "registered third all time" behind the '07 crowd of more than 75,000 and the '99 crowd of about 50,000. Attendance "likely was enhanced by the weather, which turned out to be favorable, despite forecasts calling for thunderstorms" (Utica OBSERVER-DISPATCH, 7/28).

Frank Thomas in his induction speech "alluded to performance-enhancing drugs" being detrimental to the game, and he was later asked why he "didn't specifically mention steroids." Thomas said, "This is a special weekend. I just didn't think that stuff was necessary. We all know what has happened over the last 15 years of baseball. Today was a bright stage amongst heroes" (USA TODAY, 7/28).