Al Bumbry returned from Vietnam in 1971 as a hero, long before he ever joined the legendary Baltimore Orioles teams of that era.
His service to the country – along with baseball’s longtime connection to the military – will be celebrated Memorial Day Weekend in Cooperstown.
Bumbry, the 1973 American League Rookie of the Year and key member of the 1983 Orioles team that won the World Series, will appear at the Hall of Fame Military Classic: A Tribute to Service and Sacrifice on Saturday, May 23 at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.
Bumbry, who served in the United States Army in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970 and was awarded a Bronze Star, will be joined by two dozen former big leaguers, including David Robertson – the owner of 179 big league saves who was active in the majors just last year.
Bumbry will be on a roster with two additional players who served as active duty military members prior to their big league careers: Mitch Harris, a United States Naval Academy graduate; and Chris Rowley, a West Point alumnus.
The Classic will feature Hall of Fame managers and coaches along with recently retired MLB players in a seven-inning legends game at Doubleday Field in honor of baseball’s longtime connection to the military. Hall of Famers Wade Boggs, Rollie Fingers, Todd Helton, Fergie Jenkins, Tony La Russa, Scott Rolen and Joe Torre will appear, along with the two-dozen former big leaguers and include a pregame home run hitting contest.
Also participating will be 1981 World Series champion Rick Monday, whose rescue of the American flag at Dodger Stadium in 1976 became a rallying point for the country during that bicentennial year. The flag Monday rescued will be on exhibit at the Hall of Fame from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend.
The Louisville Slugger Warriors amputee baseball team will have four representatives on the roster as well as head coach Curtis Pride, who overcame hearing loss en route to an 11-year career in the big leagues. The Louisville Slugger Warriors are a competitive amputee baseball team that consists of U.S. Military Veterans, Active Duty personnel, Wounded Warriors and current and former amputee college baseball players. They have suffered either loss of limb, partial limb, digits, eye and serious limb deformities. Others have prostheses due to congenital, disease, or trauma-related reasons.
Brittany Apgar and Alyssa Zettlemoyer, who will play in the Women’s Pro Baseball League historic debut season this summer, will also suit up for the Hall of Fame Military Classic.