The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

A Walk-Off Win in Cooperstown

Detroit Tigers win the 59th Annual Hall of Fame Game on a Dramatic Two-Run Walk-Off Home Run

May 23, 2005 | Dan Holmes

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.: Derek Nicholson had hit just one home run so far this season for Detroit's Lakeland, Florida affiliate, but today he turned into "The Sultan of Swat" on the same field where Babe Ruth once played. Nicholson etched his name in history when he slugged a homer in the 59th Annual Hall of Fame Game on Monday.

Called up to join the Tigers for the exhibition game played at historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, Nicholson belted a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Detroit a 6-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

"I'm on cloud nine," Nicholson said. "This is my fifteen minutes of fame, and I'm totally stoked right now. This is awesome."

Derek Nicholson is greeted by his Tiger teammates after his game-ending, walk-off home run that gave Detroit a 6-4 victory in the 59th annual Hall of Fame Game at Cooperstown's Doubleday Field.

A partisan crowd of Red Sox fans didn't seem to mind Nicholson's homer, as the afternoon was filled with excitement for the 10,000 fans in attendance.

"This is for the fans," Detroit manager Alan Trammell said. "This is the best place for a baseball fan, it's like heaven."

For the first five innings of the contest it appeared the Red Sox would succumb to Detroit's solid pitching and stingy defense. Right-hander Mark Johnson, summoned from Erie, started the game for the Tigers. But a late-inning rally knotted the game at 4-4, and after Boston was retired in the top of the ninth, it appeared the game might end in a tie. The annual exhibition game is halted at nine innings regardless of the score.

After the first two Tiger batters were retired in the bottom of the ninth, Russ Cleveland lined a double into the right-center gap. Nicholson followed with his opposite field homer to left-center to set off a celebration by the Tigers. Though Nicholson has never played at the major league level, four current Tigers were waiting at home plate to greet him: Nook Logan, Carlos Pena, Jason Smith, and Vance Wilson.

Pena, who was 4-for-4 with a home run, was named the game's Most Valuable Player. A graduate of Northeastern University in Boston and a former MVP of the Cape Cod League, Pena paused between innings several times during the game to greet friends.

"It’s an honor to be out here at Doubleday Field. It’s every little kid’s dream to come out here and play on this field," Pena said. "I didn’t know I was going to play the whole game, but I’m glad I did. It was a lot of fun."

Prior to the game, the popular Home Run Derby was held. Boston slugger David Ortiz put on an impressive display, socking eight home runs in ten swings to easily win the competition. Detroit's Craig Monroe, Marcus Thames, and Dmitri Young, and Boston's Johnny Damon and Jay Payton also took part.

"This is a great hitters’ park. The pitchers won’t like it to much," Pena said. "I think there would be a pitchers’ strike if this was a major league field. I think fans just like to see offense and this is a field that promotes offensive explosions like today. It was great."

Both the Red Sox and Tigers played many of their regulars for the first few innings of the Hall of Fame Game. Damon, who drew loud cheers from the partisan Boston crowd, led off the game with a strikeout. He later spent an inning stationed in the coaches box at third base for Boston, exchanging laughs with the crowd.

Boston coach Dale Sveum, who last played in the big leagues in 1999, appeared in the game as a pinch-hitter and collected a single. He was removed for a pinch-runner but later was inserted as a defensive replacement at first base.

For the Red Sox, Anibel Sanchez pitched the first six innings, allowing four earned runs. He was followed by Juan Perez, Manny Delcarmen, and Barry Hertzler. Top shortstop prospect Hanley Ramirez was 2-for-3 in the game.

For the Tigers it was their third victory in Hall of Fame Game competition. The team has appeared in seven games, having earned their previous victories in 1968 and 1984, two seasons in which they also won the World Series title.

With the loss, the Red Sox own a 4-3 mark in the Hall of Fame Game. They last won in 1975, when they defeated the San Francisco Giants, 11-5.