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otsego outdoors to present at welcome home cooperstown, page 13 VISIT www.ALLOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER/ONLINE Volume 217, No. 31
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, July 31, 2025
Newsstand Price $1
Ichiro’s Induction, Yakyu Exhibit Opening Highlight Weekend of Japanese Culture By CHARLIE VASCELLARO
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COOPERSTOWN he highly anticipated induction of the first Japaneseborn Hall of Famer, Ichiro Suzuki, brought an Orix Blue Wave of Japanese culture to Cooperstown during Induction Weekend, July 2528. Ichiro hit .356 for the 1996 Japan Series champion Orix Blue Wave of the Japan Pacific League five years
before becoming the first position player from Nippon Professional Baseball to join the major leagues in 2001. In the ensuing decades, Ichiro looked more like a Hall of Famer every day. In his first major league season, Ichiro won the Rookie of the Year Award and the American League Most Valuable Player Award, leading the league with 242 hits, 56 stolen
bases and a .353 batting average, and lifting the Seattle Mariners to a major league record 116 wins in a season. In 2001, Ichiro was named to the first of 10 straight All-Star teams. It was also the first of 10 straight seasons in which he had more than 200 hits, and the first of 10 straight Gold Glove Awards. For many years it has been a Continued on page 6
Skies Clear Over Cooperstown for NBHoF Induction Ceremony By CHARLIE VASCELLARO
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COOPERSTOWN he 2025 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was delayed by one hour because of rain, but with an assist from the baseball gods the skies cleared up and the ceremony took place under intermittent clouds and sunshine. The estimated attendance of 30,000 was nowhere near the 55,000 that had been speculated. In the unusual position of leading off was closer Billy Wagner, eighth on the all-time saves list with 422, behind Hall of Famers including Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, Lee Smith, and Dennis Eckersley, and ahead of such luminaries as Rollie Fingers and Rich Gossage. In a humble and subdued INSIDE ► Concerts for food tradition continues, page 2 ► ‘Collaborative kismet’ at art garage through september 13, page 2 ► induction ceremony provides common ground, page 4 ► OFO COMPILES DATA TO CLARIFY OTSEGO COUNTY NEEDS, page 5 ► ONEONTA NAACP TO HOLD PICNIC IN NEAHWA PARK, page 7 ► CALENDAR, page 14 Follow Breaking News On
speech, Wagner revisited the start of his 16-year career: “Who could have imagined, when I debuted in 1995, I would take the field with two future Hall of Famers, and now I’m joining them,” said Wagner, glancing back from the podium at former Houston Astros teammates Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. Speaking on behalf of his father, feared slugger and famed outfielder Dave Parker—who died just one month before the Induction Ceremony—Dave Parker II delivered a rhythmic, beat-poet style speech, moving in and out of his voice and his father’s voice in a spontaneous and improvisational style. Speaking in his father’s voice, he said, “I know what my stats looked like at every stop, and what the experts would say, what ancient YouTube videos show me in
Photo by Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Ten Hall of Famers, including Class of 2025 inductee Ichiro Suzuki, were on hand to view the museum’s new exhibit documenting the transpacific baseball exchange. Pictured above, from left, are: Ted Simmons, Harold Baines, former Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, NBHoF Board Chair Jane Forbes Clark, Jim Kaat, Jim Thome, Ichiro Suzuki, Cal Ripken Jr., George Brett, Fred McGriff, NBHoF President Josh Rawitch, John Smoltz, Hideo Nomo and Jack Morris.
all the faded living color.” And in his own voice, “Well, I just want you to know,
to all my Pittsburghers and all my Queen City brothers and sisters, Pops’ journey up and
down to California, to his one year in Milwaukee, every franContinued on page 11
New Owners To Revive Historic Oneonta Hotel Property By MONICA CALZOLARI
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ONEONTA yril and Gail O’Reilly are the new owners of 55,000 square feet of property from 193 to 203 Main Street in Oneonta. They plan to convert former hotel rooms that have stood vacant for an extended period of time into market-rate apartments for recent college graduates and young professionals. At a gathering on Saturday, July 25, City of Oneonta Mayor Mark
Drnek said, “This afternoon, it is my distinct pleasure to introduce Cyril and Gail O’Reilly to the Oneonta community. They are the new owners of our historic Oneonta Hotel, which, with its nextdoor building, they’ve christened, ‘The Oney on Main.’” The O’Reillys live in Nassau County, Long Island and own an electrical contracting business there. They are no Photo by Monica Calzolari strangers to Oneonta. Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek, Eighth Ward Council Member Don Mathisen, new tenant Cyril insisted that his wife Bobby Sharp, new owners Cyril and Gail O’Reilly (with scissors), and their two daugh- is the best spokesperson ters, Caroline O’Reilly and Megan O’Reilly, and Joshua Jackson, Caroline’s partner, celebrate the beginning of a new chapter for a historic property on Main Street. Continued on page 12
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S AWARD-WINNING WEEKLIES 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD
TWO Amazing Events ONE Fun-filled Day FREE with Admission
FIND OUT MORE FENIMOREART.ORG Saturday, August 9th 10:00am - 5:00pm
30+ Juried Artists from the Region. Enjoy tastings from Cooperstown Distillery and Austintacious Chocolates!