Play ball! Hall of Fame Classic returns to Cooperstown

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) The ninth annual Hall of Fame Classic is on tap for Saturday at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.

Baseball Hall of Famers Phil Niekro and Ozzie Smith will serve as managers, and Hall of Famers Wade Boggs, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage and Juan Marichal will serve as coaches for the teams - The Knucksies and The Wizards.

Steve Sax, Wally Joyner, Todd Zeile and Michael Cuddyer are among former major leaguers slated to play, along with four soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. There's also the traditional pre-game home run contest.

A round-table discussion with members of the production team for the ''Homer at the Bat'' episode of the former cartoon hit ''The Simpsons'' will be held in Cooper Park in the morning.