St. Marys – The families of the late N.E. (Peter) Hardy and Joseph John Lannin will be joined in the front row by Andre Dawson and Jim McKean in a star-studded ceremony at 10:00 AM on Saturday that will culminate a flurry of activities surrounding the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum's 2004 Induction Weekend.

SportsNet's Hazel Mae will act as Master of Ceremonies for the Induction, with the national anthem being sung by Michael Burgess. Steve Rogers will be giving greetings from the Major League Baseball Players Association, and Fergie Jenkins will present each inductee with their Hall of Fame blazer as their plaques are being unveiled.

The major sponsors for Induction Weekend are the Toronto Blue Jays, the Montreal Expos, the St. Marys Cement Company and Re/Max. Major League Baseball, the Florida Marlins, and the Boston Red Sox have also made significant contributions. Labatt Breweries, Pepsi, Schneiders and M&M Meats have also contributed significantly.

Meghan Williams (Miss Canada) and Canadian actor Sean McCann (Chicago, The Miracle) will co-MC the Sports Celebrity Banquet that follows the Celebrity Golf Classic on Friday, where veteran major league umpire Marty Springstead will be the guest speaker. There are openings for two foursomes in the golf tournament, and tickets for the banquet can be purchased separately for $50.00 from the Hall's administrative office at 140 Queen St. or by calling in advance.

Dawson will be accompanied by his wife Vanessa and their two children, Darius, 14, and Amber, 12. Hall of Famer Tony Perez and Jack Graney winner Dave Van Horne will be the presenters in the ceremony.

McKean will be joined by his wife Ann along with their two sons, James, 20, and Brett, 16. Springstead, who is now a Supervisor of major league umpires along with McKean and two others, will be McKean's presenter.

Dorothy Hardy, Peter's wife, will be joined by her two daughters, Gayle Waters and Beverly McTigue and their families. Former Blue Jays' executive Peter Widdrington and Hall of Famer Paul Beeston will present for Hardy, and Hardy's grandson, Harry Gundy, will make the acceptance speech.

Canadian baseball historian Bill Humber and Canadian Jeff Mallett, part-owner of the San Francisco Giants, will be the presenters for Lannin, and Lannin's great-grandson, Christopher Tunstall, will make the acceptance speech. Among the special annoucements prior to the actual ceremony, Montreal Expos long-time French radio voice Jacques Doucet will be awarded the 2004 Jack Graney Award. Doucet will be available since the Expos are playing in Toronto this weekend.

Spectators are encouraged to arrive by 9:00 AM on Saturday for seating. While there will be approximately eight hundred seats available under the tent, it is recommended to bring lawn chairs and umbrellas for seating outside of the tent. The Casino 39 band will play Dixieland music from 9:00-10:00 AM, and noted bagpiper Mark Fletcher and the RCMP will lead the processional at 10:00 AM. The Re/Max balloon will be there as well if the weather conditions permit.

A barbecue and licensed tent will coincide with the festivities on Saturday, an autograph session will follow the ceremony, and a Silent Auction will be run throughout the day.

And baseball too ...

Ball games will be played all afternoon on the site following the ceremony. The Intercounty Cardinals will challenge the Windsor Stars in a doubleheader on the St. Marys Cement Company Field, while the St. Marys Pee Wees host Listowel on Rotary Field.

Concert Saturday night ...

Tara Tuma, Canada's number one party band, will play Saturday night in the Induction Tent, beginning at 7:30 PM. Their lead vocalist is Town Councillor Rob Edney, who runs The World's Coolest Music Store. The event will be fully licensed and the barbecue will still be running. Tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the door, and can be purchased from the Hall of Fame's administrative office at 140 Queen St. or The World's Coolest Music Store, or by calling in advance.

ST. MARYS – 22 June 2004