HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — Three Major League Baseball Hall of Famers are among the five legends of the game who will be featured guests at the Seventh Annual Hot Springs Baseball Weekend August 23 – 24 at the Hot Springs Convention Center.
Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Robin Yount and Ted Simmons will join legends Steve Garvey and Al (The Mad Hungarian) Hrabosky in a weekend of panel discussions, interactions with fans and baseball film that celebrates Hot Springs’ role as the Birthplace of Major League Baseball Spring Training.
Hrabosky will return to Hot Springs after missing last year’s weekend. That was the only time he hasn’t been present for the weekend since it began.
“What a great lineup of true baseball legends we have for fans this year,” Visit Hot Springs CEO Steve Arrison said. “I’m sure there will be plenty of interesting questions for fans to exchange with our guest celebrities. It should be a great weekend.”
Arrison said the weekend also would feature a large baseball-card show and a baseball movie.
Johnny Bench played his entire career, which lasted from 1967 to 1983, with the Cincinnati Reds, primarily as a catcher. Bench was the leader of the Reds team known as the Big Red Machine that dominated the National League in the mid-1970s, winning six division titles, four National League pennants and two World Series championships. A 14-time All Star and a two-time National League Most Valuable Player, Bench excelled on offense as well as on defense, twice leading the National League in home runs and three times in runs batted in. At the time of his retirement in 1983, he held the major league record for most home runs hit by a catcher.
On defense, Bench was a 10-time Gold Glove Award winner who skillfully handled pitching staffs and possessed a strong, accurate throwing arm. He caught 100 or more games for 13 consecutive seasons. In 1986, Bench was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. ESPN has called him the greatest catcher in baseball history.
Steve Garvey played as a first-baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1987. Garvey began his major league career with the Dodgers in 1969. He won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1974 and was the National League Championship Series MVP in 1978. Garvey won his only World Series ring as a member of the Dodgers' 1981 Series-winning squad.
Garvey signed with the Padres in December 1982 and remained with the team until 1987, when his playing career ended. In 1984, Garvey was once again named a National League Championship Series MVP; he hit a dramatic walk-off home run to win Game 4 of the Championship Series for the Padres. Overall, Garvey was an NL All-Star for 10 seasons. He holds the NL record for consecutive games played with 1,207. The Padres retired Garvey's No. 6 in 1988.
Robin Yount, nicknamed “The Kid” and “Rockin’ Robin,” spent his entire 20-year career as a shortstop and centerfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Yount was drafted in 1973 and advanced to the major leagues one year later at the age of 18. He won two American League Most Valuable Player Awards. In 1962 he led the Brewers to a World Series appearance. Yount was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999, in his first year of eligibility. Since his retirement as a player, he has held several roles as a baseball coach.
Ted Simmons was a catcher for most of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves. He is considered one of the best hitting catchers in MLB history. At the time of his retirement, Simmons led all catchers in career hits and doubles and ranked second in RBIs behind Yogi Berra and second in total bases behind Carlton Fisk. He also retired with the National League record for home runs by a switch-hitter despite playing several years in the American League. Simmons hit .300 seven different times, hit 20 home runs six times, and caught 122 shutouts, eighth-most all-time. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019 and was formally enshrined in 2021. On July 31, 2021, he was honored by the Cardinals with the retirement of his jersey number (23) along with a statue.
Al Hrabosky is now known as Mister Baseball Weekend after attending every one of the annual celebrations except last year’s, when he was absent due to family obligations.
He is one of the St. Louis Cardinals’ most beloved players — the Mad Hungarian relief pitcher.
“Al has been a featured guest at every one of our Baseball Weekends except last year,” Arrison said. “The hundreds of fans who have attended his presentations have loved his tales of Major League Baseball.” He is part of the Cardinals television team and began working as a commentator on telecasts for the team in 1985.
Hrabosky made a smooth transition from one of St. Louis' best-loved athletes, the "Mad Hungarian" of the Cardinals 1970s bullpen, to the broadcast booth. During a 13-year Major League career in which he compiled 97 saves and earned Fireman of the Year honors in 1975, Hrabosky already was preparing himself for broadcasting by working as a sportscaster for a St. Louis TV station.
Hrabosky was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in February 2003, the Fullerton College Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Savanna High School Hall of Fame in 2011. Away from the booth, he is active in many charities, including the St. Louis Zoo and Angel Arms. He and his wife, June, reside in St. Louis.
For more information call Steve Arrison at 501-321-2027.
