Al Hrabosky, a former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher who had been scheduled to participate in the Hot Springs Baseball Weekend of events next month, has been scratched from the lineup.
But the annual celebration of Hot Springs' baseball heritage will go on as scheduled Aug. 25-26 at the Hot Springs Convention Center and feature four Baseball Hall of Fame members: Rollie Fingers, Wade Boggs, Rich "Goose" Gossage and Steve Carlton. Admission is free.
"Al had an unexpected situation arise and will miss Baseball Weekend for the first time since we started it six years ago," said Steve Arrison, chief executive officer of the city's tourism agency, in a news release. "Al has been a crowd favorite every year, and he's disappointed that he's forced to miss this year. We hope to see him back next year and into the future because the fans love him."
Hot Springs Baseball Weekend celebrates the city's place in baseball history. Hot Springs was the first place where -- beginning in the late 19th Century -- several major league teams brought their players to spring training, drawn to the city's mild weather and world-famous thermal waters.
The city has a historic baseball trail where fans can take a self-guided tour of the locations where immortals like Babe Ruth trained and played. An eight-foot bronze statue of Ruth -- one of only three in the world -- was dedicated last spring at the city's Majestic Park baseball complex, the site where Ruth, Honus Wagner, Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron played and trained.
The schedule of events and other information is available at https://www.hotsprings.org/events/sixth-annual-baseball-weekend/.