The Final 9

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Outside of Cooperstown High School on Saturday hung a white sign with black printed letters attached to a cyclone fence, honoring their class of 2007, which graduated on June 24 of that year. Presumably, another class graduated in 2008, although the powers that be haven't gotten around to changing the sign yet.
Inside the school's auditorium, the National Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2008 made its last media appearance prior to Sunday's induction ceremonies on a stage behind the Clark Sports Center, which will be carried by MLB.com at 1:30 p.m. ET. Like the high school class, this year's group of Hall of Famers largely have been overshadowed by the class of '07 -- Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn.

Less than a hundred media members were on hand to listen to Rich "Goose" Gossage, one of the top relief pitchers of his era, at one session along with Dick Williams, the erstwhile manager. Both are finally getting their due after long waits to be elected.

"It's going to be a very emotional time for me, because the people who were influential in my career are gone," Gossage said. "It's overwhelming. It's going to be a very happy day, not a sad day. It'll be very emotional, but I'll get through it."

Hall of Fame class ready for induction....