Homer at the Bat

On Feb. 20, 1992, The Simpsons aired "Homer at the Bat," the heartwarming tale of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant softball team's improbable run to a championship -- with a little help from Ken Griffey Jr., Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens and more big league ringers.

It had it all: hypnotists, extensive heckling of Darryl Strawberry, even an elaborate parody of Terry Cashman's "Talkin' Baseball" ... sung by Terry Cashman:

Almost immediately, the episode became a cultural icon. It was the first time any show had ever beaten "The Cosby Show" in its Thursday night time slot, and it's even helped save a life or two. And on Saturday morning, just over 25 years after it first aired, "Homer at the Bat" and Homer himself got the recognition they deserve: enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The big day began with an airing of the famed "Homer at the Bat" episode in its entirety, as the occasion definitely called for such an opportunity.

The induction ceremonies began on the steps outside the Hall, where a suspiciously gigantic Homer Simpson got his very own plaque:

Longtime Simpsons showrunner and writer Al Jean introduced Homer's prerecorded acceptance speech, which began with the following:

"It is with great humility that I enter the Hall of Fame. And it's about time! I'm fatter than Babe Ruth, balder than Ty Cobb and have one more finger than Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown."

The Mayor of Cooperstown, Jeff Katz, made an appearance as well, declaring May 27, 2017, "Homer J. Simpson Day" -- and did so wearing a sash that read, "MAYOR," a wonderful nod to Springfield Mayor Quimby.

Some old friends stopped by to wish Homer well -- and Ozzie Smith even managed to find his way out of the Springfield Mystery Spot.