LAS VEGAS (AP) — Derek Carr threw a 31-yard TD pass to Zay Jones after the Raiders squandered their first possession of overtime, beating the Baltimore Ravens 33-27 on Monday night in the team's first game with fans in Las Vegas.

Carr's second TD pass of the game came after Carl Nassib's strip sack of Lamar Jackson at the Ravens 27. Nassib made big news this offseason when he became the first active NFL player to come out as gay.

The Raiders had thrown an interception after driving to the 1 on the opening possession of overtime and made another blunder with a delay of game before a field goal try.

Coach Jon Gruden then sent the offense back on the field and Carr hit Jones on the next play for the game-winner.

The Raiders trailed 14-0 early, ending a 98-game, regular-season win streak for the Ravens when leading by at least 14 points dating to 2004.

The loss capped a rough stretch for the Ravens, who have had a run of injuries that sidelined top three running backs J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, as well as cornerback Marcus Peters, for the season.

They had won the past five openers by a margin of 177-26, but came up short in this nail-biter thanks to a strong game from Carr, who threw for 435 yards .

The overtime came after a wild back-and-forth fourth quarter that featured the Raiders rallying to tie the game on three separate occasions, with Carr driving Las Vegas to a tying 55-yard field goal in the final 37 seconds.

The Ravens had taken the lead when Jackson scrambled 28 yards to help set up Justin Tucker's 47-yard field goal.

The Raiders earlier got a forced fumble by Quinton Jefferson against Jackson to set up Josh Jacobs' 15-yard TD run, tying the game at 17. The Ravens answered when former Raider Latavius Murray ran it in from 8 yards one play after Jackson found Sammy Watkins on a mismatch for a 49-yard pass.

Carr then connected on a 37-yard pass to Henry Ruggs III that set up a tying 10-yard TD to Darren Waller with 3:44 to play.

SPECTACULAR PLAY

Jackson's TD pass to Marquise Brown in the first half was a spectacular individual effort. He escaped pressure from Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue and scrambled before finding Brown in the back of the end zone for a 10-yard score.

According to NFL NextGen stats, Jackson took 7.84 seconds to throw for the fifth longest on a TD pass in the past five seasons and scrambled 27 yards for his most ever on a TD.

GO FOR IT

The Ravens went for it twice on fourth down in the first half, getting a 35-yard TD run from Ty'Son Williams on one of the first. Murray got stuffed by K.J. Wright on the second.

The Raiders got stopped on a fourth-and-1 run by Jacobs at the Ravens 13 in the third quarter.

SLOW START

The Raiders got off to a sluggish start offensively after sitting most of their starters in the preseason. A holding penalty and botched snap spoiled a promising first drive that reached the Ravens 21 before going backwards and ending in a punt.

The Raiders then punted on the next three drives, marking the first time in 15 years they punted on the first four drives of the season.

They found a groove late in the half with a 75-yard drive capped by Jacobs' 2-yard run and then getting a 34-yard field goal from Daniel Carlson to make it 14-10 at the break.

INJURY REPORT

Ravens: G Tyre Phillips was taken off the field on a cart late in the first half after injuring his leg and didn't return.

Raiders: G Denzelle Good left in the first half with a knee injury. ... Ngakoue left in the second half with a hamstring injury. ... DT Gerald McCoy was taken off on a cart in the fourth quarter with a knee injury.

UP NEXT

Ravens: Host Kansas City on Sunday night. Baltimore has lost four straight against the Chiefs, including all three matchups between Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.

Raiders: Visit Pittsburgh on Sunday.

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Tailgating, face-painted fans returned in full force at stadiums around the country as the NFL opened its doors to capacity for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic.

Some wore masks, some didn’t. Some are vaccinated, some aren’t.

Restrictions varied in different cities with the Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints the only teams requiring fans to provide proof of vaccination to enter.

The defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers welcomed 65,566 fans Thursday night to kick off the season and 15 teams were set to host more than one million fans in Week 1.

Fans are back as COVID-19 surges because of the delta variant. President Joe Biden has a proposal to require that companies with more than 100 employees vaccinate their workforce and he will also mandate shots for executive branch workers and federal contractors with no testing opt-out.

In Nashville, fans were tailgating in the usual spaces outside Nissan Stadium before the Titans hosted the Arizona Cardinals. No proof of vaccination or recent negative COVID-19 test were required of fans. Masks were only encouraged inside suites and other enclosed spaces but not required. The only exception to that is postgame for reporters around players and coaches.

The field on opposite sides between the 15 and 5 featured the words “WELCOME BACK.”

Judy Maag of Hohenwald, Tennessee, had tickets for the 2020 season only to sell them when the pandemic hit. She has been coming to Titans’ games for the past five seasons and was racing to her seats in the upper deck Sunday.

“It feels great and I hope we win,” Maag said.

In Buffalo, fans who are not fully vaccinated must wear a face covering at all times. Masks are required regardless of vaccination status when visiting the indoor settings at Highmark Stadium. Unvaccinated guests may remove their mask only when eating or drinking. Seating will not be designated by vaccination status.

The team sent a letter to ticket holders recommending they get through the gates earlier than normal, and that they were opening the gates at 11 a.m., a half hour early.

Outside the stadium, it was back to normal after fans weren’t allowed to attend Bills home games during the regular season last year, and only about 6,600 were allowed in for the playoffs. The private lots around the stadium were already filling up by 8 a.m.

Jeff Boyst made his annual trip from North Carolina to watch the Bills play the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I think it’s time to get back out in the public and take my chances. I’ve been vaccinated,” said Boyst, who was attending a tailgate party across the street from the stadium more than fours before kickoff. “But I’m here willing to take the chances to resume life and try to get back to normal. And this is a tradition that I’ve missed. I drove 600 miles just to be here and to be back to normal, and support the Bills, support the community that I grew up in. And like so many of us, we’ve left New York to end up somewhere else. Our hearts are still here.”

Bill Langdoa traveled from Long Island, New York, to North Carolina to watch Zach Wilson make his NFL debut with the Jets against Sam Darnold and the Carolina Panthers.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” Langdoa said. “We were at Game 6 of the Islanders against Tampa Bay and that was completely packed. We’re vaccinated. We feel pretty comfortable.”

Masks weren’t required but recommended in the stands at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and they were required in any indoor area.

Dustin Faircloth came with his wife and two children without masks, unaware of protocols.

“I was hoping they weren’t requiring it or I was in trouble,” Faircloth said.

The two-time AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs expected more than 75,000 fans for their late afternoon game against the Cleveland Browns. Masks were only required inside club suites.

“Our objective is the same objective that we had last year: How do we create a safe environment for our fans?” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. “We are not experts in the COVID space, we are not experts in the vaccination space and testing space, so we’ll have to work with experts on that. I will say this, as an organization we fully support full vaccination. We think it’s the safest way for all of us, and we have promoted that.”

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AP Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker and AP Sports Writers John Wawrow, Steve Reed, Charles Odum and David Skretta contributed.

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady threw for 379 yards and four touchdowns, helping the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick off the NFL season with a mistake-filled 31-29 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night.

With seats in a NFL stadium filled to full capacity for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Ryan Succop won it with a 36-yard field goal with 2 seconds remaining. Brady set it up with a last-minute drive directed on the same field where the Bucs became the first team to play and win a Super Bowl in its home stadium seven months ago.

For Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl winner, it was the 300th regular-season start in a sparkling 22-year career — a record for a quarterback. The 44-year-old also joined Drew Brees as the only players to throw for 300-plus yards in a game 100 times.

Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown caught first-half touchdown passes for the Bucs, who extended their winning streak to nine games dating to last December. Brady’s second TD pass of the night to Gronkowski put the champs up 28-19. Succop’s field goal came after Greg Zuerlein put the Cowboys ahead with a 48-yarder with 1:24 to go.

Dak Prescott threw for 403 yards and three TDs for Dallas in his first game since suffering a severe injury ankle that ended his 2020 season after just five games. The sixth-year pro didn’t play in the preseason after straining his right shoulder early in training camp, and limitations on his throwing weren’t lifted until about two weeks before the opener.

The Cowboys have never beaten Brady, who improved to 6-0 against them, with five of the victories coming during his historic 20-year run with the New England Patriots.

But Prescott, with help from a revamped Dallas defense that forced a fumble and intercepted a pass that glanced off Leonard Fournette’s hands to set up a touchdown and field goal, pushed the defending champs to the limit before 65,566.

Ultimately, though, Brady made the Cowboys pay for kicking woes that contributed to Dallas only scoring 16 points in the opening half. In addition to missing a 31-yard field goal, Zuerlein had an extra point clank off the left upright in the second quarter.

Seven of the Cowboys’ first eight possessions either started or ended in Tampa Bay territory, yet Prescott still faced a nine-point deficit before Dallas pulled within 28-26 on Amari Cooper’s 21-yard scoring reception with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter.

Cooper finished with 13 catches for 139 yards, including a 5-yard TD catch in the second quarter. CeeDee Lamb had a 22-yard scoring reception for the Cowboys, who finished 6-10 with Prescott missing the final 11 games of last season.

Brady completed 32 of 50 passes and was intercepted twice, one on a desperation pass at the end of the first half. Ronald Jones and Chris Godwin also lost fumbles, with the latter's mistake preventing the Bucs from putting away the game in the closing minutes.

Brown had five receptions for 121 yards, including a 43-yard TD before halftime. Godwin had nine catches for 105 yards, but fumbled at the Cowboys 1 to stop a potential clinching drive before Prescott drove Dallas to Zuerlein's go-ahead field goal.

FANS ON HAND

Due to attendance restrictions imposed because of the pandemic, the largest crowd for any NFL game last season was 24,845 for the Super Bowl played at Raymond James Stadium in February.

Fans arrived early Thursday night for a brief pregame ceremony celebrating Tampa Bay’s second championship — first in nearly two decades. They roared when co-owner Bryan Glazer stepped to the microphone and reminded them that the Bucs are the only franchise that’s claimed a crown on its home turf.

“There was one thing missing,” Glazer said. “All of you.”

Earlier, the teams stood on their respective goal lines for the playing of Alicia Keys’ version of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the national Black anthem.

INJURIES

Cowboys: Played without RG Zack Martin, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.

Buccaneers: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting left with an elbow injury suffered trying to stop Lamb from scoring in the first quarter. The secondary was already playing without starting S Jordan Whitehead (hamstring).

UP NEXT

Cowboys: at Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 19.

Buccaneers: Remain home against NFC South rival Atlanta on Sept. 19

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Oregon and Iowa were the big movers in The Associated Press college football poll after road wins over top-10 opponents.

The Ducks' victory over Ohio State earned them a promotion from No. 12 to No. 4.

Another impressive defensive performance by Iowa in the Cy-Hawk Trophy game pushed the Hawkeyes from No. 10 to No. 5.

Arkansas, coming off a home win over old Southwest Conference rival Texas, was rewarded with its first appearance in the AP Top 25 in five years, coming in at No. 20.

Alabama remained No. 1 in the AP Top 25, which is presented by Regions Bank. The Crimson Tide received 60 of the 63 first-place votes. Georgia, which picked up the other three first-place votes, stayed at No. 2.

Oklahoma was No. 3 and followed by Oregon, Iowa, Clemson, Texas A&M, Cincinnati, Ohio State and Penn State.

Oregon's eight-rung leap came after its 35-28 win in the Horseshoe. It marks the biggest jump for a team entering the top five since LSU went from No. 13 to No. 5 after it knocked off second-ranked Georgia in October 2018.

The Ducks have their highest ranking since they finished the 2014 season No. 2 as the national runner-up to Ohio State.

Iowa, a 27-17 winner at Iowa State, allowed a total of 23 points while beating two ranked teams in succession for the first time since 1960. The Hawkeyes' defense is always stout. The question about this team is whether it can elevate its offensive play with quarterback Spencer Petras.

As it is, the Hawks have their highest ranking since they were No. 3 on Nov. 22, 2015, after a 12-0 start.

Ohio State dropped from No. 3 to No. 9 and Iowa State from No. 9 to No. 14.

POLL POINTS

The Big Ten has five ranked teams and matches the Southeastern Conference with three in the top 10, thanks to Penn State's move up from No. 11.

More could come in over the next couple of weeks.

Mel Tucker's much-improved Michigan State team is 2-0 entering its road game against No. 24 Miami this week. Indiana, which fell flat in its opener against Iowa, gets a chance to show it wasn't a one-year wonder in 2020 when it hosts No. 8 Cincinnati. Maryland likely will be 4-0 going into its Oct. 1 home game against Iowa.

IN

— No. 20 Arkansas gets a third straight home game, this one against Georgia Southern, before things get real in SEC play.

— No. 23 BYU, which appeared in every regular-season poll last season, returns after beating Utah for the first time in 10 meetings. Voters are buying in after taking a wait-and-see stance with a team that lost the No. 2 overall draft pick (QB Zach Wilson) and eight defensive starters.

— Two solid wins to start the season, the latest against a surprisingly weak Washington, bring No. 25 Michigan back into the rankings. The Wolverines don't hit the road until Oct. 2.

OUT

— Southern California dropped out after a 42-28 loss to Stanford, which scored its most points against the Trojans in 10 years.

— Texas won't have buyer's remorse about its looming entry to the SEC, but new coach Steve Sarkisian's 40-21 loss to an Arkansas team picked second-to-last in the West surely had Longhorns fans gnashing their teeth.

— Utah's two-week stay in the rankings is over. Its offense has converted just 4 of 17 third downs in two games.

CONFERENCE CALL

The SEC has seven teams in the AP Top 25 for the first time since October 2020.

SEC — 7 (Nos. 1, 2, 7, 11, 17, 20, 22).

Big Ten — 5 (Nos. 5, 9, 10, 18, 25).

ACC — 4 (Nos. 6, 15, 21, 24).

Pac-12 — 3 (Nos. 4, 13, 19).

Big 12 — 2 (Nos. 3, 14).

American — 1 (No. 8).

Sun Belt — 1 (No. 16).

Independents — 2 (No. 12, 23).

RANKED vs. RANKED

No. 1 Alabama at No. 11 Florida. Crimson Tide have won seven straight against the Gators.

No. 19 Arizona State at No. 23 BYU. First meeting since 1998 is a prove-it game for the Sun Devils.

No. 22 Auburn at No. 10 Penn State. The teams split two bowl matchups, but this is the first regular-season meeting.

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CLEVELAND (AP) — In a sometimes sticky season, Corbin Burnes got a grip on history.

Milwaukee's ace combined with reliever Josh Hader to pitch baseball’s record ninth no-hitter this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhand in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0 on Saturday night.

Months after Major League Baseball clamped down on pitchers' use of illicit foreign substances following a rash of early no-hitters, Burnes cemented 2021 as the Season of the No-No with just the second no-hitter in Brewers history.

“It was a masterpiece,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.

Burnes (10-4) struck out 14 with a career-high 115 pitches over eight innings, taking a perfect game into the seventh while overpowering the Indians, who were no-hit for a record third time in 2021. All of those came with starter Zach Plesac on the mound.

This time, Cleveland was stymied by Burnes — who has become a Cy Young contender as the Brewers run away with the NL Central — and Hader, one of the game's top closers.

“Anyone would want to keep pitching in that situation, but if there was anyone I would want out there for the ninth, it would be Josh Hader,” Burnes said. “There were no nerves with him. It was more like a done deal when he came in.”

The right-handed Burnes was in control from the start, striking out 11 of his first 14 hitters and retiring the first 18 in order. After walking Myles Straw to start the seventh, the 26-year-old got through the eighth thanks to a diving catch by center fielder Lorenzo Cain on Owen Miller's liner.

“I was definitely on my horse, ready to go get that one,” Cain said. “You need a little bit of everything to go right in a no-hitter.”

The Progressive Field crowd booed as Hader came on in the ninth. He overpowered Oscar Mercado, striking him out to start the inning. Then, first baseman Jace Peterson went into foul territory to making a lunging catch for the second out.

Hader ended the no-hitter by getting Straw to flail at a pitch in the dirt for his 31st save. The Brewers stormed the field to share hugs and high-fives with a signature victory in their runaway season.

"I had to fight pretty hard (with Counsell) for the eighth to come back out, so I knew I had no shot for the ninth,” Burnes said.

Juan Nieves pitched the Brewers’ previous no-hitter on April 15, 1987, at Baltimore.

Burnes dropped his ERA to 2.25 and has more than doubled his career high for strikeouts with 210 in 152 innings. He's been vying with Philadelphia's Zack Wheeler and the Dodgers' Max Scherzer for the NL Cy Young Award. This gem, no doubt, will have some sway with voters.

“Corbin felt good after the eighth, but knowing you’re putting in Josh Hader to finish it played a part in the decision," Counsell said.

The Brewers improved to a franchise-record 33 games over .500 while slimming their magic number to clinch the division to eight.

Arizona rookie Tyler Gilbert had thrown the majors’ most recent no-hitter on Aug. 14, and the Chicago Cubs threw the only previous combined effort on June 24. The other no-hitters this season were thrown by San Diego’s Joe Musgrove (April 9), Carlos Rodón of the Chicago White Sox (April 14), Cincinnati’s Wade Miley (May 7), Detroit’s Spencer Turnbull (May 18) and the Yankees’ Corey Kluber (May 19).

Most of those gems were thrown before MLB cracked down on the use of sticky foreign substances by pitchers in late June.

“I don’t think anyone’s going to be upset about putting a no-hitter in the books,” Burnes said.

The no-hitters by Miley and Rodón both came against the Indians, as did a seven-inning no-hitter by Tampa Bay on July 7 that didn't officially count in the MLB record book. Arizona’s Madison Bumgarner also had a seven-inning no-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader at Atlanta on April 25.

The Brewers completed this bit of history three days after Minnesota rookie Joe Ryan retired the first 19 Indians batters in a 3-0 win at Progressive Field.

Plesac couldn’t get his head around being on the wrong side of three no-hitters. Prior to Saturday, Jim Perry was the only starter in baseball history to have his opponent throw a no-hitter three times in a career prior to Saturday, per Elias.

“I don’t even know if that makes sense to me,” Plesac said. “That’s insane. I don’t know if it’s me or what.”

Indians acting manager DeMarlo Hale didn’t offer any excuses.

“You deal with it, you get up and play tomorrow," he said. “The good thing about no-hitters, it’s only one loss. I know it’s been three times, but you deal with it, you move on, you understand the level of competition you’re playing against and you move on. I don’t have an answer for that.”

Plesac allowed three runs, two earned, over six innings.

Straw had faced Burnes in the minor leagues but admitted he had little chance against him on this late summer evening.

“He dominated," Straw said. "He’s going to get some Cy Young votes this year, I’m sure of it. You just have to tip your cap, come back tomorrow and compete again.”

The Brewers scored twice in the first inning on an RBI double by Christian Yelich and a sacrifice fly from Omar Narváez. Milwaukee made it 3-0 in the second when Rowdy Tellez doubled home Daniel Vogelbach.

Tellez experienced right knee pain while running the bases and left the game.

DUGOUT DANGER

Peterson returned to action after being struck by a foul ball on his left arm Wednesday in the home dugout against Philadelphia. Manager Craig Counsell said Peterson was hit squarely by a line drive off the bat of a Phillies player, but the ball narrowly missed hitting his elbow.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: RHP Brandon Woodruff (flu-like symptoms) will not make his scheduled start Sunday after becoming ill in the team hotel. Counsell said Woodruff “has lost some weight from the bug,” pushing his next outing to Wednesday at Detroit.

Indians: RHP Shane Bieber (right shoulder strain) threw a bullpen session before the game and will be evaluated Sunday. Acting manager DeMarlo Hale said the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner could begin a rehab assignment as early as Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Brewers: LHP Eric Lauer (5-5, 3.18 ERA) will start on regular rest in the three-game series finale, moving up one spot in the rotation to replace Woodruff. The Northeast Ohio native and Kent State product has never pitched against the Indians.

Indians: RHP Aaron Civale (10-3, 3.25 ERA) makes his second start since spending 77 days on the injured list with a sprained third finger on his right hand. Civale allowed one run in 4 2/3 innings in his return, losing to the Twins on Sept. 7.

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COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Derek Jeter was simply Derek Jeter on his special day — smooth as silk.

On a cloudy Wednesday afternoon with the temperature in the 70s and a few sprinkles in the air and adoring fans chanting his name, the former New York Yankees star shortstop and captain was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after a long wait necessitated by the pandemic.

Greeted by raucous cheers in a crowd that included NBA luminaries Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing, several of his former teammates, and Hall of Fame Yankees manager Joe Torre on the stage behind him, Jeter took the stage after fellow inductees from the class of 2020 Ted Simmons, Larry Walker and the late Marvin Miller were honored. Jeter was touched by the moment and acknowledged how different the ceremony seemed in the wake of the recent deaths of 10 Hall of Famers.

“I'm so honored to be inducted with you guys and linked to you forever," he said. “The Hall of Fame is special because of those who are in it. We've lost way too many Hall of Famers over the last 20 months. These are all Hall of Famers who would have or could have been here, so for that reason it's not the same.”

What was the same was the adoration displayed by the fans, who always marveled at his consistency.

“I had one goal in my career, and that was to win more than everyone else, and we did that, which brings me to the Yankee fans," Jeter said as the fans erupted again. “Without question, you helped me get here today as much as any individual I've mentioned."

He gave much of the credit to his parents, who were in the audience with Jeter's wife, Hannah, and their two young daughters.

“Mom, you taught me any dream is attainable as long as you work harder than everyone else. You drilled that in my head over and over and over and you led me to believe it," Jeter said. “You told me never to make excuses, you wouldn’t allow me to use the word can’t. Dad, you’ve been the voice of reason. You taught me to be patient, to listen and think before I speak. You’ve always been there for advice and to this day you’re the first person I go to. I know when I retired you said you played every game with me and I know you recall from time to time telling me, ‘You keep building that resume.’ Look where it’s gotten us today.”

The ceremony was delayed a year because of the coronavirus pandemic and it didn't matter much to Walker, the second Canadian elected to the Hall of Fame. He gave up hockey when he was 16 to focus on baseball. He was selected in his 10th and final year on the writers' ballot after a stellar career with Montreal, Colorado and St. Louis that inluded 383 homers and three batting titles.

“It’s taken a little longer to reach this day (but) for all your support I've received throughout the years from my home country, I share this honor with every Canadian," said Walker, who retired in 2005. "I hope that all you Canadian kids out there that have dreams of playing in the big leagues that see me here today gives you another reason to go after those dreams. To my adopted home, the United States, I thank you for allowing this Canadian kid to come into your country to live and play your great pastime. I think we're all pretty fortunate to have two amazing countries side by side.”

The 72-year-old Simmons, who starred in a 21-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee and Atlanta, punctuated his speech to thank four pioneers of free agency — Curt Flood, Catfish Hunter, Andy Messersmith, and Marvin Miller — “who changed the lives of every player on this stage today by pushing the boundaries of player rights.”

“Marvin Miller made so much possible for every major league player from my era to the present and the future,” the former catcher said. “I could not be more proud to enter this great hall with this great man. Even though my path has been on the longer side, I wouldn’t change a thing. However we get here none of us arrives alone. I’m no exception.”

Miller, who transformed baseball on the labor front by building a strong players union and led the charge for free agency in the mid-1970s, was honored posthumously. Four years before he died at 95 in 2012, Miller respectfully asked to be removed from consideration for the Hall of Fame after being passed over several times.

“One thing a trade union leader learns to do is how to count votes in advance. Whenever I took one look at what I was faced with, it was obvious to me it was not gonna happen,” Miller, head of the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1966-83, wrote in 2008. “If considered and elected, I will not appear for the induction if I’m alive. If they proceed to try to do this posthumously, my family is prepared to deal with that.”

The family didn't. Instead, Don Fehr, who was hired by Miller to be the union's general counsel in 1977 and succeeded him eight years later, had the honor.

“Of all the players I had the privilege to represent, I want to thank you Marvin," said Fehr, now the head of the National Hockey League Players Association. "Baseball was not the same after your tenure as it was before. It was and is much better for everyone. You brought out the best of us and you did us proud.”

The virus forced the Hall of Fame to cancel last year's ceremony and this year's was moved from its customary slot on a Sunday in late July to a midweek date.

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