Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony axed due to virus fears

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has said it is cancelling this year's induction ceremony due to health and safety concerns from the coronavirus pandemic.

A statement from the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, said the organisation's board of directors had voted unanimously to scrap this year's event scheduled for July 24-27.

Instead the class of 2020, which includes former New York Yankees star Derek Jeter, Marvin Miller, Ted Simmons and Larry Walker, will be inducted alongside the class of 2021 next year.

"The Board of Directors' overriding concern is the health and well-being of our new inductees, our Hall of Fame members, our wonderful fans and the hundreds of staff," said Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

"We care deeply about every single person who visits Cooperstown."