Seven former Major League Baseball players are among the eight people to be honored by the Bottomley-Ruffing-Schalk Baseball Museum during its Induction Day ceremonies on Saturday, November 13.

All-Stars Kevin Seitzer and Jayson Werth headline the group that is being honored as part of the museum’s 40th anniversary year. Werth’s stepfather, Dennis Werth, is also among the honorees. Fellow former big leaguers Kevin Koslofski, Ken Oberkfell, Stan Royer and Eric Weaver complete the players’ side of the induction, while long-time sportswriter Dave Kane will also be part of the eight-person class. University of Illinois athletics radio play-by-play announcer Brian Barnhart is scheduled to emcee.

The induction, which will be held at the St. Louis Parish Center (523 E. Union St.) in Nokomis, is slated to begin with a catered meal at 6 p.m. followed by a ceremony honoring the new inductees. Currently, Dennis Werth, Koslofski, Royer, Weaver and Kane are scheduled to attend.

Tickets for the meal and ceremony are $25. In celebration of the museum’s 40th anniversary. a second ticket is available at a 40% discount, putting the cost for two tickets at $40. All tickets purchased after November 1 will cost $25. Tickets are available by contacting any museum director or by e-mailing the museum at info@brsmuseum.org. Please provide a mailing address and a check or money order with ticket orders.

What started in a restaurant window in 1981 has blossomed into an expansive attraction for the central Illinois region. Joe Kempe and Merle “Butter” Wright founded what originally was just the Bottomley-Ruffing Museum in 1981 — the Schalk portion was added later.

The idea was to honor three players from the first half of the 20th century that had ties to Nokomis and Montgomery County who each made the National Baseball Hall of Fame — Jim Bottomley, Red Ruffing and Ray Schalk.

The museum has had four homes in Nokomis during its 36 years of existence and we are excited today to bring in six more honorees, pushing the total to 111 central Illinois people who have been honored for significant contributions to the game of baseball. Congratulations and welcome!