COOPERSTOWN, NY - Johnny Bench seemed destined for Cooperstown from the earliest days of his big league career.

Today - more than 40 seasons after Bench's debut and more than 20 years since his Hall of Fame election - Cooperstown remains regular destination for one of the game's iconic players.

Bench will share stories from his career during a special 2 p.m. Labor Day Voices of the Game event at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The program at the Museum's Grandstand Theater is free with paid Museum admission, though fans must reserve a free ticket in advance to gain admission to the Voices of the Game program. Tickets can be reserved by calling 607-547-0397 weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Bench, a 1989 Hall of Fame inductee, is a two-time National League Most Valuable Player and a 14-time All-Star. In Spring Training of 1969 before his second full year in the majors, Bench received a signed baseball from Hall of Famer Ted Williams that read: "To Johnny Bench, a sure Hall of Famer."

Bench is appearing in Cooperstown as the celebrity host for the 29^th Annual Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open and Pro-Am Golf Tournament, Sept. 6-9 at the Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown. Bench will participate in the Sept. 6 Pro-Am, while nearly 100 top pros from around the country will compete in the Seniors Open, which runs Wednesday through Friday, Sept. 7-9.

As the Pro-Am emcee, Bench will be featured throughout the Tuesday Pro-Am and fundraiser dinner. The golf event begins with an 11:30 a.m. shotgun start. For more information on the Pro-Am, please visit www.pathfindervillage.org .

Proceeds from this event benefit Pathfinder Village - located in nearby Edmeston - a residential community dedicated to children and adults with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities. Annually, the Seniors Open raises more than $50,000 for scholarships for Pathfinder Village and directly helps the Village's 90-plus residents. More than $1.5 million has been raised for Pathfinder Village through the years.

Proceeds also benefit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum educational programs, which enables the world-famous Museum to fulfill its educational mission and care for its priceless collections.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is open seven days a week year round, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The Museum observes summer hours of 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. from Memorial Day Weekend until the day before Labor Day. From Labor Day until Memorial Day Weekend, the Museum observes daily regular hours of 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Ticket prices are $19.50 for adults (13 and over), $12 for seniors (65 and over) and for those holding current memberships in the VFW, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion and AMVets organizations, and $7 for juniors (ages 7-12). Members are always admitted free of charge and there is no charge for children 6 years of age or younger.  For more information, visit our Web site at baseballhall.org or call 888-HALL-OF-FAME (888-425-5633) or 607-547-7200.