CC Sabathia’s Hall of Fame Journey Becomes an 8-Hour Family Adventure Road Trip

COOPERSTOWN, NY — For CC Sabathia, the path to being elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame was a smoother journey than the trip to Cooperstown itself. Sabathia, who enjoyed a 19-year career with the Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, and New York Yankees, received the honor on his first year of eligibility. However, the adventure that unfolded as he and his family traveled for Hall of Fame weekend proved to be quite eventful. The Sabathia family, including CC, his wife Amber, and their four children, set off from their home in Alpine, New Jersey, around 4 p.m. on Thursday.

They were traveling in two vehicles, a family tradition, and had made significant progress, about 75 miles into their 177-mile journey, when things took an unexpected turn. “We stopped to get food. Everything’s going great,” Sabathia recalled. But as they attempted to merge onto Route 17, Amber’s car suddenly broke down.

Observing from behind, Sabathia was able to witness the complications firsthand. The family called for roadside assistance and decided to pile into Sabathia’s vehicle to return home and retrieve another one while a tow truck carried their disabled Escalade back. The drive that should have taken roughly three hours stretched into an eight-hour ordeal, with the family finally arriving in Cooperstown around midnight. Despite the hiccups, Sabathia found humor in the situation.

“I was taking pictures, my kids were doing TikToks, and Amber was in the back being her serious self, trying to manage everything,” he shared. While the experience had its challenges, it became a memorable escapade. Come Sunday, the Sabathias will undoubtedly be all smiles as they celebrate his historic induction into the Hall of Fame.