PAWTUCKET --- The International League Hall of Fame brought its caravan into McCoy Stadium on Sunday afternoon, and before a sellout crowd, welcomed three members of the Pawtucket Red Sox family to its prestigious fraternity.
PawSox owner Ben Mondor, former manager Joe Morgan, and the IL's last Triple Crown winner, Jim Rice, were officially inducted into the Hall of Fame during a small ceremony before Sunday's series finale with the Toledo Mud Hens.
"It's quite an honor to say the least," added Morgan. "I didn't even know there was an International League Hall of Fame, but like Ben and Jim, I'm happy to be in it." 
The IL, which is celebrating its 125th season, closed its doors in 1964 after inducting 51 members from 1947-63, but the Hall made its comeback last summer by welcoming former general managers and IL presidents Harold Cooper, Jr. and George Sisler, Jr. in a special enshrinement ceremony.
This year's class features 27 members, the largest in its existence, and among the marquee names are Hall of Fame pitcher Lefty Grove and manager Tommy Lasorda (who was inducted as a pitcher).
Rice, an outfielder who played for the PawSox in 1973 and '74, hopes to become the third member of the IL Hall of Fame that's also in Cooperstown next summer -- his final year of eligibility -- after
a remarkable 16-year career with the Boston Red Sox that saw the eight-time American League all-star and 1978 MVP collect 382 home runs and 1,451 RBIs.
Rice played at the tail end of the '73 season and helped the PawSox defeat Tulsa in the then-called Junior World Series, but in '74, he was named the league's MVP by leading the IL in batting average (.337), home runs (25), and RBIs (103) despite playing for a last-place team and getting called up to Boston in mid-August.
"I'm surprised I'm the last player to win the Triple Crown," added Rice, who is the PawSox's all-time hitting leader (.340) and the sixth player to win the Triple Crown. "Today, you have smaller ballparks and the modern technology of hitting, and I never had that coming up."
Mondor's story is well-known -- a retired businessman who bought the then-called Rhode Island Red Sox in 1977 and turned it into one of the most successful minor-league franchises.
Sunday's induction was another in a long line of honors that include being named the 1999 Sporting News Minor League Executive of the Year and enshrined into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.
"This is a great honor," offered Mondor. "It's a good day for me and these two folks that I'm sharing this day with. I thank the Lord for that."
"I wish I could have played for Ben when I was down here," admitted Rice. "I think he's a very good player/manager/owner and friend."
Morgan, who is the only man to claim the league's MVP (1964) and Manager of the Year (1973 and '77) awards, won 845 games as an skipper, including a franchise-record 601 with the PawSox from 1974-1982. He later went on the manage Boston from the middle of 1988 to '91.
"I had a great time in Pawtucket," offered Morgan. "There were a lot of ups and downs, but mostly good times."
The league plans to enshrine the Class of '08 in a series of inductions held throughout the IL's parks during the course of the season. Each ceremony will also give fans an opportunity to see the official Hall of Fame display, which includes a replica of the original Hall of Fame plaque.

Odds and ends
PawSox reliever Justin Masterson, who had been with the Boston Red Sox during the series in Los Angeles against the Angels, was officially recalled to the big club after reliever David Aarsdma was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right groin strain. ... The PawSox are back on the road this week with a pair of four-game series against the Columbus Clippers and Mud Hens, and they won't return home until a week from Tuesday when they begin a four-game series against the Rochester Red Wings. ... In tonight's 7:05 p.m. opener against the Clippers, prized prospect Michael Bowden will make his Triple-A debut and be opposed by fellow righty Garrett Mock (5-3, 3.28). Bowden, who was selected to the Eastern League All-Star team after going 9-4 with a 2.33 in 19 starts with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, is still on the disabled list with the Sea Dogs with a strained calf, but he will be removed from the DL today and replace Masterson on the 24-man roster.