Red Sox Nation descended on Cooperstown Saturday morning for the Hall of Fame Game ticket sale, and many of them left disappointed.

Approximately 1,000 fans, almost all garbed in Boston gear, lined up outside the Baseball Hall of Fame for the annual ticket sale, which began at 11 a.m. The line started at the library entrance in Cooper Park, and continued through the park, down Main St. and back up River St. to Church St.

The May 23 game at Doubleday Field will include the defending World Series champion Red Sox against the Detroit Tigers.

Shortly before 11 a.m., a Hall of Fame representative came out and told the crowd that no one beyond a certain point in Cooper Park would get tickets.

"We had similar operating procedures to year's past, but this year I think it's fair to say we could have sold 40-50,000 tickets," said Hall spokesperson Brad Horn. "We quite possibly had more people here than we expected, and I think for the most part they were understanding."

Steve Clark of Queensbury, a former Cooperstown resident, and his brother John were the first in line, arriving at the Hall of Fame at 2 a.m. The two are Boston fans, which dominated the loyalty of ticket seekers.

Cooperstown police officer John Congdon said he noticed people starting to line up Friday night and as daylight approached, their numbers began to grow significantly.

"I was surprised at how any people we had," he said.

"I think I saw one Detroit fan," said Dan Pierson of Oriskany, also close to the front of the line. Horn said he looked for, but could not find, anyone wearing Detroit gear.

The ticket seekers, who were turned away Saturday, could look to eBay for tickets, but a bid on a pair of tickets Tuesday morning was as high as $207, just a little mark-up from the $22 it would cost to buy two tickets.

There were reports of people trying to hawk the wristbands given to them by the Hall of Fame signifying they were among the lucky ones able to purchase tickets. Asking prices were reportedly as high as $300.

Horn said not only did the 2,600 tickets on sale Saturday quickly sell out, another allotment available to Hall of Fame members on Monday went just as quickly.

"This is a community event first foremost, and 70 percent of the tickets are made available to the general public," Horn said.

Doubleday Field seats close to 10,000 fans. The Hall also afforded its members the opportunity to buy up to six tickets each beginning Monday, and that allotment quickly sold out as well.

This will mark the third year the Hall of Fame Game has been held separately from the Induction Ceremony. The first two years featured less attractive teams, and tickets went slowly but eventually sold out.

"I think this shows the enthusiasm of Boston fans after winning a World Series," Horn said. "It's also a great way for us and the Cooperstown tourism industry to kick off our summer season. We're expecting big crowds for the game."