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National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

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Cheryl
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4 out of 5
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1-5 of 8

Where Baseball All Began

  • May 3, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by sum0488 from blue bell, Pennsylvania
Cooperstown, New York is not New York. New York is the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and crazy taxi drivers. New York is not rolling meadows, massive farms, and cars from 1960. Yet, to venture into upstate New York and head towards Cooperstown, this is exactly what you will find. This tiny town is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Mecca to which every true baseball fan must, with no exceptions, visit at least once. And it could not be in a more perfect setting.
Baseball is America’s pastime. It has been with us for over a century, back when the country still looked like it does up in that town in New York. And in Cooperstown, it always feels like baseball season. Cooperstown is right next to a town called Cherry Valley, where the most popular entertainment is go to hang out at a bed and breakfast right in the center of the city. Surrounding the area are mountains as far as the eye can see, giving a sense of seclusion from the rest of the real world that just feels so right. At night, the stars come out clearer than you could have ever imagined; impeccable singular dots of light so far away, but so clear you feel like you can reach out and grab one.
Go back for a minute to the time when backyard baseball with your neighborhood friends was a staple of your summer nights. The sun is setting, cool breeze is blowing through your hair, and nothing matters except that single game. There might be other things, more important things, that are going outside of that game, but they can wait; there’s baseball to play. In a nutshell, this is Cooperstown. The summer air won’t let you think about anything else, and why would you want to?
I admit it, I’m biased. I’ve been going to Cooperstown annually for the past 15 years, and I love baseball more than life itself. I can guarantee you that you can find nowhere better to worship the best players in the game’s history than Cooperstown. It’s where baseball is meant to be played: out in the open field, wind whipping at your face as you are running after a fly ball, sun shining down and brightening the field. The aura of the place gives you goosebumps. It even smells like baseball.
If you are a baseball fan, this is the place that you want to be every summer. Grab a mitt, grab a ball, and get up there and play ball the way you always knew it was supposed to be.

http://www.cooperstown.net/ - A guide to the town

http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/index.jsp - The Hall of Fame Museum, an absolute must-see. Contains thousands of pieces of memorabilia from every imaginable era.

http://www.cooperstowndreamspark.com/ - Cooperstown Dream Park, a youth park for players twelve and under, home to the biggest tournament of the year for kids of this age group. It is played the same weekend as the Induction Ceremony.
Editor Pick

The Great American Pastime

The Great American Pastime

Seeing the National Baseball Hall of Fame in person is a slightly overwhelming experience - if you like the sport of baseball. The building is huge and has plans to grow larger still. We wandered through the rooms, backtracking once or twice, and looked for exhibits of our favorite teams and players.

The layout of the building is condusive to a slower pace and you get to see all the artifacts. They are well lighted and photos are encouraged. Just imagine, you get to see the shoes, ball and batting glove of Jim Palmer on the same day you get to see the uniforms of Bobby Cox and Earl Weaver.

Of course, the Hall of Fame is much more than these displays. They have a small section devoted to the women of baseball and another to the minor leagues and still another to the stadiums and announcers of the past. But the most important section is the original purpose of the building - housing the plaques of the players that are inducted into the Hall of Fame each year. We wandered through these alcoves for over an hour, just reading the plaques and looking at the variety of players.

This is one "tourist trap" that will truly entrap you for the day. Get your hand stamped when you pay your entry fee and you will be able to exit and reenter as many times as you want - very convenient if you have small children that need to eat or large packages that you don't want to carry around.

The gift shop is a large one and has a varied array of products, from T-shirts and mugs to games and throws (all sanctioned by the professional teams).

This is a great way to bring the history of the sport to the younger generations.

From journal A Journey to the Hall of Fame

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

  • January 24, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by DC23fan from Smithtown, New York
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

This museum is great for any baseball lover, no matter how old you are. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for kids. Admission lasts for the whole day so you can take your time and go back after a lunch break (don't' miss the online discounts that also feature the Farmers Museum and the Fenimore Art Museum for one low price!). It's a great place for families to visit, I've been coming here since I was a little kid and love coming back every time. It's fun to see your old and new favorite players honored in the museum. My favorite is the section devoted to Babe Ruth, which chronicles his whole life. I also love the newly renovated "Women in Baseball" section, which feature the real women portrayed in the film A League of Their Own. There is also a great gift shop located on the first floor that sells anything from baseball hats to jerseys that are sure to feature your favorite team.

From journal Weekend at Cooperstown

Editor Pick

Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

  • June 2, 2006
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Joekirr from NEW PROVIDENCE, New Jersey
Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

I'd like to start off by saying I love Cooperstown. The people are laid back and friendly, the scenery by Otsego Lake is fantastic, and the overall vibe of the town is very positive and fun. That being said, if you don't like crowds, being jostled, having people walk in front of you when you are trying to take pictures, or just want to avoid lines and the hassles that come with having a large amount of people in a small place, avoid the Baseball Hall of Fame on major holiday weekends. I look at the Hall of Fame (HOF) as a testament to the abilities of the greatest baseball players ever. I love the sanctity of the place, like any museum, and look at the HOF as a place where I can (usually) take my time and see the things I want to see. But with a large crowd it was impossible. There was a line before the line to buy tickets, I had been comped a free ticket so I got past that, but I still had to contend with everybody else there. The HOF gallery of plaques echoed with the wails of crying children, and the parents who refused to discipline them. Upstairs in the exhibit area, children ran and played tag while other patrons repeatedly bumped into me and ignored me as I tried to take pictures of certain exhibits. Normally, I love the HOF and could spend hours there, but that Saturday I spent about an hour there before I got tired of it. The only solace I got was when I walked out, and down the street, and came upon Doubleday Field and watched part of a local high school baseball game. Normally I would highly recommend the HOF but avoid it on Memorial Day.

From journal Trip to NY

Editor Pick

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

  • October 13, 2003
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Emily Marie from Bronx, New York
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

The town of Cooperstown is the artificial birthplace of baseball. As such, it now houses the ultimate shrine to the sport.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum was established in the 30's pretty much to make the sport feel good about itself. With the fiftieth anniversary of the sport on-hand, baseball's leaders wanted to create the image of baseball as an All-American sport, and not derived from English favorites cricket or "rounders." Thus when a story came about saying General Abner Doubleday first set played the game in Cooperstown, it was all the Baseball lords needed to set up the Hall on the site.

The Hall itself is one large room, with the plaques of baseball's immortals lining alcoves along the walls. They are separated by year of induction, meaning they stay where they are first put (at least until they run out of room). The room has a the feel of the apse of a church, with a high ceiling, lots of natural light and the stations way off to the sides. While the Hall is the soul of the building, the museum is the mind. The museum houses all sorts of artifacts of the sports history and of the big current events. The best way to start the Museum is actually with the present. The top floor houses records and items that were big for the last season, as well as a mock locker-room with the uniforms of all the current teams. You can check this out as you wait for a short, enjoyable slideshow to start in the Grandstand Theater. After you exit the show, you go back to the way beginnings of the sport, and walk you way through the ages, until you end up back in the present. There are side sections dedicated to the likes of The Babe, Hammerin' Hank and the Negro Leagues. Even the great umpires of yesteryear get their due.

There are whole rooms dedicated to the evolution of baseball gear and uniforms, to the record holders, and to baseball in pop culture, including music and baseball cards as well as contemporary art.

Personal favorites, from someone who goes annually, are the slideshow and the library area, where they have displays on the movies, broadcasters and writers of the sport. For a while they had a "Peanuts" display, for all those times Charlie Brown lost yet again. I would die for a moment in the library itself, to see all the books I do and don't own.

Cooperstown is a must for baseball fans. For those who live in major league cities, the town is a lovely, quiet escape from the hustle and bustle.

From journal Baseball Mecca: Cooperstown and upstate New York

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