National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/
25 Main Street
Cooperstown, NY 13326
Main switchboard – 607.547.7200
Toll-free number – (888) HALL-OF-FAME or 888.425.5633
FAX – 607.547.2044
Summer Hours
Daily, 9 AM to 9 PM
From Friday of Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Monday.
Off-Season Hours
Daily, 9 AM to 5 PM
From the day after Labor Day through the Thursday before Memorial Day Weekend.
Cooperstown is located in central New York State, 70 miles west of Albany and 30 miles south of the New York State Thruway (I-90) You can find travel directions here:
http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/visitor_info/maps.htm
Anyone who has ever enjoyed a baseball game, will enjoy and appreciate a visit to National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York Let’s take a cyber walking tour of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and see if it inspires you to make a real visit’
Baseball is considered to be America’s sport, America’s number one pastime, but it is more and more being played on a world-wide scale. The exhibit, “Now Orbiting Cooperstown: Planet Baseball” explores the history of baseball in 26 countries on all 6 continents. For instance, there is a plaque form the Toronto Maple Leafs Team dated 1874 commemorating the teams victory in the semi-pro World Series where they defeated a Ku Klux Klan team.
“Diamond Dreams” honors the contributions of women to baseball. If you did not have a chance to see the 1992 move “A League of Their Own” see if you can rent it. That is what part of this exhibit s about the movie is about “All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.” The exhibit honors the contributions of women in all aspects of the game, On the Field, In the Office and In the Stands for instance, do you know that Oriole Park at Camden Yards was designed by a woman(Janet Marie Smith, who is now Sr. Vice-President of Planning and Development for the Red Sox) and that a woman actually pitched in the minor leagues?
Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience This exhibit honors the contributions of African Americans to baseball from the Civil War to the present. It is an interactive exhibit with such artifacts as Dodgers warm-up jacket, glove, and bat used by Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige’s St. Louis Browns jersey and Larry Doby’s Cleveland Indians jersey from 1949. This is a must see exhibit for anyone interested in the history of Baseball.
Sacred Ground Celebrating Ballparks and the Fan Experience
This interactive exhibit celebrates the 125-year history of ball parks. Everyone has memories of a special ballpark from their childhood. This exhibit will take you back to those times with artifacts from parks such as the corner stone from Ebbetts Filed, the one I have memories of. You actually fell as though you are in a ballpark, the sights and sounds are so realistic. You can get the fell of a vendor’s tray and find out for yourself just how heavy a load they have to carry around. There is a display of stadium give aways, and one on the financial side of baseball.
Research Library
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s research Library has grown too big and is now housed in its own building. It is recommended that you call and make arrangements to use the library. It houses the world’s largest collection of baseball information. Bullpen Theater is on the first floor and here you can view movies about many things including biographies. Check the calendar of events to see what will be playing when you visit.
The Library also houses Scribes and Mikemen which is devoted to the baseball writers and broadcasters. Can you imagine what baseball would have been like without the likes of writers like Jack Lang, Dick Young, Damon Runyon, Grantland Rice, and Charley Feeney or broadcasters Mel Allen, Red Barber, Russ Hodges, Lindsey Nelson, and Vin Scully? They are the ones who bought the games into our homes, the ones who explained the rules of baseball as the play was happening, the ones who explained the strange rulings of the umpires.
The Research Center is open 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday. If you need information or want to make arrangements to use the facilities, call the reference desk at 607.547.0330 or 607.547.0335 during business hours.
Other sections of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum a baseball card room the Babe Ruth Room, Taking the Field, the 18th century, no-hit games, Presidential Pastime, Sacred Ground, “Who’s on First” Where you can watch Abbott and Costello’s famous routine. Make sure you take the time to go to the Grandstand Theater for an interactive movie.
No, don’t think this is all there is to see. Far from it. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has three floors of everything baseball, with permanent and changing exhibits. I hope this gives you the inspiration to take the trip to Cooperstown. If you are planing to stay for the weekend or longer, here are a few of the best places to stay.
The Inn at Cooperstown , New York
http://www.innatcooperstown.com/
THE INN AT
COOPERSTOWN
16 Chestnut Street
Cooperstown, New York 13326
607-547-5756
info@innatcooperstown.com
The Inn has been around since 1874 and is a true Victorian gem. There are 17 guests rooms, each one more beautiful than the others.
The Premium Suite rates range from $190.00/$325.00
Regular rooms from $99.00 to $198.00 Check on the site for the rates that will be in effect during your stay and also for and special conditions that apply.
The Cooper Inn
http://www.cooperinn.com/
5 Chestnut Street
PO Box 311
Cooperstown, New York 13326
(800) 348-6222 or (607) 547-9931, fax (607) 547-1271
The Cooper Inn began as a private residence during the Federalist Period. It was built between 1813 and 1815. Can you imagine the history it has seen?
Rates range from $115 to $305 Check out the web site to see the rate schedule and any conditions that apply.
