Cooperstown is Home to the Baseball Hall of Fame
Where Fans of America's Pastime Converge to Pay Homage to Legends
The home of baseball history stands proud in Cooperstown, New York, a small village in the town of Ostego County, about four hours northwest of New York City, and two hours east of Syracuse.
The Stuff of Legend
The National Baseball Hall of Fame opened in Cooperstown in 1939. According to the National Baseball Hall of Fame site, a commission created in 1905 to determine the origins of baseball concluded that the game was devised by Abner Doubleday at Cooperstown in 1839. An early version of a baseball was found in an attic in 1934 just a few miles from Cooperstown. The ball, soon named the ‘Doubleday baseball,’ was purchase by philanthropist Stephen C. Clark for $5. That ball would become the one of the first pieces of memorabilia in the Hall of Fame Clark would go on to help create.
The Mecca of Baseball
The Hall of Fame is the home to everything baseball, from folklore and history, to legends and art. The game’s greatest players and their accomplishments are celebrated with displays, all housed within the three floors of the building. Exhibits featuring Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth, the legendary ball fields across North America, and multiple rooms highlighting the African-American experience, the Latin experience, and the female experience in the sport are some of the focuses of the Hall.
Younger enthusiasts can also enjoy the post-season celebration exhibit which features artifacts from World Series winners, as well as the records room, which draws attention to statistical records and where today’s active players stand among the sport’s greats. There are also displays designed for kids’, including Sandlot Kids’ Clubhouse and the scavenger hunt.
Hall of Fame Induction Weekend
Every year, the Hall of Fame has an induction weekend in July, where a new class of players is welcomed into baseball’s greatest fraternity. Each inductee receives a plaque in the Hall of Fame gallery housed on the first floor of the building. The weekend also includes family events and charity events, often featuring hall of fame players.
The Game Lives Beyond the Walls
The celebration of the sport extends outside the Hall of Fame. Baseball truly reigns over all of Cooperstown. The village’s main strip fittingly called ‘Main Street’ is home to numerous memorabilia and card shops, as well as the Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum. Cooperstown is also the location of Dreams Park, home to more than 20 ball parks in one location. Every summer, youth teams from across North America converge on Dreams Park to take part in a number of various tournaments. Admission to the park is free, so anyone can enjoy a real baseball game in the historic town of Cooperstown.
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