Cooperstown, New York 22 June

Nirvana! Mecca! This is a place that is a must see for all who are real baseball fans--the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Originally named for the author James Fennimore Cooper, compared to the Babe, and Gehrig, Mays and Mantle, Cooper has now been relegated to double A ball. They have significantly expanded the hall in the last 10 years, so if has been a while since you have visited, it is worth the trip. There are numerous Bed & Breakfasts in Cooperstown that are within easy walking distance of "The Hall."

A good to know for all military personnel, active duty and retired, show your ID card and your admission is waived.


The Hall of fame opened in 1936 with the induction of the first 5 players--Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Christy Matthewson, Walter Johnson, and Honus Wagner. The hall that contains a plaque for every player, manager, and executive elected to the Hall of Fame is well worth a couple of hours. There is so much history on just the plaques, but there are eight more wings on three levels to visit. It took us seven hours to get through. Thankfully, the Hall of Fame is open from 0900-2100 everyday except for Christmas and New Years (that's fine for them to close those days--with an average of 39" of snow on the ground, we won't be around anyway.

The other wings are dedicated to hitters, pitchers, announcers, the Negro leagues, and many other important facets of the game. There is a short movie in the main theatre that is well worth seeing. It is a collage of great plays the last 50 years. They are bang-bang played back to back and the film has a pretty high wow factor.






The letter above is displayed as you enter the display wings. Judge Mountain Kennesaw Landis, the commissioner of baseball, had written to the President, FDR, seeking guidance on whether Major League Baseball should continue during the Second World War. Answering as a private citizen with clear overtones of Presidential authority, FDR asked that the game continue.

As you enter the Hall of Honor where all of the plaques are hung, the first display is that of all of the members of the Hall of Fame that served in armed forces from the Civil War to the present. The designation is also on each veterans plaque. It is clear from this and other benefits and displays that the Hall is going out of its way to welcome home the troops.

In one wing of the Hall is a case with a ball from every no hitter pitched since 1900. Off to the left of that case is a separate case for the balls from Nolan Ryan's SEVEN no-hitters (without steroids). No other pitcher is even close. Another display also notes Ryan's 5714 career strikeouts (without steroids) which is over a thousand more than the number two pitcher, Randy Johnson.