Discover the National Baseball Hall of Fame
The Baseball Hall of Fame should be on the bucket list of any true baseball fan. It resides in the quaint town of Cooperstown, New York. Many people go in July when inductions are held, and a it draws a big crowd at that time of year. If you’d like to enjoy it at your leisure and away from the crowds, I’d suggest going before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. You’ll practically have the museum to yourself. But beware, you might have a hard time finding restaurants and shops open in the off season, even if their posted hours say they’re open.
Gotham Base Ball Club - earliest known baseball photograph
This museum has storied exhibits dating back to the origins of baseball. You’ll find major exhibits surrounding Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, The Negro League, The Women’s League, and Latin American leagues. It’s open from 9-5pm in the off season and later during the summer. It costs $23 for entrance. Or you can combine it with a visit to the National The Farmer’s Museum and or the Fenimore Art Museum to save some money on entrance to multiple museums.
If you listen to the ticket taker they may lead you to believe it will take around 2-3 hours to view the entire museum. But if you are an avid baseball fan, it may take you up to 5 hours to take in the whole experience.
Three exhibits that stuck out for us:
The Women’s League
We’ve all seen A League of their Own, much of it is based on fact. All those teams existed, and sadly today they don’t. I learned that a woman, Jackie Mitchell, struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in one game! Go Jackie!
The Negro League
This exhibit lays out the history of the Negro League and the Political Civil Rights movement on the same timeline. It was very poignant to see the struggle that people of color have endured to not only have their basic human rights recognized but also to be allowed to play professionally in America’s pastime.
Hank Aaron
His contribution to baseball is equally due to his activism and his talent on the field. This exhibit illustrates how he left a positive impact on the sport of baseball, and how he beat Babe Ruth’s record of 714 home runs with 755.
Hank Aaron exhibit
There is also a theater that shows a 20 minute video which showcases some of the inductees reminiscing about certain events in their career, their dreams of one day be considered one of “the greats” and what it means to them today. I’d highly recommend taking 20 minutes off your feet to enjoy this inspirational video.
Baseball Hall of Fame plaques
If you chose to spend a weekend in Cooperstown, you can check out Otsego Lake by renting a kayak from the lake front. Or if you’re into beer and/or Game of Thrones, check out Ommegang Brewery. They have teamed up with HBO to create some Game of Thrones themed beers - just be sure to check their hours especially in the off-season as they may not be open when you’d expect.