A Visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame – Parade

Cooperstown and baseball are synonymous for fans of the sport. The picturesque town of 2,000 full-time residents, swells to over 25,000 during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction weekend every July.

In 2016, longtime Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. and New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza joined the elite roster of hall of famers. Only 217, 1 percent of those who have played the game, have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Hame.

“The goal of the Baseball Hall of Fame is to share baseball with the masses. Even if you are not a baseball fan, there is so much to do and learn here,” says Jon Shestakofsky, vice president of communications & education at the Baseball Hall of Fame. During my visit in August, I witnessed fans and non-fans alike viewing the artifacts on display and learning about the history associated with these great ballplayers.

The wall of plaques—one for every person in the Hall of Fame—on the first floor is a fan favorite, but I recommend starting on the second floor. Here you will find a locker for each current MLB team stocked with baseball memorabilia. I also suggest exploring the lockers outside your allegiance. An extensive Babe Ruth exhibit includes the game-used bat Ruth used to club his 60^th home run in 1927. From turnstiles and game-worn jerseys to stadium advertising and more, the third floor is all about memorabilia. Another must-see is the extensive collection of World Series rings. Some are bigger than others, but they are all historic.

It’s hard to believe there’s more to see than the amazing collection on display at the Hall of Fame, but the majority of collectibles and artifacts are packed away in boxes and never see the light of day. The Hall of Fame has over 3 million items, 250,000 unique images, and over 40,000 3-D objects. Visitors only sees the current offerings on display. Some are permanent and some are on a rotating schedule.

The Hall of Fame for years has talked about digitizing the entire collection. This is now a reality. A few weeks ago, they launched PASTIME (Digital Archive Project) to bring the collection and education to the masses. Documents related to Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson have already been released and are online. Scholars, fans and educators alike can access the digital archives of the Baseball Hall of Fame now and in perpetuity at  http://baseballhall.org/discover/digital-archive-project-launches-via-pastime

But don’t let digital availability replace an awe-inspiring visit to the museum and town. There are some great restaurants (Mel’s) and Otsego Lake is also a must see.

Have you visited the Baseball Hall of Fame? What did you enjoy most? Tell us in the comments below.