Baseball heaven: heroes, myths, legends, and dreams await fans in Cooperstown, New York

Travel America, Sept-Oct, 2005 by Tom O'Toole, Joanne O'Toole

COOPERSTOWN HAS BEEN singled out as the birthplace of baseball because folklore has it that Abner Doubleday chased the cows out of Elihu Phinney's pasture on an afternoon in 1839 and had the inspiration to invent the game that has become America's national pastime. That pasture is now the site of the 10,000-seat Doubleday Field.

However, on the other side of the coin, Doubleday's own diaries make no mention of baseball, and critics argue that Doubleday was a student at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point the entire year of 1839 and could not have been around to invent the game.

"No matter" is the general consensus. The true origin of the game seems to be irrelevant. The small village of Cooperstown continues to be an acceptable and symbolic site for the game's National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

"The Great American Pastime" is more than just a big hit in this little community. It's B-I-G business, especially during the summer months. You're lucky to find a parking spot on the street, and the sidewalks are elbow-to-elbow with baseball fans and visitors who are here because they've heard so much about this town.

Off Main Street, Doubleday Field is where more games are played every year than at any major league park. It seems everyone wants to play here--big leaguers, players from the minors, and youngsters. Best of all, most games are free admission.

Doubleday Field is every baseball player's "field of dreams" and hallowed ground for every baseball enthusiast. Those who are fortunate enough to play here--and fans who watch--always talk about it in baseball conversation. It's something you just don't want to forget.

Main Street is three blocks of one baseball store after another, interspersed with restaurants, gift emporiums, and quaint little specialty shops. The lampposts are draped with huge, overflowing double baskets of split geraniums. Although there is a lot of commercial hoopla, you still get a real sense that this is picturesque hometown Americana here on the shores of Lake Otsego. We meandered the main drag, seeing baseball fans of every conceivable shape and size sporting T-shirts, caps, and other gear from their favorite major league team.

Cooperstown Bat Company retail store displays a wide selection of hand-turned and hand-finished bats. You can have your name engraved on a souvenir bat of your choice. Two miles from town is its factory in Fly Creek. We had passed the factory outlet on the way in and headed back the next day for a tour of the bat-making facilities.

If you like bats, you can also visit Where It All Began Bat Company for a specialized bat or just to look. Need a cap? A number of stores have rows of them that cover entire walls. Want old-time stuff? There are stores offering a wide array of memorabilia, pins, framed photos, and autographs. For a tasty treat, follow the smells to the Baked Goods shop on the corner of Main and Chestnut, the intersection for the town's lone traffic light.

LET'S DO THE "HALL"

The No. 1 attraction in Cooperstown is the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, perhaps the best known sports shrine in the world. It is an independent, non-profit educational institution and receives no financial support from major league baseball, relying on donations, paid attendance, and revenue from its souvenir shops to fund most of the annual budget. Its mission is to preserve baseball history, honor excellence, and connect generations.

Opened on June 12, 1939, the Hall is at the end of Main Street, directly across from the post office, and borders Cooper Park, with its statue of novelist James Fenimore Cooper, the town's most famous son. The three-story, red-brick building has been renovated and expanded several times.

A $20-million renovation was completed this summer. As a result of the three-year project, some of the old is gone, new has been added, and things have been moved around. Changes include 10,000 additional square feet of exhibition space.

There are three levels of exhibits inside, covering every imaginable facet of baseball. We were absolutely captivated--much more so than we had anticipated.

Many people head directly to the vaulted gallery, the centerpiece of the Hall of Fame. Here are over 250 bronze plaques of those who have been enshrined, neatly hung on oak walls and in date order.

Although they had to wait a few years before the Hall was officially dedicated, the game's first immortals were elected in 1936. The five players inducted were outfielders Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb; shortstop Honus Wagner; and pitchers Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson.

Many fans start at the beginning and fully read every plaque. Most plaques are devoted to major league players, but also inducted over the years have been executives, Negro leaguers, managers, and umpires.

There is also an art gallery on Level One, loads of statistical records, an array of equipment, a bookstore, library, and over by the exit the huge museum shop--which you should save for the end. Up the new Grand Staircase is the 19th Century Room, which details the origins of the game.