Baseball HOF

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Last September I had the chance to spend five days in Cooperstown during the annual HOF Film Festival. It was a wonderful trip with my now grown daughter and my first trip since 1989.

It took three different flights, a rental car and we stayed at the Otesaga Hotel. It was a VERY expensive week that I wouldn't trade for anything.

The folks at the HOF were very friendly and the Hall is beautiful. The only complaint I have is the lack of material being displayed, no where near the amount displayed in past decades. I asked about the baseball cards and they said they have chosen to no longer do a card display or room. I would guess there are 40-50 great cards incorporated in the exhibits. I also asked to tour the library and was told it is no longer available to visitors.

The construction of 100 plus youth league baseball fields just south of town guarantees thousands of daily visitors to Cooperstown each Summer day which is great for the HOF! I do feel that the exhibits are now geared to a younger crowd. I do think the staff understands the needs/wants of the majority of their visitors.

In 1989 I toured the College Football Hall of Fame then in Kings Island, OH, the Pro Football Hall in Canton and then spent four days in Cooperstown. After seeing the Baseball HOF I wondered if the staff at both the College and Pro Football Halls had ever visited Cooperstown, they were light years behind.

I just toured the Pro Football HOF again and I have to say they have surpassed Cooperstown in their displays in many regards and of course I was fortunate to see the Hunt-Casterline card collection which is beyond nice. Different sport, different customer.

With that said I loved Cooperstown and the HOF! I would add for travelers, the Otesaga is nice at $545 a night but the Holiday Inn Express ten minutes south of town is new, clean and a bargain at about $135 a night in the off season. We spent our first night there.

I appreciated Bruce, Shirley, Sarge and whole staff at the Baseball HOF, great folks. My one regret is not purchasing a t-shirt at the Dugout Cafe just a few doors down from the Hall. It read "Cooperstown, a drinking town with a baseball problem." Also a must visit is the Ommegang Brewery just outside of town, great beer and food.

[KMayUSA6060]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Great discussions of baseball against the backdrop of bigger issues like civil rights and racism. The mix of modern and old is really superb. Have to say reading about what henry Aaron went through just a few decades ago was profoundly depressing.

"The constant through all the years... is baseball." - James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams

Originally Posted by Hot Springs Bathers

In 1989 I toured the College Football Hall of Fame then in Kings Island, OH, the Pro Football Hall in Canton and then spent four days in Cooperstown. After seeing the Baseball HOF I wondered if the staff at both the College and Pro Football Halls had ever visited Cooperstown, they were light years behind.

I just toured the Pro Football HOF again and I have to say they have surpassed Cooperstown in their displays in many regards and of course I was fortunate to see the Hunt-Casterline card collection which is beyond nice. Different sport, different customer.

I visited the Pro Football HoF last summer with my grandpa for the first time - quite sad considering I live 20 minutes from it, and have my whole life. With it being my first time, I didn't have prior experience(s) to compare it to. However, I was impressed with the technology. The hologram video was pretty cool, and I did enjoy the Hunt-Casterline card collection. The museum worker in charge of that exhibit that day didn't know the details regarding graded cards and such, so I spent about a half hour educating my grandpa and the employee.


I've been to Cooperstown once, and that was in 2011 if I remember correctly. I did it all wrong, all the way down to eating Chinese food instead of a hot dog for lunch - how unAmerican and unBaseball Fan of me (although the Chinese food was good). I'm planning on going back next year with my best friend. We're planning on heading to the induction ceremony to see Jim Thome get inducted, assuming he's a 1st ballot HoFer. The timing might work out where the trip becomes my bachelor's party, but regardless, does anyone have any tips on how to plan the trip for the induction ceremony? I have family that has a lakeside cabin on one of the Finger Lakes that we would probably be able to stay at, but how is driving in and parking on the day of?