Cooperstown vacation
 

Just got back from my annual extended visit to Cooperstown. Spent 10 beautiful days there. Weather was unusually warm for up there, mid 80s first part of the week and we did get some rain for a couple of days but it was, as always, a great time. The highlight was visiting Colliersville Antiques (about 30 minutes south of Cooperstown) where I had a nice time talking with Don Flewelling and his wife about baseball cards and memorabilia. Don promotes the card show in Cooperstown on induction weekend at the VFW (right across the street from the HOF), another great event. He sold me a couple of nice T206 Southern Leaguers while I was there. That was a bonus. If you are in the area, it is worth a trip to Colliersville, just to talk to Don about his 60 years of collecting. BTW, Don had a lot of nice things to say about Ted Z. as well.

I love Cooperstown and head up there from the NYC area several times a year. I've been to every HOF Weekend for the past 8 summers and several before that :) .

Cooperstown
 

Don is a great guy. I've bought several cards from him at the Cooperstown show on Induction weekend in the past. I always look forward to visiting with him and Ted.

Best regards,

Joe

To those who have been there before for the Induction, I'm going this year. What do I need to know? I'm staying in Utica (closest I could get)

How should I approach that Sunday's events?

I go up every year with Ted Z. Get to town as early as possible to find intown parking. Go to Doubleday Field (on Main St. near the hall and on the same side of the street). On induction day parking is not allowed in the field's parking lot. Beginning at about 10 am they run continuous shuttle buses from there to the induction site (Clark Gym, also no parking allowed there). After the ceremony, the shuttle buses do continuous round trips back to Doubleday Field. The buses go non-stop. If you're up to it, it's about 3/4th of a mile's walk from Doubleday Field to Clark Gym. You can set up a chair or beach towel to sit anywhere in the gym's field to watch the ceremony.

Parking for the induction ceremony
 

On Sunday morning if you drive up the hill to the area where the Induction Ceremony takes place you will find several homes that sell parking spaces. They range from $5-$15. The walk is only a few blocks to the field. Take sun screen if its sunny. I believe there are six inductees this year and that's a lot of speeches. My wife and I always pack a cooler full of cold drinks and sandwiches, but the local High School sells hot dogs like they do at the ball park.

Lots to do during the weekend. Don't miss the card show and sale at the VFW across the street from the Hall. Not a big show, but quality pre-war vendors. I spend a lot of time there on Saturday, while my wife goes shopping in the village. She always finds a few non-baseball treasures and is very happy.

Lots of great places to eat. I actually prefer to buy hamburgers and hot dogs from the street vendors along Main Street, but if you want a good sit down meal there are several good spots in town.

Best of all is the museum itself. They have really done a great job to keep the exhibits fresh and interesting. I go to Cooperstown every year and I always see something that I never seen before.

Enjoy your trip and don't get to frustrated with the crowds purchasing autographs.

Best regards,

Joe

Realistically, how long a drive in hours is it from midtown Manhattan to Cooperstown? Can this be a 1-day trip, leave early, come back late?

I do it several times a year from Westchester. Takes about 3 hrs. From Manhattan I'd say it'll be just under a 4 hour drive.

Worth the trip...from anywhere!
 

I could spend all day talking about my Cooperstown trip in '99. This was one of the last, if not the last time they played the HOF game on Induction Weekend and it was GRAND!

I had donated cards for which I received three Lifetime Passes to the Museum. We were welcomed in through a separate door while the crowd (and this was the largest to date....since passed by Ripken/Gwynn) filed in at a much slower pace though the main doors.

The museum itself had been upgraded and has since expanded quite a bit.

The HOF game was amazing! The right-field crowd was riotous and chanted 'Call Your Shot!' 'Call Your Shot' until a journeyman catcher named Greg Zaun (who played right-field that day) made just short of a William Bendex motion to the right-field stands. Believe it or not...and I have it captured on DVD (copied from the original VHS-Tape of the weekend)...he hit the very next pitch into those same right-field seats! Absolutely Amazing!

The actual Induction Ceremonies were held on a couple of soccer fields just outside of town. There were to Ben & Jerry's trucks along with about 20 porta-potties there to meet the crowd needs.

A couple of Phillies fans offered Mom an umbrella to shield her from the sun.

One amazing experience after another! The highlight of my life so far!

Ok, shameless plug for our products :) .

We've produced the 8x10 Hall of Fame Induction Card almost every year since 1984. Most collectors will purchase our cards through us, or at one of the stores on Main Street in Cooperstown. Then, on the day of the Induction, they'll bring their cards over to the USPS who will be offering free USPS cancellations on any item with proper postage. They do this outdoors, across from the Hall of Fame. Can't miss it. This year the USPS is offering a special commemorative 75th Anniversary of the HOF postmark. Will look great on our cards :) .

This year's cards look like the one below. Offering Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, and one card for Cox, Torre, and LaRussa.

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDg2WDYwMA...TcOgi/$_57.JPG

And the USPS cancellation will look almost exactly like this, but in black ink of course :) :

http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/8045...51-276x300.jpg

Tremendous looking as always.

Tom C