October 14, 2007
Sunday
An 1868 employment ad displayed in the Hall of Fame said, "Notice to First Basemen–the National Club of Washington are looking for a first baseman about here. They have been to Brooklyn, but they were not successful in obtaining one. Terms–First rate position in the Treasury Department: must work in the Department until three o’clock, and then practice at base ball until dark. ‘No Irish Need Apply.’"
Cooperstown was founded by and named after Judge William Cooper, the father of author James Fenimore Cooper. The Village of Cooperstown was established in 1786 and incorporated as the "Village of Otsego" on April 3, 1807; the name was legally changed to "Village of Cooperstown" in 1812.
Baseball is the name of the game in Cooperstown. The streets are lined with souvenir shops, baseball card shops, a wax museum, DiMaggio’s hot dog stand, The National Pastime, Cooperstown Cards and the Where It All Began Bat Company.
Gail and I were first in line at 9:00 to enter the hallowed halls of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
The Special Baseball Commission, in 1908, after three years of studying the matter, stated that Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown in 1839. This was based partially on a letter from Abner Graves, who claimed to be present when Abner Doubleday invented the game 70 years earlier.
In 1934 an antique baseball was found in an attic in a trunk believed to have belonged to Abner Graves. This became known as the Doubleday Baseball and was put on exhibit in Cooperstown.
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In 1936, Ty Cobb received more votes than Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner and Babe Ruth to lead the first class of inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The National Baseball Museum opened its doors in 1938 and was dedicated in 1939. By that time 25 members had been elected to the Hall of Fame. The eleven still living traveled to Cooperstown to attend the dedication.
In an exhibit entitled "3,000/3,000 Club," we discovered that Rogers Hornsby, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams did not hit 3,000 career base hits. Cy Young, Christy Mathewson and Warren Spahn did not throw 3,000 career strikeouts.
Twenty-seven men have hit 3,000 or more base hits. Fifteen pitchers have struck out 3,000 or more batters.
Heading the list of hitters is Pete Rose with 4,256; second is Ty Cobb at 4,191.
Nolan Ryan has 5,714 strikeouts, more than a thousand more than second-place Roger Clemens.
Every team has retired uniform number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson.
As my friend Wayne Wegner probably knows, David Wells and Don Larsen, who have pitched the Yankees’ only two perfect games, both attended Point Loma High School in San Diego.
The official team histories say that the Atlanta Braves were founded in 1871 as the Boston Red Stockings, making them the oldest major league baseball team. I thought the Cincinnati Red Legs were the oldest team but evidently I was mistaken so I checked Google.
According to Google, the Cincinnati Red Stockings were America’s first profession.JPG)
al baseball team, beginning March 15, 1869. After an undefeated season, 65-0, and going on to win 130 consecutive games, they finally lost to the Brooklyn Atlantics in 1870. Cincinnati fans immediately stopped coming to their games (I thought New York was tough) and the team moved to Boston where they became the Boston Red Stockings in 1871. Cincinnati got another team in 1882, also named the Red Stockings and currently known as the Reds.
So that’s the rest of the story. You guess which team came first.
After spending the morning at the Hall of Fame, we visited the Ommegang Brewery and tasted Belgian ales. They were good.
Then we drove to the Cooperstown Brewery and tasted American ales. They were also good.
Back at the Tunnicliff Inn, we met Frank, the owner, in the lobby and chatted with him a while. The inn was built in 1802 and does not have a level surface. We set our suitcases in the center of our room on the night that we checked in and watched them slowly roll to the far wall. Frank bought the place in 1992. He says his next project is to upgrade the furniture.
Downstairs, below ground level, is the Pit, a lively restaurant that attracts local families and serves beer by the pitcher and beef by the pound.
.JPG)
After dinner, we went to our room, watched our suitcases roll and prepared for bed.
Sunday
An 1868 employment ad displayed in the Hall of Fame said, "Notice to First Basemen–the National Club of Washington are looking for a first baseman about here. They have been to Brooklyn, but they were not successful in obtaining one. Terms–First rate position in the Treasury Department: must work in the Department until three o’clock, and then practice at base ball until dark. ‘No Irish Need Apply.’"
Cooperstown was founded by and named after Judge William Cooper, the father of author James Fenimore Cooper. The Village of Cooperstown was established in 1786 and incorporated as the "Village of Otsego" on April 3, 1807; the name was legally changed to "Village of Cooperstown" in 1812.
Baseball is the name of the game in Cooperstown. The streets are lined with souvenir shops, baseball card shops, a wax museum, DiMaggio’s hot dog stand, The National Pastime, Cooperstown Cards and the Where It All Began Bat Company.
Gail and I were first in line at 9:00 to enter the hallowed halls of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
The Special Baseball Commission, in 1908, after three years of studying the matter, stated that Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown in 1839. This was based partially on a letter from Abner Graves, who claimed to be present when Abner Doubleday invented the game 70 years earlier.
In 1934 an antique baseball was found in an attic in a trunk believed to have belonged to Abner Graves. This became known as the Doubleday Baseball and was put on exhibit in Cooperstown.
.JPG)
In 1936, Ty Cobb received more votes than Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner and Babe Ruth to lead the first class of inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame.The National Baseball Museum opened its doors in 1938 and was dedicated in 1939. By that time 25 members had been elected to the Hall of Fame. The eleven still living traveled to Cooperstown to attend the dedication.
In an exhibit entitled "3,000/3,000 Club," we discovered that Rogers Hornsby, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams did not hit 3,000 career base hits. Cy Young, Christy Mathewson and Warren Spahn did not throw 3,000 career strikeouts.
Twenty-seven men have hit 3,000 or more base hits. Fifteen pitchers have struck out 3,000 or more batters.
Heading the list of hitters is Pete Rose with 4,256; second is Ty Cobb at 4,191.
Nolan Ryan has 5,714 strikeouts, more than a thousand more than second-place Roger Clemens.
Every team has retired uniform number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson.
As my friend Wayne Wegner probably knows, David Wells and Don Larsen, who have pitched the Yankees’ only two perfect games, both attended Point Loma High School in San Diego.
The official team histories say that the Atlanta Braves were founded in 1871 as the Boston Red Stockings, making them the oldest major league baseball team. I thought the Cincinnati Red Legs were the oldest team but evidently I was mistaken so I checked Google.
According to Google, the Cincinnati Red Stockings were America’s first profession
.JPG)
al baseball team, beginning March 15, 1869. After an undefeated season, 65-0, and going on to win 130 consecutive games, they finally lost to the Brooklyn Atlantics in 1870. Cincinnati fans immediately stopped coming to their games (I thought New York was tough) and the team moved to Boston where they became the Boston Red Stockings in 1871. Cincinnati got another team in 1882, also named the Red Stockings and currently known as the Reds.So that’s the rest of the story. You guess which team came first.
After spending the morning at the Hall of Fame, we visited the Ommegang Brewery and tasted Belgian ales. They were good.
Then we drove to the Cooperstown Brewery and tasted American ales. They were also good.
Back at the Tunnicliff Inn, we met Frank, the owner, in the lobby and chatted with him a while. The inn was built in 1802 and does not have a level surface. We set our suitcases in the center of our room on the night that we checked in and watched them slowly roll to the far wall. Frank bought the place in 1992. He says his next project is to upgrade the furniture.
Downstairs, below ground level, is the Pit, a lively restaurant that attracts local families and serves beer by the pitcher and beef by the pound.
.JPG)
After dinner, we went to our room, watched our suitcases roll and prepared for bed.
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