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Our first stop on the way home is Cooperstown,  New York - the Baseball Hall of Fame.  We arrived today around 2:00 just as the big game is started between Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers.  Yesterday Orlando Cepada, Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount were  inducted.  There is still a large crowd because of the big game. 

Cooperstown is an idyllic town set on the Otsego Lake surrounded by Victorian homes and stately mansions for a very reasonable price.  Everyone was very friendly even though the crowds were huge everywhere.

The entrance to the hall is on Main Street.   The downtown is short, full of souvenir and memorabilia stores. 

Here it is sunny, but the big game was actually called on account of rain in the 9th inning.  Texas won 11-9.  They keep telling us there is a drought going on...

It is definitely a small town and several houses back up to the field.  Here are a few spectators on ladders watching the game.  Center field is about 390 feet so these guys could catch some flies!!

Across the street the fire department was getting into the act.  Here they are hoisting up the bucket of the fire truck to see the game!

Oh yes,  here's the front of the stadium - birthplace of baseball.

While the game was going on, we went inside the museum.  Will wanted to find Willie Mays.   The downstairs has all the plaques of the players and the record breakers.   There are a lot of Giants and A's here.   It was fun.   We saw Reggie Jackson, Catfist Hunter and Willie McCovey to name a few.

While I was reading the records, some guy next to me kept saying "Man look at that list Barry Bonds is on every one."   Willie Mays is up there in the all time big leaguers!

In the records was Barry Bonds and JT Snow for last year's Golden Gloves and Ben Greive for AL Rookie of the Year.

Here is Orlando Cepada.  While we were in the Hall of Fame Gallery, he came in and Phil snapped this picture of him and said congratulations. 

Then Phil, Patrick, Will,  and Michelle headed up to see the movie in the Grandstand Theatre.  Two rows behind them was Orlando Cepada and his family.   This made Patrick's day - he said it was his favorite part of the museum tour.

The home run chase is also downstairs.  Here is Mark McGwire's uniform, shoes, bat, the catcher's glove and the ball from his record.  Phil was curious but no underwear on display.

The Roemer crew stands in front of Babe Ruth.  You could spend days in this place.  The second floor has baseball today and general history which includes a year by year look at the leading teams.

  The third floor has section on ballparks, post season play and the evolution of equipment.  It is funny to see the old gloves, balls and bats of the early 1900's.    How did they catch with those gloves???

George Kelly is also in the Hall of Fame but this is a great description of him in the General History section.  This is for Kathy Crowley - her Great Uncle I believe. 

So many incredible people over the years and so many memories.