Standing in the Hall of Fame.

After several fast and furious days in Manhattan and an incredible visit to Yankee Stadium, we got a rental car for our next leg of the trip. After almost two hours of waiting and a minor meltdown by me in the lobby of the Dollar Rental that is about the size of my kitchen, we finally drove out of Manhattan through New Jersey and to upstate New York. The further upstate, the more snow and ice and abandoned farms we encountered and in our little Chevy Impala, let me tell you that was quite the experience. Nothing like driving in the middle of nowhere in a state you are not familiar with and in a car that has seen better days in the ice and snow...but it was a total adventure and a wee bit thrilling :) We got off the freeway to my excitement and drove, and drove, passed a cow or two and then drove some more, and passed a small town with some more cows and maybe a horse and would show slight signs of civilization, drove a few more miles and then bam. there it was. The Baseball Hall of Fame. After hours in the car we drove right up and parked up front. As I got out of the car and looked up at the beautiful brick building with the snow coming down softly, I got a shock through me and choked up. I was finally, here.

It was nothing I imagined and so much better at the same time. Three stories of baseball heaven and a great hall - aka the actual Hall of Fame filled with plaques of all of the inductees in chronological order. With high ceilings and a dome that filled the room with beautiful light, it was awe-inspiring. Too bad it was ruined by a child watching Dora the Explorer. I didn't exactly want to hear "say Map! Map!" while I was meditating in my mecca. (I would later get into a minor altercation with the mother as I didn't realize it was the mother standing next to me when I commented to my mother about the lack of respect these people had. the mother said, you must not have children, and I said, you must not have heard of headphones. oopsies!). At the end of the Hall there was a path that lead back to the broadcaster's hall of fame, the baseball in movies section and what I am sure is an incredible artifact and library. We started on the first floor with the history of the museum and watched a movie about the history of the game, I wont give it away, but it was a fantastic way to start our experience.

 

We moved room to room slowly taking in the history of the game and seeing the game's greatest players jerseys, cleats, bats, balls, awards and personal effects in front of us. Then there was the Babe Ruth Room. Jackie Robinson's Room. The Yankees tributes, the record breakers for every.litte. thing. and then there was Hank Aaron's room, Latin baseball and every.single.world series ring. There was a Baseball card room, a Souvenir room, and current in baseball with each team's locker ...  and my favorite...the tribute to the All American Girls Baseball League which was absolutely incredible. I could have stayed all day, all night and all week.

                                               The Babe's uniform

 

                                        Mickey Mantle's Uniform

                                   1996 World Series Team...Jeter and Bernie William's jersey's and bats

                             

 

                     A picture honoring the 2004 Red Sox World Championship team. Drought broken!

At the end, we explored and spent way too much money in the incredible souvenir shop. In a previous post I wrote about spreading my Dad's ashes, but that is what ended the day, under a beautiful tree that faced the water and the building as the snow fell. We strolled up and down the strip going into stores and seeing even more interesting momentos over the years. The snow made the day even more beautiful and magical, and it was with happiness and sadness that we drove out of Cooperstown, back down the road and to the nearest Best Western where we had pizza and beer, cried and marveled at what we had just experienced. The next day would begin our next journey: Our drive to Boston.