Why You Should Visit Cooperstown, NY

Many baseball fans say they will eventually go to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., but they never get around to it. I used to be one of those fans, until I married a woman who put me in the car in the middle of the night and took me there for a mini-vacation.

Although the Hall is obviously the town's main attraction, there are other cool things to complete your day or weekend in Cooperstown.

Just make sure you plan enough time to get there. Cooperstown is nestled in the north central part of the state. So if you're coming from Syracuse or New York City, hit the road early so you have enough time to get there.

Once you're there, you can check out the main gallery, featuring plaques for all the Hall of Famers. Give yourself a lot of time, because it's a treat to see baseball's greats all in one place.

After that, take a walk through the history of the game, with exhibits that follow the evolution of the game from the 1840s to the present.

Babe Ruth has his own room, devoted to his on-field exploits and larger-than-life persona. Other special sections focus on the African-American experience in baseball and women in baseball.

The Hall also features a library with more than 2 million works dedicated to the game, as well as a museum store and bookstore where you can find a ton of baseball merchandise. I enjoyed the postcards that featured individual Hall of Famers.

The Hall's dedication to the game continues with exhibits on how the game is portrayed in paintings and movies. Kids have their own hands-on section of the Hall called the Sandlot Kids' Clubhouse.

The game's great writers and broadcasters have their own section on the second floor called "Scribes and Mikemen." You can even listen to samples of their work. I took a picture here, because it's my dream to be inducted into the Hall as a broadcaster. I guess I'll make it there via the "announce pro wrestling and ultimate fighting" route that worked so well for Vin Scully and Ernie Harwell.

On the third (top) floor of the Hall, you can visit the Records Room. There you can find a listing of the all-time leaders in each statistical category. You can find out which active players (cough Barry Bonds) are threatening the top spots.

Also on top, you can see sections dedicated to the postseason and to major-league ballparks. You can even watch Abbott & Costello's Who's On First comedy routine.

There's a home plate statue outside with a catcher and a batter, so you can take your own action photos.

The next Hall of Fame festival will take place on July 27-30, with the induction of new members on July 29. Bruce Sutter joined the Hall in 2006.

After your visit to the Hall, take a walk down the street to check out the baseball-themed shops. There, you can find lots of old-style jerseys that are no longer in use. So if you need a yellow Pirates hat or a "Bloody Mary" red Indians jersey from the 70s, you'll be in luck.

Doubleday Field is also just down the street from the Hall. It is the site of the annual Hall of Fame game.

There are actually some attractions in Cooperstown that don't relate to baseball. The Glimmerglass Opera runs shows in July and August, offering internship opportunities for theater students around the country. The 2007 season will feature four different operas on the myth of Orpheus.

Otsego Lake is the main natural attraction in Cooperstown. Artists and writers have been inspired by this wildlife habitat. Cooperstown hosts the Otsego Lake Festival every yeat at Lake Front Park.

Two other sports have their Halls of Fame near Cooperstown as well. The National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta inducted Alexi Lalas, Philip Anshutz, Al Trost and Carla Overbay in 2006. In Catastota, the International Boxing Hall of Fame welcomed Michael Carbajal, Humberto Gonzalez, historian Hank Kaplan, promoter Jarvis Astaire and the late boxer Edwin Rosario.

So whether you're into sports or not, Cooperstown is a nice place to get away for the weekend.