Baseball's "Invention" in Cooperstown, NY
Baseball has a long and storied history, full of myths and national pride. The idea that baseball was invented in Cooperstown, NY was pushed by Abner Graves. Graves claimed that Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown, when in reality it was very unlikely that this took place.
But the rumor spread, newspaper articles were published, and the growing belief around the country was that baseball had been invented in Cooperstown, NY by Abner Doubleday. The myth was then endorsed by the Mills Commission, organized by Albert Spalding to prove that baseball had been invented in the United States by an American (as opposed to being a derivative based on England's rounders), and quickly made the small, upstate New York town of Cooperstown quite famous.
Since then, baseball has found its way into nearly every inch of Cooperstown. From Doubleday Field to Cooperstown Dreams Park and the many summer baseball programs, Cooperstown is baseball.
Founding of the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum
The visionary philanthropist Stephen C. Clark, in an effort to celebrate and protect America's pastime, as well as create an economic engine for the small village of Cooperstown, supported the establishment of a National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, which opened in 1939, and will be celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2014.
Cooperstown is synonymous with baseball, but there are hundreds of other reasons to plan an overnight visit to this small village. Cooperstown boasts many baseball attractions, a wide variety of multi-season recreational opportunities, performing arts venues throughout the county, beautiful scenery, fine dining, and a variety of lodging options to make your stay unforgettable.
Play Baseball in Cooperstown
Kids love to have a true baseball experience in Cooperstown! Hundreds of kids and youth teams come together each summer for Cooperstown's baseball camps. With lodging available to accommodate entire teams or families traveling to support their young baseball stars, Cooperstown is the perfect place to take a baseball vacation!
Each summer, the top collegiate players leave school and head right to Cooperstown for a summer baseball leagues with their college peers from around the country. The students make lifelong friends, stay in shape, and become better baseball players. What better way is there to spend the summer?
If you get some teams together, you can even rent the historic Doubleday Field! Starting in mid-April and going through Columbus Day in October, Doubleday Field in Cooperstown has 2-3 game slots available per day. Grab some friends, and have your chance to play on this historic field!
