COOPERSTOWN, NY - Since baseball's earliest days, women have been major contributors to the strength and character of the National Pastime.

In honor of Women's History Month, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will examine the role of women in baseball with a day-long lineup of events on Saturday, March 19 in Cooperstown. The Hall of Fame will present Women in Baseball Day, a celebration of accomplishments of women on and off the diamond.

Events will include an Authors Series presentation, an Artifact Spotlight featuring treasures related to women in baseball and a special screening of oral history interviews with members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

All events are included with Museum admission. The schedule of events includes:

11 a.m.            Authors Series: Curveball

                        Bullpen Theater, 1^st Floor

Professor and journalist Martha Ackmann will discuss her book, "Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone, the First Woman to Play Professional Baseball in the Negro League." The program will be followed by a book signing. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

1 p.m.              Artifact Spotlight: Women in Baseball

                        Learning Center, 1^st Floor

Join us for an up-close look at artifacts from the Hall of Fame's vault. This 20-minute program will highlight artifacts related to the history of women in baseball.

2 p.m.              Inside the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League

                        Bullpen Theater, 1^st Floor

Learn about life in the All American Girls' Professional Baseball League in this panel discussion recorded during the official opening of the Hall of Fame's Diamond Dreams exhibit in May of 2006. The hour-long interview features many stories and anecdotes as told by former AAGPBL players.

The Museum's Diamond Dreams exhibit, which honors women contributors to baseball - including Hall of Famer Effa Manley - is open to visitors daily as part of the Museum experience. One of the Hall of Fame's most popular exhibits, Diamond Dreams salutes the roles women have played in baseball at every level, from on the diamond to in the front office.

For more information on these and other programs, please visit www.baseballhall.org.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is open seven days a week year round, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The Museum observes regular hours of 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. from Labor Day until Memorial Day Weekend. From Memorial Day through the day before Labor Day, the Museum is open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. seven days a week. Ticket prices are $19.50 for adults (13 and over), $12 for seniors (65 and over) and for those holding current memberships in the VFW, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion and AMVets organizations, and $7 for juniors (ages 7-12). Members are always admitted free of charge and there is no charge for children 6 years of age or younger.  For more information, visit our Web site at baseballhall.org or call 888-HALL-OF-FAME (888-425-5633) or 607-547-7200.