For baseball enthusiasts, a trip to Cooperstown, New York is much more than a vacation — it is a pilgrimage of sorts. There’s no easy way to get there. It requires a long journey of exalted purpose. There seems to be a strong moral significance felt by those who make the trek.
The entire town is a highly concentrated dose of nostalgia intended to give even the most casual fan goosebumps and chills. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a shrine to the game of baseball and its heroes.
The Detroit Tigers are well represented there. Ty Cobb was its first inductee. And artifacts dating back all the way to the World Champion 1887 Detroit Wolverines are on display.
Since 2002, I have had the privilege of membership on the Hall of Fame’s board of advisers. As a result, I’ve had the opportunity to visit Cooperstown on a fairly regular basis. I’ve yet to leave the place without an intense sense of awe and bittersweet longing. It is a trip I highly recommend taking. Especially with close members of your family with whom you’ve shared your baseball memories.
This video clip produced by Hall of Fame Magazine provides a glimpse of the Cooperstown experience. I hope it inspires you to make your pilgrimage soon.