Baseball Fandom in Full Swing

Baseball Fandom in Full Swing at Cooperstown Hall of Fame

BY ALLISON COLLINS

Th e National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum promises Otsego County tourists a homerun visit this summer.

Jon Shestakofsky, Vice President of Communications and Education with the museum, said, after implementing a comprehensive, pandemic-friendly visitation plan in June 2020, the 25 Main St. site is ready for the return of fans and families. Th e museum was closed, he noted, from March 15 through June 26, 2020. Its reopening coincided with the June 24, 2020 start of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Phase IV.

“As it stands, we are looking forward to continuing to welcome baseball fans into our museum,” Shestakofsky said in late April. “We’ve been open since late June and have been able to do what we do – share the game’s history and allow people to revel in their love of the game. Hopefully, it’ll be a solid number of fans this year.”

Part of the reopening plan, Shestakofsky noted, included reducing capacity to 25%, or roughly 200 to 400 visitors in the museum at a time. In non-pandemic years, he said, the museum sees approximately 2,000 visitors daily, or 300,000 annually.

“Last year, obviously with the three-plus months we were closed … there was a signifi cant decline in visitation,” he said. “But there were certainly times throughout the year that we were busier, and we were bumping up against capacity, and that was a good thing.”

Shestakofsky said changes, all baseball-themed, included introducing heightened safety measures as well as increased interactivity. Th e museum also moved to ticketed, timed admissions.

“All staff and all visitors wear masks,” he said, “and we’ve installed clear plexiglass shields at any points of contact. Other things we based on the fl ow of traffi c, but the big thing is our capacity limit, at 25%. Because of that, we’ve moved to a timed admission ticket and that helps in a few ways: it alleviates lines forming … and provides a more staggered fl ow into the museum to help groups stay distanced.

“We take a baseball approach to this, so we have a ‘lineup’ of the rules and an ‘on-deck circle’ that keeps groups socially distanced,” Shestakofsky continued. “What’s great is that our exhibit spaces are almost entirely functional. We have three fl oors of exhibit space and … every guest receives a stylus pen that they can use to interact with any of the touchscreens or buttons throughout the museum. It’s a neat solution and having that stylus reminds people not to use their hands.”

Shestakofsky said visitors’ responses to all the museum off ers have been heartening.

“Th e museum experience was very well received when we reopened last year, along with all the safety measures – whether social distancing or signs or plexiglass at the ticket booth, all the way down to the stylus pens we’re handing out,” he said. “Th e museum experience has remained what it should be and … everyone that wanted to come up and see us was able to. Into the future, we’re planning to continue most if not all of those operations.”

At the time of writing, the museum’s two theaters and all in-person programming remained suspended, though Shestakofsky said the Starting Nine Experience, launched at the time of reopening, has been extended.

“(It’s) a great new self-guided tour,” he said. “When you go in, you can ask for your team’s nine must-see artifacts … and fi nd the pieces that most resonate with you and your particular team, all the way from the start of baseball to contemporary baseball.

“We’ve extended the Starting Nine into the 2021 year, because it’s a special opportunity for fans to come, or come back to, the hall of fame and have a self-guided tour through their favorite team’s artifacts,” Shestakofsky continued. “It was very well received last year, so we’re continuing that, so as many folks as possible can enjoy it.”

According to a press release, each Major League team is represented in the experience.

Shestakofsky noted that, in late July, the museum will debut exhibits featuring members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2020 inductees.

“Th is summer there will be exhibit cases highlighting each of our four members of the Class of 2020 – Derek Jeter, Marvin Miller, Ted Simmons and Larry Walker,” he said. “So, there’s an exhibit about our new inductees and, beginning July 26, their plaques will be up on the wall and we know a lot of folks want to be among the fi rst to see those.”

Shestakofsky said the village of Cooperstown refl ects the old-timey charm found in the museum, making both worthy destinations.

“Cooperstown is a slice of Americana and it’s a very special place to come visit, not only for the hall of fame, but for so many other, really interesting cultural attractions, indoor and outdoor,” he said. “Th ere are a lot of reasons to come to Cooperstown, and obviously the baseball aspect is a huge part of it, but there’s a lot beyond that to do and explore here.

“On the baseball side, this is the home and heart of our national pastime and where the legends live on forever,” Shestakofsky continued. “Th is is where we see families come together and share some really incredible moments based on a mutual love of the game.”

And, Shestakofsky said, despite pandemic-related uncertainties, the museum is ready to play ball.

“I think we’re all kind of playing that game of trying to estimate what the future holds, but there are so many variables that it’s diffi cult to have a solid idea,” he said. “We’re certainly hopeful that things will continue to improve, and folks will be interested in coming to have a very safe and enjoyable family experience here in Cooperstown – that’s something we know we can deliver.”

For more information, visit baseballhall. org.