O/T-- What's your favorite thing in "The Hall"?

[sdkammeyer]

As I sit here on New Year's Eve making a "to do" list for next year and setting some tobacco card goals...... I have made a promise to myself that in 2013 I am going to make the trek to Cooperstown for the first time.

I know I'm probably gonna cry like a baby as I walk through the front door, but for those of you that have been fortunate enough..... what's your favorite thing or favorite area of The Hall?

Any tips to make my adventure better?

[MGHPro]

There are so many wonderful early items its just an awesome experience. Some of my favorites are the statues in the art room, the Cy Young painting in the hall when you walk in and the early equipment displays. You'll have a great time.
Matt

[sayhey24]

I agree with Matt that the huge Cy Young painting at the front door is amazing.
Make sure to check out the small book shop that's down the back hall through the Gallery -- you might find an interesting book or CD or DVD back there. And when you walk down that hallway, you can look out through the window and see the statues of Johnny Podres pitching to Campy -- that's definitely one of my favorite things.
As a bat collector, I enjoy checking out game used characteristics on the bats and learning that sometimes players used someone else's bat for some key hit.
I also really enjoy staring into the lockers of Babe Ruth and Walter Johnson and imagining what was once in there.
I'll leave it there for now.

Greg

[Buythatcard]

It's hard to pick a favorite part but don't miss the following:

The Baseball Experience - a short film about the history of baseball.

African American Experience

Of course, check out the baseball cards on display.

[z28jd]

There are so many cool things it is impossible to pick one favorite. One thing that I really liked from my last visit was the scorecard from the first perfect game. I got a nice picture of that

[felada]

The temple cup and the collection of oj cabinets including a McPhee

[Wite3]

I loved the Jackie Robinson stuff...there is a great pocket watch that is attributed to Kid Nichols but has Charlie Bennett's name on it. Took me and a docent nearly an hour to figure out that the watch was given to Bennett (a teammate of Nichols on Boston) who later in Nichol's life gave it to Kid who was destitute at the time. Kid then sold it and it eventually found its way into the Hall. All this was using the Hall's library and catalog...it was incredible.

The only reason I recognized Bennett's name was because I was doing a bit of research at the time on the Worchester Ruby Legs (he was one of their first catchers).

Bennett was an amazing early baseball character and a piece of baseball history...seriously, look him up!

And yes, I have an OJ example that it took me several years to find.

Joshua