Despite being filled with Yankees, Hall of Fame is still worth the trip

By Steph Rockwood
STAFF WRITER

Where is the one place every baseball enthusiast should visit before they are lying on their death bed? No clue? Let me give you a hint:

It’s located in a town outside of Albany, and is full of artifacts from yesterday and today that make up America’s Favorite Pastime as we know it.

If you guessed the National Baseball Hall of Fame, then you were right. I took the voyage to see what should be the eighth wonder of the world.

When working in retail, it’s a guarantee that sometime throughout your career, you are going to have to deal with arrogant people and there’s nothing you can do about it. It was the end of my shift, so I was already tired and aggravated. My last customer approached my register sporting “the dark side” merchandise (Yankee stuff), and of course, he was buying yet another Yankee hat and a Yankee shirt.

I was just making conversation when I said, “Wow. Yankee stuff?” When I said this he must have sensed the disgust in my voice because his next line sure didn’t catch me by surprise.

“Don’t tell me,” he said.

I didn’t let him say anymore, and I blurted out that I, myself, am a devout Red Sox fan. I then went on to tell him that I was to be going to the Baseball Hall of Fame in a few days. The man was already disappointing me to the fullest, but I guess he really wanted to see how far he could push me.

“You know, they should change the name of that to the Yankee Hall of Fame,” he said. “It’s full of Yankee things.”
Being knowledgeable about the game I knew he was right. I had to prepare myself for what was going to happen. Was I ever going to be ready though?

I really have to make myself clear and I hope nobody misunderstands me. I will always support one team, and one team only, and that’s my Red Sox. Now, forever and always.

But when you start talking about people like Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and the great “Babe,” you can’t pick sides anymore. I appreciate them to the fullest. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t think I would have a sport to love so much.

I wish there were still players like them around. Now all you see is money hungry, arrogant athletes. That’s in all of professional sports too, not just in baseball. Yes, I will also admit it’s not limited to the Yankees.

As we are making this trip out to Cooperstown and I am writing this article, I’m thinking, “What is the passion for the game all about? Why do people love it so much?”

Appreciation of the game takes heart. You have to be triumphant when your favorite team wins games, and you have to come with the same intensity and support when they are not doing so well (Red Sox Nation knows this all a little too well).

This is what it’s all about. Every player dreams about being inducted into the Hall, although most players are not so lucky. We spent the trip arguing about who is in it and who should be in it, but most of all, who deserves it.
The first thing I saw was the induction hall, where they have a plaque of every inductee.

Walking around, I saw the names of Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Babe Ruth and Yogi Berra. Although those names are important to the game, the names that really stood out to me were Ted Williams, Thomas Yawkey, Carlton Fisk and Carl Yastremski.

This was also the place where the Hall showed its appreciation for those who served in the armed forces. There was recognition under each who fought in a war, and there was also a large plaque.

It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I got emotional at this point and even shed a few tears. I thought that was pretty cool until I got to the monument that was constructed when the Red Sox took home the trophy in 2007.

I lost it for real this time. I was so overwhelmed, I didn’t even know what to do. They had a TV in the area showing clips from all the World Series. The 1986 series against the Mets breaks my heart every time someone reminds me of it, and the last play in 2004 that broke the curse seals it right back up.

All I have to say to my fellow members of Red Sox Nation is that if you have a weak stomach and just the mere site of those pinstripes make you queasy, be prepared. The Bombers basically monopolize every corner of the place. I mean come on now, give the other guys a break.

This will certainly go down as one of my most memorable experiences. Anyone who appreciates the game of baseball really needs to make a trip out to Cooperstown, N.Y.

Don’t forget your camera either, because you want to have something to remember your time at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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